Taming Eastyn (Stampton College Boys Series Book 1)

by Dawn Doyle

  Fuck, Elise could ask her mommy and daddy for the entire amount that needed to be raised and they would give it without question for their precious daughter, but that girl helped no-one but herself, not unless there was something in it for her.

  And it looked like this was the reason she would fork out a few bucks of her own.

  “Where did Shay go?” Casey asked, and my eyes shot to the doorways, wondering if she was coming back after all. “I thought you two went out to talk?”

  Lara licked her lips and her eyes dropped to the table. “We did, and she’s not happy. I guess she’s right, though. I tried to pressure her into joining us. Max, she saw right through the stunt at the gym.”

  So that’s why the fucker asked me to talk and stood right outside the women’s locker rooms. Ass.

  “I said hi and was nice to her, but I guess it didn’t work.”

  No shit.

  Lara sighed. “She doesn’t like to interact with anybody, so I shouldn’t be surprised.”

  “She interacts with you,” Elise sneered. “Her roomie, all cozy and swapping stories of childhood memories.”

  God, this girl was pissing me off. My younger sister was more mature than her, and Mia was in middle school.

  “Well, it was still a little unfair of me to assume, Elise. God, I should apologize.” She pulled out her phone and began tapping the screen with her long nails.

  “Apologize for what? You asked a favor and she threw it in your face with her self-righteous speech. You should help out your sisters, no questions asked. Just because she doesn’t like it, it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t happen. Who does she think she is?”

  I slowly turned my head to her, sick of hearing her whiny voice. “Will you just shut the fuck up?” My tone was slow and deep, showing her I was done listening to her bitching.

  “Excuse me?” she screeched. “It’s my fucking opinion, East, okay? I can say whatever the fuck I want.”

  “Actually, why do you have a problem with Shay?” Casey asked, resting his elbows on the table. I stared at Elise because I wanted to know that, too. I’m pretty sure everybody in the food hall wanted to know what the fuck was going on at our table.

  “It’s none of your damn business,” she snarled. “But if you must know, everything about her gets on my fucking nerves. Just looking at her irritates me.”

  I pushed back my chair, grabbed my bag, and stood. “I gotta be somewhere,” I said, and shoved my chair under the table.

  “Shit, yeah, I completely forgot,” Casey said, joining me.

  “Fuck, I didn’t realize the time,” Linc added, swinging his bag over his shoulder. “And we’ve just been here enjoying conversation.”

  “If we don’t see you sooner, we’ll see you Sunday,” Max said, patting Lara’s shoulder.

  “What the fuck, East?” Will asked when we were out of earshot. “What the hell happened back there?”

  I shook my head and tipped my chin to Casey, who raised his brows once, then turned back to Will. “I can’t, Will, I just can’t.”

  He placed his hand on my back and gently slapped. “Yeah, I know what you mean. That girl has a problem with Shay, and it seems to be rooted deep.”

  “It’s not that,” I said between my teeth, even though it was partly because of what she was saying.

  “Then what is it?”

  “She’s fucking toxic, man. I don’t need to hear that shit.” A look passed between the guys, and I took a deep breath through my nose. “I’m fine, okay? I just need to get out of here.”

  The truth was, the moment Elise spoke about Shay like that, old feelings came to the surface, and ones I had to bury.

  Chapter 2

  Shay

  I hadn’t been back to the dorm all day. Since Lara’s ambush, I wasn’t in the mood to be harassed. I’d already had three texts from her, apologizing and making the same excuses that the stall would make a lot of money and that she thought it was a good idea for me to join as we were ‘roomies.’

  It wasn’t the stall I had a problem with, but she wasn’t getting it.

  I took my laptop out of my case, grateful I had the newspaper office to myself to work. Once I’d opened my software, I began to unleash my mind. My fingers worked fast over the keys, my heart thumping as I got to a juicy part that had me wondering what the reactions would be from those that read it. I grinned when I reached my word count and then some, satisfied I’d gotten down everything inside my head.

  I logged off and headed back, trying my best to ignore the many stall frames being set up for the fundraiser weekend. The companies that loaned them were putting together what looked like scaffolding, but the structures were taking shape.

  A crowd had gathered, but others sat by and watched, speculating on what was happening on each one. Then when the small booth-like tents came out, their interest was piqued.

  “Kissing booths?” Jemima squealed when the signs were put up. She was a sophomore who lived on the same floor as me. She was nice, but sometimes a little too eager, especially first thing in the morning. “Oh my god, who’s working those?”

  “Lara said it was a surprise, but I bet the guys she was with today will be the ones. It makes sense. They’re raising money for the sports department, and most of them play for the football or baseball teams.”

  Jemima gasped. “You mean…?”

  “Uh huh,” Bella replied, nodding her head. “And if that’s the case, I’m going to be broke by the end of the day.”

  “I’m going to Eastyn over and over,” Jemima squealed. “He can’t ignore me then.”

  Bella laughed. “Jem, East ignores most people, so I wouldn’t take offense.”

  Jemima bit on her lip. “Yeah, but he can’t this time, can he?”

  I continued to walk on by, leaving their excited voices behind like whispers on the wind.

  “Shay, wait up!”

  I turned to see Lara speed-walking toward me. Elise walked alongside her, her long, golden hair flowing in the breeze, looking like a commercial for shampoo. All she needed was a slow-motion shot to be perfect. Tammy was on her other side, her curvy figure catching attention as she walked.

  “Did you get my texts?” Lara asked, the three of them stopping right in front of me like Charlies’ Angels.

  “Yeah, but I’ve just been so busy.” I patted my case hanging at my side.

  She chewed the inside of her lip before she spoke again. “It was wrong of me to surprise you like that.”

  I raised my brows, my annoyance rising to the surface. In the back of my mind, I knew what was going to come out, but I had no way of stopping it. “Lara, you practically accosted me at the table with an audience, knowing my stance on placing myself in situations that have a high probability of humiliation.” Fuck, I had to rein it in, but I’d been holding it in for too long.

  Elise’s brows dipped and she blew out a breath. “Jesus, Shay, it’s not like you’re prostituting yourself.”

  My eyes snapped to hers as she gave my Jekyll personality ammo. “Well, now that you mention it….”

  “It’s fun! God!” She threw her hands up in the air. “No wonder nobody but Lara talks to you.” I blanched, the jibe stinging me. “Lighten up, Shay, before you end up being a single old hag with tons of cats.”

  “Excuse me?” I whispered in shock, my temper soaring as she sneered. I held myself together long enough for her to continue.

  “It’s a fucking kissing booth,” Elise drew out, shaking her hand with her fingertips together as though I were stupid. “We’re all adults here, and we’re raising money for new kits and treatment for the field. Who the fuck else is going to pay for it? The college won’t.”

  “Elise,” Lara chided.

  “No, Lara, she needs to hear it,” Elise fired back. “If people want to donate and get a kiss off a guy or girl, regardless of who they are, so fucking what? If you weren’t so fucking prissy, you’d see that. You have no right to look down on us because you don’t like it.”
>
  “Hey, it’s not your thing,” Tammy said, raising her hands as though not wanting to get involved in what was developing into a full-blown argument. “But a lot of people are excited. The guys have a lot of admirers, so they’re guaranteed to make a ton of cash.”

  “That doesn’t matter,” Elise snorted. “The miserable bitch is too concerned what people will think of her, like anybody gives a damn.”

  I snapped. “When did I state my concern for others’ opinions? You do it, I don’t care—your prerogative—my annoyance was how Lara attempted to have me participate.” I held my hand the way Elise did. “I don’t care what anybody else does,” I drew out. Her mouth dropped open. “If you listened to what I was saying, rather than coming for me with your own justifications for it, then you would’ve understood.”

  Elise shook her head and turned her wide eyes to Lara. “I’m not going to stand here and listen to her any longer.” She spun around and walked away, her white, thigh-high skirt swishing as she did. Tammy shrugged, smiled tightly, and went with her.

  Lara stayed, her eyes misting. “I’m really trying with you, Shay,” she choked.

  “Trying what?”

  “Trying to help you, but all you do is push people away.”

  “Elise verbally attacked me with no grounds. Her argument was unjustified because she was clearly unaware of the facts.”

  Lara wiped under her eyes. “God, you sound like such a lawyer.” Her watery smile punched me square in the gut. “And I thought you’d gotten away from your parents’ influence.”

  I watched her walk away, my stomach in knots as the only friend I had turned her back on me. I’d done it again. Fuck, I had to learn to control myself.

  *****

  “Shay, the article is due today.”

  I looked up at Ian, the editor of the paper. His brown eyes were warm as he studied me.

  Ian was a senior, and he’d worked on the paper since the beginning. He’d seen his fair share of students coming and going from there, the turnover rate sky high. I guess people thought working there would be fun, but when they realized actual hard work had to be put in, and it could be time consuming, they gave up. Between classes and studying, I had all the time in the world, and the paper was my outlet.

  “Yeah, sorry,” I replied, sitting up straight. “I’m almost done.”

  “Are you okay? You seem troubled.” He sat on the chair next to me and pulled it close, his brown pants just grazing my knee. “You can talk to me.”

  “Uh, just a little disagreement with a friend of a friend.”

  He smiled as his eyes roamed my face, spending a little too long on my mouth. “I’m sure everything will be fine by the end of the day.” He patted my leg slowly, his deliberate movements causing his palm to stay connected with my knee between each tap, and I jerked away. As though sensing my unease, he got up and headed back over to his cubicle without saying another word.

  I didn’t like his hand on me, the feel of him touching me like that making me uncomfortable. I put my thoughts aside and concentrated on my article that Lara had insisted would be great for the gym.

  Lara hadn’t come back to the dorm, but from the items strewn across her bed, she’d taken what she needed to stay out overnight. I’d carefully hung everything up for her and placed them back in her closet. After that, I emptied her trash can as well as mine, and put her books back in place on her desk.

  I made my bed, set my childhood bear in the corner and grabbed my gym bag before leaving my room to go to the gym. I wondered if Lara would be there. I kept my focus down, my music pumping through my earbuds, drowning out any other noises.

  I stowed my bag away into a locker, and the moment I stepped out of the changing area, my eyes bugged. The gym was a lot busier than usual. More guys were training and the presence of the instructors was evident as they walked around, guiding those that needed it. I spotted the same two girls, both seemingly content with the extra attention in that area of the gym.

  “I told you it would help.”

  I spun at Lara’s voice and pulled out my earbuds. “Yeah. You did.” I was about to ask her if we were okay, when she smiled.

  “Come on, let’s grab those treadmills before anybody else.”

  I paused, and Lara stopped walking to turn back. “I-I thought you were mad at me.”

  “I was,” she replied, then gestured to step up onto the machine, then put down her water bottle and towel. “But, staying out last night helped me think. I started the argument by accosting you. You were angry, and Elise’s misunderstanding only made it worse. For that, I’m sorry.”

  “I am too,” I said quietly.

  “I might be her friend, but Elise deserved what you said. Hell, she deserved a lot more for the things that came out of her mouth when you weren’t there. But, I’m your friend too, Shay, so I shouldn’t have done that. I just wanted you to be included. The girls thought you looked down on it.”

  “When Elise said I was prissy, I guess I couldn’t take any more. She was accusing me of things that were untrue.” And she chose to lay into me at that particular point. She might as well have backed a wild animal in the corner and expected it not to defend itself.

  “She was still ranting when I asked her why she said those things.”

  “Okay?” This would be interesting to hear. Elise had never liked me, and she wasn’t high on the list of people I liked, either.

  Lara sighed. “She assumed you were against the whole thing.”

  I kept my speed low, retaining my usual walking pace so I wouldn’t fall flat on my face. “But I wasn’t—I’m not. Yeah, the idea isn’t original, but people love it. If it helps to raise money, then go for it. I’m against my participation, and my reasons are something I need to work on.” Just thinking about all the swapped saliva and goodness-knows-what-else gave me hives.

  “Yeah, you do, otherwise your gonna leave for break with nothing to tell anybody about.”

  I didn’t want to admit to her what my plans for the break were; it was depressing. My family weren’t going to be home, so what was the point of going back to an empty house? My parents were far too busy with their workload, that I’d decided that a brief visit was all I needed. But, even then, with the dates getting mixed up, I’d begun to doubt that, too.

  Stampton College had one good thing, and that was they allowed students to stay behind for the short breaks without charging a small fortune. Two hundred and fifty bucks for one week was better than going home to no-one. Many students stayed on campus, but most of the reasons were because they simply couldn’t afford the travel expenses. Summer break was different, though. That was when the entire college would shut down, and dorms were vacated for the shift around for the next school year.

  “Hi, Max,” Lara said, breaking me out of my thoughts. “All set for Sunday?”

  The guys stood in front of us, their loose t-shirts and long shorts donned for their workouts.

  His grin stretched slowly across his tan face. “Oh yeah,” he drew out lazily. He tipped his head side to side as though stretching out. “Just getting in some last exercise sessions. Don’t wanna pull a muscle.”

  Lara laughed. “Okay, stud, whatever you say.”

  Casey leaned on the side of Lara’s treadmill, flashing his black wrist cuff that the group all wore. “To raise the ten grand, and not including the other stalls, how many times per minute do we need to kiss?”

  “Six.” Eastyn and I answered at the same time. We looked at each other, his green eyes looking through me. “Give or take,” I mumbled, my face heating even though I was barely hitting four miles per hour. I dropped my eyes, not intending for them to land on the swirling vines of thorns inked into his skin, the sharp edges covering highly detailed roses underneath them.

  “Dude, you worked it out in your head?” Casey laughed, playfully slapping Eastyn’s chest, and I snapped my eyes from his arms. “Why?”

  “You wanted to know, didn’t you?” Eastyn fired back, th
en glanced at me, his brows pinching.

  “Yeah, but—”

  “Now you know,” he smirked, the simple less-than-half smile changing his features. “If you need help with basic math…”

  “Fuck you.” Casey laughed again, and pushed his arm, the one I’d been staring at. “The only thing I need help with is getting the ladies to form an orderly queue.”

  Max chuckled. “I’m pretty sure there’s plenty to go around,” he said, then winked at me. Eastyn turned and walked away, clearly done with the conversation. “I hear customers have booked their places already.”

  “They have?” Lara gripped the sides of her treadmill as she stumbled.

  Justin shook his head slowly, then moved his hair out of his eyes, pushing the light brown strands back over his head. “Two hundred so far, and the list went up twenty minutes ago.”

  “Holy shit, that’s a thousand bucks already!” Lara gasped, then looked at me with a smile forming on her gaping mouth,

  “No need to say I told you so,” I said. “I never said it was a bad idea.”

  “If you’re not doing it, then you should put your name down on the list,” Linc said, waggling his dark brows.

  “I’ll pass,” I replied.

  Will threw his arms wide. “Come on, Shay. Don’t let East’s bad manners put you off. Any one of us would be more than willing to bump you to first place.”

  I opened my mouth but Max cut in.

  “You know, before we all get cooties.” The guys laughed between them, the joke on me again. “We’ll even let you take two turns at once. A full ten seconds with the lips of your choice.” He kissed the air.

  “I’m good,” I said, proud of myself for not following his remark with an equally witty quip that would probably offend him. “You can take my place. I’m sure Eastyn will be more than accommodating.”