“I love your top,” I told her.
She beamed. “Thank you.”
“So, Rimmel,” Ivy said as I broke into my salad and started eating, “have you seen him today?”
“Who?” I asked.
“Romeo,” she said, like it was obvious.
“I don’t tutor him on Thursdays,” I said. “Just Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”
“Oh, well, that’s still three days a week,” she said. “I wish I was smart so I could tutor him.”
I laughed and so did Missy.
Ivy grinned and took a bite of her sandwich. “You still coming to the game with us?”
“Sure,” I said.
“I like your hair,” Missy told me.
I felt myself blushing. “Thanks, Ivy did it.”
“You totally need to do my hair like that,” Missy told her and launched a Cheeto across the table.
Ivy picked it up and ate it.
A tray with like half a pizza on it and a giant soda plopped down on the table beside Missy, and I glanced up.
“Ladies,” Braeden said, taking the last empty seat at the table. If he was surprised to see me sitting there, he didn’t show it.
“Hi,” Missy said, giving him a smile. He leaned over and kissed her.
“So, like, are you two dating or what?” Ivy said.
Missy gasped. “Ivy!”
Braeden laughed. “We’re having fun.”
Missy nodded, but I had to wonder what she thought of the “having fun” label. Judging from the way she looked at him, she really liked Braeden.
Braeden took a sip of his monster soda and glanced at me. “Tutor girl,” he said.
“Football boy,” I shot back.
He grinned. “I didn’t know you guys knew each other,” he said, gesturing between the three of us.
“We didn’t know you knew Rimmel,” Ivy said.
Braeden shoved a huge bite of pizza in his mouth and said something no one understood.
“Ivy and I are roommates,” I told him as he chomped.
He gave me a thumbs-up and kept eating.
All three of us sat there and watched in awe as he housed his food. When I was sufficiently grossed out, I turned back to my salad.
“You ladies going to the Omega party tomorrow night?” he asked a few minutes later.
“Of course!” Ivy and Missy replied at the same time.
When the conversation didn’t continue, I realized they were waiting for me to reply. “Uhh, I don’t think so.”
No one tried to talk me into it, so I figured they also agreed that me and a frat party didn’t mix. I finished my salad and munched on fruit. Braeden was really entertaining and pretty much kept all of us laughing. I was glad because I wasn’t good at conversation.
We were sitting near a window that seemed pretty drafty and every time the wind blew outside, some of the cold air would seep in and wrap itself around me. I finished eating and reached for my coffee, grateful it was still warm enough to heat my fingers.
Braeden’s phone rang and he grabbed it up and answered. My stomach fluttered a little, wondering if it was Romeo. “Where you at, man?” Braeden said into the phone.
He listened for a few minutes and made a few sounds that I had no clue what they meant. After several minutes, his eyes slid to me. “Funny you should ask,” he said. “She’s actually sitting right here.”
Ivy and Missy both looked at me. I shrugged. Beneath my ribcage, I felt like there was a ball bouncing around inside me, causing everything beneath my skin to vibrate. There was only one person Braeden and I both knew that could be asking about me.
“Uhh.” He looked at me again and then said, “Nope.”
He listened for what seemed like forever, and I knew Ivy and Missy were just as curious as I was about what Romeo was saying on the other end of the line. Braeden leaned up out of his chair and looked down at me. He smiled. “Yep.”
Braeden’s eyes narrowed slightly as he listened some more. “Yeah, I got it. Okay. Later.”
“Rome wants you to turn your phone on,” he said, setting down his cell.
I’d completely forgotten I’d turned it off before classes this morning. I fished it out of my bag and powered it on, setting it on the table beside my cup.
A few minutes later, it beeped with a Buzz notification and a text. I picked it up and looked at the text.
GOING HOME AFTER MORNING CLASS 2 SLEEP. TXT U LATER.
I felt everyone watching me and I knew they saw the small smile on my lips and the redness in my cheeks. I cleared my throat. “I need to get to class.”
I rose out of my seat, and at the same time, so did Braeden. He came around the table and took the hoodie out of my hands.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
He shook it out and stuffed it down over my head. I gasped, but it was muffled by all the fabric going over my head. When my face finally popped out, I gaped at him. “What the hell are you doing?!”
“Romeo said he told you to wear it,” Braeden said with a straight face.
“To the game,” I protested.
Ivy gasped. “You didn’t tell me that!”
I gave Braeden an evil look, promising him payback. He grinned.
I started to take it off, but he shook his head. “He just told me to make sure you put it on.”
“What the hell for?” I demanded, putting my hands on my hips. The sleeves were too long and they covered my hands and the shirt fell way past my butt.
“It’s cold out.”
Was he serious right now?
“I don’t want to wear this,” I growled.
He smiled. “I know.” He hesitated, then went on to say, “Mad respect for that.”
I wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but he didn’t elaborate.
“Just wear it.” He sighed.
“You don’t understand,” I said low so only he could hear.
His eyes flashed with understanding and something else I didn’t really know. “I understand more than you think,” he replied equally as low. Then in a louder voice he said, “If Rome wants you to wear it, then you should.”
Ivy leaned around Braeden to say. “If you don’t leave that on, I will beat you.”
I rolled my eyes.
People were staring. A couple girls walked by, and I heard Romeo’s name on their lips. Everyone saw. This place was no better than a high school. It would probably be on the Buzz later.
“Fine,” I muttered. I wasn’t about to draw even more attention to myself by making a scene and refusing to wear it.
Braeden grinned.
I hoisted my bag up and over my shoulder and went to gather my empty lunch containers. Ivy shook her head. “I’ll get it.”
“That’s okay.”
She touched my arm, and I looked up. “That’s what friends do.”
I nodded. “Thanks.”
“See you later,” Missy said. I gave the table a wave and then left the building. People actually stared as I went.
I was grateful for the cold air when I got outside, though it wasn’t nearly as cold now that I was wearing this sweatshirt.
Too bad I was going to have to take it off.
My phone beeped and I pulled it out and looked down.
LEAVE IT ON.
I wanted to laugh. How the hell did he know I was going to take it off as soon as I left Braeden’s sight? I quickly typed my reply and hit SEND:
IT HAS YOUR NAME ON IT.
YEAH, I KNOW.
I pictured his crooked smile when I read what he said.
BUT PEOPLE WILL THINK WE’RE TOGETHER.
THAT’S THE POINT.
His last reply nearly made me drop my phone. I sent the screen dark and stuck it in the front pocket of the hoodie.
Why would Romeo want everyone to think we were together?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Romeo
Coach got me out of my one afternoon class. I went to his office to “talk” about
the upcoming game, when really all I wanted was for him to look at me and demand I go home to sleep.
It worked. He declared I looked like dog shit and then sent me home. He would make sure I wasn’t penalized for missing one class, and I knew he’d still let me play.
It didn’t get me out of practice, though. If anything, he ran me harder than usual. But at least I’d gotten a few hours of sleep beforehand.
Once practice was over and we were all showered, most of the guys went out for pizza, but I hung back. Braeden did the same, promising he’d catch up to them in a few.
I was throwing stuff in my duffle and Braeden leaned nearby, watching me. “You know her roommate is that girl you hooked up with a couple weeks ago at the bonfire,” he said.
“I kinda figured, but I wasn’t sure.” I grimaced. Of all the girls on campus, why did I have to hook up with Rimmel’s roommate? “We just messed around. I didn’t bang her.”
“Hey, man, I don’t care if you had a threesome on the dean’s desk,” Braeden said. “But you know she’s sniffing around Rimmel now. That could be a problem.”
I told Braeden about rush and how I was supposed to sleep with Rimmel. I wasn’t supposed to, but fuck Zach’s rules. That guy was an asswipe. I also told him about the fact Zach wanted her at the party tomorrow night and how I knew he chose her to make rush hard on me. I was worried what kind of shit he was going to pull at the party to drive a wedge between her and me.
I didn’t tell him about the talk I had with Trent. About me possibly being made Omega president after I was inducted and everyone went against Zach. It seemed like I should deal with one issue at a time.
I felt the weight of Braeden’s stare as I closed up my locker and shrugged into my jacket. “Obviously you got something to say,” I told him, looking up.
“She didn’t want to wear that hoodie today,” he stated, staring at me. Was there a bit of challenge in his eye?
What the fuck was this about?
“And I told you I wanted people to know she was with me. We both know Zach won’t be able to mess with her as much if people think she’s mine. They’ll watch out for her.”
“Or it will put a bigger target on her back,” Braeden deadpanned.
Was he talking about Ivy or something else? My eyes narrowed and something very close to anger simmered just beneath the surface. “I’m not sure I like your tone,” I bit out, stepping a little closer.
Braeden stepped off the locker he was lounging against and drew to his full height, facing me. He was a big guy, but I was taller.
“You’re my best friend, Rome. I’m loyal to you. But I like that girl. There’s something about her… She’s innocent and real. She’s the only girl I’ve met on campus who wouldn’t chew off her own arm just to claim some kind of connection to you. I don’t want to see her get hurt because you’re in a pissing war with the Omegas head asshole.”
“What the fuck do you mean you like her?” I growled.
His eyes widened just a fraction. “You’re into her.”
“What?” I said, most of my fight draining away.
“I thought you were just using her to get into Omega. I figured you were having a good time with the challenge of getting a nerd.”
“She is not a nerd.” I growled again, all my anger resurfacing in one second flat.
Braeden smiled. He slapped me on the shoulder, but I knocked away his hand. “Chill,” he said. “I see now I was wrong. You’re into her.”
“Fuck!” I spat and my shoulders slumped. I was into her and it was creating some kind of war inside me. A war between the guy I was and the guy everyone wanted me to be. It never used to be a competition. I was happy to be that guy. The player, the football star, the charmer.
I was those things.
But I was more. Maybe I didn’t realize that until Rimmel started tutoring me weeks ago.
“Don’t worry, man,” Braeden said. “You chose good.”
I glanced up at him. “How can you say that? Do you have any idea how stuck I am right now?”
“Look, maybe she isn’t the type everyone expected you to get with, but I for one am glad. You need someone to bring you down off your throne a little.”
I gave him a hard look. He grinned. “It’s the truth. Besides, we can bring her in. We’ll watch out for her.”
Braeden didn’t get it. This wasn’t just the guy meets girl from different social circles and falls in love. Hell, I was not in love with her. But I did like her. I liked her a lot. But she was supposed to be the girl I used to get me into Omega. Omega was my shortcut into connections, my way into the NFL.
Braeden didn’t understand that. He didn’t realize that right now it felt like I had to choose.
I had to choose between the only thing I ever wanted, the NFL, or a girl who somehow bypassed my “keep ‘em at arm’s length” code.
When I didn’t agree with him, when I said nothing at all, he frowned. “Hey, man. You know I don’t like her like her. Not like that. I just meant she was pretty cool for a girl. In a friend way.”
He thought I was jealous and still mad about what he said. I didn’t bother to correct him. I forced the heaviest of my concerns deep down and grinned. “That’s good to hear,” I said. “I wouldn’t want to have to pound your face.”
“Like you could,” Braeden shot out.
We both grinned and left the locker room.
“You coming for pizza?” he asked out in the parking lot.
I shook my head. “Nah, I have something to do.”
Braeden gave me a knowing smile. “Tell tutor girl I said hi.”
I gave him the finger and tossed all my shit in the back of the Hellcat. I didn’t want to hang with all the guys tonight. Suddenly, being so popular seemed like a pain in the ass.
I left campus and headed a few blocks over to the animal shelter. I knew that’s where she would be.
Maybe once I saw her, the war inside me would quiet.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Rimmel
Even after all the work was done and the entire shelter was clean, I wasn’t ready to go. The quiet, un-chaotic atmosphere was exactly what I needed tonight. Michelle was in the back, taking care of some paperwork, and the other girls had gone for the day.
I decided to hang out with Murphy for a while. It seemed like eternity since I’d seen him last. I still came here almost every day, so technically, it hadn’t been long at all, but I guess all the things happening lately made my days seem fuller.
I wasn’t sure what to feel anymore.
The last few weeks had changed things for me in ways I didn’t really understand. I used to be focused on school. On animals and just keeping my head down. I was still completely dedicated to becoming a vet, and school was still very important to me… but it seemed like lately it might not be enough.
Emotions stirred in me, emotions I thought I stuffed down so deep they’d disappeared. A couple weeks with Romeo, a few bone-melting kisses, and a lunch with two girls, and I realized they had been there all along. Waiting. Lurking. Watching.
I liked Romeo. More than I wanted to. How much longer could I fight it? The minute he touched me, I seemed to turn to mush. It’s like everything my head knew to be true was pushed aside by my overeager heart.
Romeo was dangerous to me. Not in any physical sense, not even a threat to my future. I would see my dream of becoming a veterinarian come to life. Nothing would stop me from that.
But on an emotional level, Romeo was possibly an atomic bomb. He scared me. He scared me more than any guy I’d ever met, even the one from years ago. Maybe because this time I knew whatever piece of me I let him have I would never, ever get back.
How could I surrender any part of me to him?
Dangling right here before me was an entire life. Friends. A guy. Something more than just me, myself, and I.
I wanted it.
How would I know I could trust him? How could I trust any of them?
I sighed and
looked away from the open textbook in front of me, not even bothering to try and read it anymore. Murphy was curled up in my lap, and I stroked his velvety fur and leaned my head back against the wall. “I wish I knew what to do, Murphy,” I whispered.
I closed my eyes and concentrated on the vibrations against my legs from Murphy’s machine-like purr and tried to clear my mind. A few moments later, Murphy stopped purring and I felt him lift his head.
I opened my eyes and looked across the room.
Romeo was standing in the doorway, watching me. Our eyes collided. We stared at each other for a long time. I don’t really know what he was looking for, but I was searching for something, anything that would tell me how he really felt.
He was wearing a pair of washed-out jeans that hung dangerously low on his narrow hips. His deep-royal and yellow-gold varsity jacket was open to reveal a black T-shirt with some sort of faded logo on the front. His hair was damp like he’d just come from a shower and it was tousled and messy on top like he’d been running his fingers through it.
His shoulders were the same wide width as always, but beneath his captivating blue eyes was a hint of darkness, giving him a slightly weary look.
“Hey,” I finally said, breaking the silence.
“Hey,” he replied, coming farther into the room. Neither of us said anything else as he dropped down in front of me, mirroring my Indian-style pose. His knees bumped against mine he sat so close, and my stomach flipped over at the casual touch.
Murphy abandoned my lap and climbed into Romeo’s. He glanced down, lifted half his mouth, and scratched him behind the ears. “Figured you’d be here,” he said.
“Just getting some studying done. Hanging out with Murph,” I replied.
“Can I hang out too?” he asked.
“Sure.”
I don’t know why things suddenly seemed awkward between us. I didn’t know what to say or how to act. Just because we kissed a couple times didn’t mean we were dating or together. He kissed lots of girls. I knew I wasn’t anyone special. What I didn’t understand was the hoodie. Why he wanted me to wear it so badly. I heard the whispers this afternoon. No one had ever been spotted wearing it around like that.
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