Bragan Boys (Bragan University Boxset)

by Gianna Gabriela

  “How come?”

  “My family went through a rough patch last year and some things at school didn’t make it better.” Her answer leaves me with more questions, but I don’t push it when I see the way she’s clutching the steering wheel.

  “So, business management, huh?”

  She laughs. “I know. It’s so not what you expected, right?”

  “I try not to have any expectations.” It’s easier to avoid disappointment that way.

  “Well, I knew I wouldn’t get to play pro volleyball; I may have the height and some skill, but I’m not good enough.”

  “I don’t know about that. I bet you’re really great.”

  She shrugs. “Maybe next year I’ll pick it up again if the coach lets me.”

  “So, why business management then?” I ask, moving the conversation away from sports. It seems all the new friendships I’ve made have sports as a connecting thread—which is not comforting.

  Zoe has a boyfriend now and more friends, so the more distance I can put between the football field and me, the better. Then again, here I am going to a school-sponsored party celebrating the football players. I just hope not everyone is going to be there.

  “—so yeah, I figured I should be trained to take over,” Kaitlyn finishes and that’s when I realize she’s been talking the whole time while I was lost in thought.

  “That’s… Sorry, I missed the beginning of that,” I tell her honestly.

  She peers at me suspiciously. “Are you nervous?” she asks.

  I really wish I’d said no to coming. “A little,” I admit. “Would you mind telling me why business management again?”

  “It’s what Colton and I are studying: business administration and management. Basically, when Colton gets drafted—and Nick likely will too—Dad will need someone to take over the family business. I wanted to have the tools to do it.”

  “So, you’ll be running the family company?” That’s impressive.

  Kaitlyn pulls into the parking lot and starts searching for a spot.

  She drives into an empty space and turns off the car. “Basically, while Nick and Colton play professional football, I’ll run the family business.”

  “That’s awesome,”

  “I wish I were more of a natural at it. Alas, I’m not much of a school person,” she says, unclipping her seatbelt.

  “Well, if you ever need help, I’d be happy to give you a hand studying,” I volunteer.

  Smiling, she says sweetly, “I’ll keep that in mind.” She opens her door. “So, are you ready to go inside?”

  “Nope, but I’m going anyway.” It’s only for a few hours, I try to reason. Maybe even less than an hour. Together, Kaitlyn and I walk toward the ballroom. I can already tell it’ll be crazy in there if the pumping music is an indication.

  “You know what, Emma?”

  “What?” I ask as the brutal winter wind makes me wish I had a coat.

  Kaitlyn smiles. “We’re gonna be good friends.”

  2

  EMMA

  I’ve never seen the ballroom look like this in my entire life. Seriously. Even though I’ve only been alive for twenty years and counting, the number of people in this space have to amount to some form of fire code violation.

  There’s also alcohol being served to minors.

  I take a look around the room, staring at the students wearing the school colors like war paint.

  I realize the only thing that’s missing is adults. I find it funny that the school throws a party then walks away. I guess plausible deniability is a thing.

  “Want a drink?” Kaitlyn asks from beside me.

  I shake my head. I don’t drink.

  “Just one!” she presses.

  “Maybe later,” I tell her, hoping she gives up. Once again, I regret my decision to come tonight.

  “I’ll grab one for myself then.”

  “I’ll come with you.” I follow Kaitlyn to the tables with the drinks and she grabs a beer can from inside a bucket. I wonder how the students got the alcohol into the building without being detected. Then again, the school is turning a blind eye, so it couldn’t have been that hard. I grab a soda from the same place, open it and gulp it down.

  Nervous doesn’t begin to cover how I feel standing in a room full of my peers. “What do we do now?” I ask. If I were with Zoe, we’d be heading straight to the backyard where I could relax next to the fire and read.

  That’s not going to happen here.

  Music is pumping through the speakers, the tempo changing with a new track that makes Kaitlyn jump up and down excitedly. “This is my song!” she shouts. I don’t recognize it, but that’s because I don’t listen to music from this decade. “Let’s dance!”

  “I don’t dance,” I tell her. I remember Zoe asking me to do the same and I just stood there.

  “You said you’d try anything once. This is part of the college experience! Come on!” She takes my hand and pulls me to the center of the dance floor.

  In the crowd, I notice some guys are wearing football jerseys. When one of them turns around and waves at Kaitlyn, she waves back but stays beside me. I breathe a sigh of relief and continue to sway awkwardly from side to side.

  Kaitlyn turns to me then, dancing effortlessly to the music. “Thank you for coming with me!”

  “Yeah, my pleasure,” I tell her, but she pins me with a look of disbelief that causes me to laugh. “Okay, not my pleasure. I mean, thank you for inviting me.”

  “Of course. It’s nice to hang out with someone who doesn’t have a boyfriend. I feel like everyone’s dating someone at the moment.”

  I wonder why she isn’t with someone, but I don’t ask because it isn’t my place. Instead, I say, “We do hang out with a lot of couples.”

  Finally, a song I recognize starts to play and I start to loosen up. If this is the last party I go to, I may as well try to have fun. Kaitlyn notices I’m allowing myself to enjoy this, and she smiles knowingly. I close my eyes, letting the rhythm of the song dictate my movements. I take off my glasses, place them at the top of my head and bring my hands up in the air. I sing along loudly, finally letting go. The crowd closes in around me, but I’m not bothered by it. I’m not even bothered when people bump in to me.

  One of those songs some people consider an anthem starts to play, making everyone sing along in one voice, shouting loudly over the speakers. Unexpectedly, the song brings this feeling of unity from within me. Even though I don’t know most of the people here, we have some things in common—we’ve gone through life together.

  I get lost in the music, thinking about the future and the past.

  One more year of college, then it’s over.

  I can’t believe how fast three years have gone by. Maybe I should’ve gotten to know more people. Maybe I still can.

  “Want to dance?” someone asks and my eyes open. Luckily, the tall, handsome guy is focused on Kaitlyn.

  “I’m dancing with a friend,” she tells him, signaling to me.

  He eyes me suspiciously, probably wondering who I am, if he’s seen me before.

  “Don’t let me stop you,” I tell her. She’s not here to babysit me. “I’m enjoying myself here.”

  “Are you sure?” I can’t tell if the look she gives me means she wants my permission to dance with him or my help to say no.

  “I’m cool either way.”

  She smiles at him and says, “Okay.”

  The next song plays and I move to the new beat.

  “I’m back,” Kaitlyn says, after the song ends.

  “I’m glad you survived.”

  She looks down at her high-heeled shoes. “My feet are killing me.”

  “You insisted on wearing heels,” I remind her.

  She gestures to herself. “It just put the whole outfit together.”

  “So, you’d rather suffer.”

  “Pretty hurts. Anyway, I’m thirsty. Want to get some water?” she asks.

  “I could use some wat
er.”

  Kaitlyn offers me her hand and I take it. We zig-zag our way through the masses, reaching the drinks table once again. I go straight to the cooler to grab two bottles of water.

  I turn to Kaitlyn. “Here you go,” I tell her, but she didn’t hear me. Craning my neck, I try and see what’s got her attention.

  A few feet away from us, two people are making out. I recognize the guy as one of the football players—the quiet one who isn’t around too often. I can’t remember his name, but he reminds me of the typical alpha males in the romance books I read.

  As if he feels our eyes on him, he breaks the kiss and looks straight at us. Feeling like I’ve intruded on an intimate moment, my gaze drops to my water bottle.

  “Kaitlyn?” I say, noticing she’s still looking at him. I tap her on the shoulder. “Kait?”

  She turns around. The smile she’d had on her face has vanished. Her cheeks are red and I can’t tell if it’s from embarrassment or anger. “Oh, sorry.”

  “Do you want water?” I ask.

  “You know what? Water won’t do. I need something stronger.” She grabs a cup and pours herself a shot of Fireball. I don’t know what this means exactly, but I think the night is about to get crazy.

  I recall hearing a story about how Colton and Mia met. In the story, Mia had to help Kaitlyn after she got crazy drunk at a bar.

  I thought the story was comical. I even laughed out loud.

  I guess it’s always funny when it isn’t happening to you.

  “Are you okay?” I ask Kaitlyn as we both stand outside in the freezing cold.

  “I think so,” she tells me, undoing her ponytail and tying her hair up in a messy bun.

  I look at how pale she is. “Should we head home?” I should’ve stopped her after four shots of Fireball, but she’s an adult and gets to make her own choices. Plus, I don’t know her well enough to tell her what to do.

  Then again, I think she would’ve appreciated that in the morning. I would’ve appreciated not having to stand out here in the cold waiting for her nausea to pass.

  “Let’s go,” she says, swaying on her feet as she takes a step.

  Nope. That won’t do. “How about we sit here for a couple of minutes until you regain your balance?” I ask.

  “I’m good to go.” She tries to walk again and trips over her own feet. She bends down and takes off her heels, throwing them as far as she can.

  I stop myself from laughing. “Let’s just sit here for a second,” I tell her. “My feet also hurt.”

  “Okay. Fine.”

  “Then, you’ll give me the keys and I’ll drive you home.”

  “Right.” She digs into her small purse and pulls out the keys. Handing them to me, she slides down the wall of the building and onto the ground. I slide down beside her, watching as she plays with a blade of brittle grass. “I’m sorry,” she says in a whisper.

  “What for?”

  “This was supposed to be a fun night.”

  “It was,” I tell her. I actually enjoyed myself.

  “It wasn’t supposed to end with my drunken ass on the grass.”

  I smile. “This story still beats the way you and Mia met.”

  “Yeah, don’t count yourself too lucky yet. There’s still a chance you’ll be holding my hair back while I puke.”

  “Let’s hope not,” I laugh.

  She scooches closer to me and gives me a side hug. “Thank you for being here with me.”

  I sense the brokenness in her voice but say, “Thank you for inviting me.”

  3

  ZACK

  I feel like everything and everyone in the ballroom is spinning around me. Beside me, Chase has his arm slung over the shoulders of a short dark-haired girl.

  “Bro, are you heading home soon?”

  “I’m leaving in a few minutes.”

  “Can I hitch a ride with you?” I know Chase enough to know if he drove here, he hasn’t drank as much as I have.

  “Sure.”

  “So, leave in about five?” I ask, hoping we get going sooner rather than later.

  “Sounds good,” he says. With five minutes to kill, I walk over to the drinks table to grab another beer. I don’t know how many I’ve already had, but I know I’ll have to work through a hangover tomorrow.

  No rest for the wicked, as they say.

  I open the beer and down it in one go.

  “Want to dance?” asks a girl I recognize. She’s been in my bed once or twice before, but I don’t need her to start thinking we’re exclusive or anything. That’s when the demands start.

  “Not tonight.” I walk around her, heading toward some of the guys.

  Chase taps me on the shoulder a few minutes later. “Ready?”

  I notice the girl from before is still with him. “Yeah.” To the guys in the teams, I say, “I’m heading out.”

  “Already?” Nick asks and I nod. He probably thinks I’m lame for tapping out so soon but, unlike him, I have shit to do in the morning.

  “Yes, sir.”

  A smug smile creeps onto his face. “Are you taking a couple of girls back with you to the house?”

  “I don’t kiss and tell.”

  “That’s bullshit,” he says, laughing. I wave goodbye to the rest of them then catch up to Chase. Pulling up beside him, I see he’s got this stormy look on his face. It’s the kind of look that makes people steer clear of him. I wonder who’s pissed him off this time. The last time someone did, it took a couple of us to stop him from beating the shit out of the other guy.

  The girl wraps her arm around his midsection. “Can I come over?” she asks, her voice sweet.

  He stares blankly at her for a moment before shrugging.

  A few people high five me and dap me up on the way out. A few girls stare at me with hungry eyes, but I don’t take them up on their silent offers.

  Chase opens the ballroom door and I’m immediately hit by winter air. It’s cold as hell out here; I should’ve worn a jacket.

  “What’s your name?” I ask the girl.

  “Leave her alone,” Chase snaps, not even bothering to look back at us.

  I lift my hands up in surrender then shrug at the girl who just smiles back at me.

  “Come on, get up,” I hear someone say. I glance around. “Did you hear that?” I ask.

  The girl flips her hair and shakes her head. Chase doesn’t respond but does stop walking.

  “Come on. I need to get you home,” the voice—she—says again and I can sense her frustration.

  I follow the sound and find a girl in a red dress crouched down in front of someone. She’s the same girl I watched on the dance floor, swaying to the music, her eyes shut, her hands in the air. She looked so…free. I almost went over to say hello, but I got distracted by someone else.

  “Kaitlyn,” the girl says, trying to get her drunk friend’s attention.

  Huh. I wonder if it’s the same Kaitlyn I know.

  Chase steps up beside me. “What’s going on?” he asks loudly.

  The pretty girl in the red dress turns around and looks at us. My gaze darts down to her friend, who’s leaning against the side of the building.

  It is Kaitlyn!

  Red Dress Girl stands and looks at us. “She fell asleep, I think,” she says, looking back down at Kaitlyn. I wonder why I haven’t seen her before. I also wonder how drunk I am.

  Chase walks straight toward Kaitlyn, crouching down in front of her. “Kaitlyn?” he says, tapping her arm.

  Red Dress Girl crouches down with him. I take a few steps in their direction, but as everything starts to spin again, I realize I’m drunker than I thought. I reach for the wall to support me.

  “Kaitlyn!” Chase shouts with more emotion than I’ve seen him display in years.

  Kaitlyn’s eyes flutter open. “What?” she asks angrily.

  “Let’s go,” he says, gently helping her to her feet.

  She pulls her arm free. “No, I’m leaving with Emma.”

&
nbsp; “How much did you have to drink?” he asks with a hiss.

  “Nothing.”

  “Great,” Chase says in disbelief. “Who drove here?”

  “She did,” Red Dress—Emma—says, and I give her my full attention, even though she isn’t talking to me. “I have her keys though. I was going to drive her home.”

  Somebody steps closer to me and I realize Chase’s girl is still here, watching everything. I swear I can see the jealousy in her eyes.

  “I’ll take her home,” Chase tells Emma.

  Emma looks between Chase and Kaitlyn, nibbling on her bottom lip.

  “I’m not letting you take me home, Chase,” Kaitlyn says, getting to her feet. She takes a step but stumbles right in to him.

  To Emma, Chase says, “You’re Zoe’s roommate, right? I’m Colton’s best friend. She’ll be fine. I’ll take her home.”

  Zoe’s roommate? Like Jesse’s girlfriend, Zoe?

  “I don’t know. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Trust me. I’ve known her my whole life. I got it.”

  She must’ve been convinced because she nods and backs away.

  “What about me?” the girl beside me asks. Crap, I’d forgotten she was there again.

  Chase doesn’t even bother to look at her when he speaks. “What about you?” he says dismissively.

  “I thought we were going back to your place.”

  “Not anymore,” he says.

  She huffs then turns around and walks away.

  I step closer to Chase, finding Emma’s eyes on me. I take her in from head to toe; she’s got great legs.

  I wave. “Hi.”

  “Hello,” she responds as she attempts to pull down her dress. Maybe she noticed I was looking.

  “Could you do me a favor?” Chase asks and she nods. “Take Kaitlyn’s car and drop Zack off at the Football House? I’m dropping Kaitlyn off at Mia’s.”

  “I don’t wanna go home yet,” Kaitlyn argues weakly.

  Emma looks from Chase to me then back to him. “O-okay.”

  To Kaitlyn, Chase says, “Let’s go.”

  Kait shakes her head. “No! I’m not going with you. I’m going back to the party.”