Skyler fidgets, her eyes on the ground. “How do I know what was real and what wasn’t? How do I know when you were getting to know me because you wanted to as opposed to when you were just playing a game?”
I move closer but she steps away, keeping the space between us. I wish she’d just let me pull her into me. If she could feel my heart, the way it beats only for her, she’d know the answer to her question.
“Everything was real, Skyler. It was real when we kissed the night we met and the electricity shocked us both. It was real when I asked you about your past. It was real when I helped you figure out who you really are and told you not to be ashamed of her. It was real when you ripped my fucking heart out at the Valentine’s Day dance.” I pause, my body trembling at that moment, knowing this night could very well end the same way. “When I touched you for the first time, when we fought because we cared too much about each other, when we made sacrifices and decisions we weren’t proud of – all of that was real. This,” I say, stepping toward her. This time she doesn’t move. “We, are real.”
She still won’t look at me, and the pain in my chest is almost too much to handle. I know it’s a poor bet, but I’m running out of options. I reach into my pocket and pull out the lone black die I bought after the tournament ended.
“Let’s let fate decide. Roll the die,” I say, holding out the shiny black plastic in my hand. “If it’s a four, we give this game another round. If it’s anything else, we walk away.”
She eyes me through her lashes. “You know those odds are really terrible, right?”
I shrug. “I’m confident in our number.”
Chewing her lip, she studies me for a moment longer before slowly taking the die from my hand. She shakes her head, but tosses the die in her hand a few times before letting it slide across the concrete.
My heart is thundering in my chest, stirring up a storm that racks my entire body as the small black die bounces. It knocks against a man’s shoe, bounces a few more times, and finally falls.
Six.
My heart stops beating and just sinks, down through my chest, my stomach, all the way to the cold hard ground. My shoulders fall with it, and the weight I thought was unbearable before completely gives way, making me crumble and break beneath it. I can’t even lift my eyes to find Skyler’s, I just stare at that fucking die, at that fucking number, and I know this is one of those images I’ll have seared in my memory forever.
The crowd is lively around us, but it’s as if Skyler and I are in our own bubble, the noise and excitement muted by our despair. Suddenly, Skyler bends down to retrieve the die. She goes to hand it back to me and I inwardly cringe, not wanting to touch the cursed plastic, but then, it goes sailing over my head.
Whipping around, I watch as it falls into the fountain with a splash. I turn to Skyler and she’s smiling, her sky blue eyes dancing in the soft light of the fountain. “I’m done leaving my life to chance. Black number four can suck it.”
She closes the space between us and before I have the chance to realize what’s happening, I wrap her in my arms and crush my mouth to hers. My hands find her hair and I pull her in deeper, my mouth still hard on hers as she fists my shirt in her hands. Music spills out from the fountain speakers and the show begins, but neither of us look up to see it. We lose ourselves in each other, touching and feeling and kissing as the water shoots up into the night sky until someone near us clears their throat, pulling us back to reality.
“I love you,” I breathe, pulling back and running the pad of my thumb across her lower lip. “I’m so fucking sorry, Skyler.”
“Stop.” She shakes her head. “We both played a stupid game.”
“I promise to never gamble with your heart again, Ella Mae.”
She smiles, pulling me in for another long kiss. “Deal.”
Grabbing her hand, I pull her away from the fountain and toward the strip. I want her alone tonight, even if the city is begging us to stay out. “I can’t believe you let me watch that die roll like that, when you knew it didn’t even matter.”
She giggles. “It was fun to watch you sweat.” She winks and I grip her hand a little tighter and nudge her playfully. “That was super cheesy, by the way,” she adds, glancing back at the fountains still going off.
“What? You’re not impressed with that impeccable timing?”
“How did you know I wouldn’t be dumping your ass when the fountains went off like that?”
I frown, pulling her into me and knuckling her head. She laughs and pushes me off, her radiant smile lighting up the strip more than the casino lights.
“I knew you couldn’t resist this.”
She rolls her eyes. “Please.”
I stop, pulling her into me and pressing my lips to hers. Running my fingertips down her arms, I grip her waist and pull her into me, biting her bottom lip between my teeth. She moans and I instantly harden, tugging her closer so she feels what she’s doing to me. “You couldn’t resist me if you tried.”
She smiles against my lips, her eyes bright and playful. She’s the same Skyler I met that first night, yet she’s entirely different. The girl back then was hiding something, she was ashamed to be the girl I knew she was. Tonight, she’s exactly who she was meant to be, and she’s wearing that same confident smile that has killed me and brought me to life at the same time ever since the very first time I saw it.
“Wanna bet?”
THE END
SEVEN MONTHS LATER
“You’ve got this,” Kip says, his smile mimicking the nervous expression on my face. Even through video chat on my tiny phone, his smile seems bigger than life. “You’re going to be elected president, you’re going to go out and party tonight, and then you’re going to fly out to see me in just three short days.”
“How are you so sure?”
He shrugs, which somehow makes me even more attracted to him. “Because I know you. And I know those girls would be stupid not to make you their president.”
The doors to the chapter room swing open and Jess peeks her head out. “We’re ready for you.” She’s smiling, but it’s not a confident, radiant smile, which scares the shit out of me. She excuses herself to the other rooms down the hall to tell the other candidates it’s time for us to go in and I stand, panic setting in.
“Breathe, Ella Mae,” Kip says and I stick my tongue out. He chuckles. “Just go win this thing and then we can count down the days until you’re in California. With me. Where you belong.”
Now it’s my turn to smile, because I truly am beyond excited to see him. We spent all summer together after the tournament, staying at his parents’ house in Kansas during his father’s last few weeks. It was a little strange meeting Oliver Jackson at first, knowing what he had asked Kip to do to me, but once we got to know each other it solidified the choice I made in Vegas for me. I could see how much poker meant to him when we would play on the make-shift table near his bed. Those lazy days spent chatting and playing poker with Kip and his dad are some that will stay with me forever.
When Oliver passed, the summer took a solemn dive, and Kip and I both fell into the dark together. But we had each other, and that’s all we needed to make it through. After the funeral, Kip and I stuck around to be with his mom. I got really close with her during that time and now we talk daily, which I know is good for her now that her husband is gone. Truth be told, it’s good for me, too. Kip is a lot like his mom, and she has helped me through more than she realizes in this past semester – including getting the courage to run for president of KKB with everything that’s happened.
The summer was tough as hell, but we were together all the time. I can’t remember us even going twenty-four hours without seeing each other. But when he started at UCLA in the fall and I came back to Palm South, we both knew it would be hard. We’ve only seen each other once since then, during Thanksgiving break, and being this far apart is physically straining for both of us. I even tried talking him into letting me transfer there, but he kno
ws this is where I want to be – where I belong. I’m needed here, which is an amazing feeling.
But I need him here, too.
This past semester has been the most difficult. I declared my major in entrepreneurship and started working for the casino cruise, honing my dealing skills and saving every penny to get my business started after graduation. I’ve never been so excited about school, but finally knowing the direction I’m going gives me something to look forward to. It took a while for the poker world to stop talking about me, and every now and then I still come up in conversation – will I ever get back into the game? Did losing the tournament crush my spirits forever? But the truth is I still love playing, just not as much as I love the thought of owning my own business and helping others have a good time in a casino atmosphere. I survived the pressure of playing and I met my goal. I made enough to pay for college and set my family on their feet. That’s all I ever wanted. So now, I reserve my skills for poker nights with Clinton and his brothers.
And of course, I take their money every time.
It’s been a rough six months, adjusting to not playing anymore and figuring out how to turn that focus to school, instead. Staring at the blue-eyed boy on my screen, I know I couldn’t have done any of it without him. Even if we did cause quite the storm of rumors when it came out that we were an item. Everyone put the puzzle pieces together, discovering that he was the same boy from the photograph snapped at the bonfire last semester. Needless to say, we were the juiciest story the poker world had for quite some time. But eventually it died down, and now most reporters and bloggers give me peace. Most being the key word.
I blow a kiss through the screen and Kip catches it, kissing his knuckles before throwing the kiss up to the sky. It’s something we’ve been doing ever since his dad passed, making sure to take the time to remember him every single day. Kip gives me a wink before ending the call and I shove my phone in my Vera Bradley bag before heading to the chapter room.
All my sisters remain seated, clapping and smiling politely as the other candidates and I walk up to the front of the room. Once we’re all situated, Erin quiets the room and the doors are shut again.
I can’t believe her term is over. It seems like just yesterday she was in my place. I watched from the front row as she took her position and I knew our chapter was going to change for the better. And I was right. Erin has upped our average GPA, making us the top score of all the other sororities. We also had the best rush this fall that we’ve ever had in the entire time our chapter has been established at Palm South. She’s renovated portions of our house, upped our standards for officers, and most importantly – she’s earned the trust of everyone in our organization. If I win tonight, I can only hope I’m half the president she was.
We’re still working on our relationship, but along with our chapter, my Big has changed, too. She’s matured, she’s figured out what’s important to her, and she’s stopped using others to make her goals happen. She’s dating a grad student now and I think he really grounds her, though their relationship has been a roller coaster all its own. I know what she did last year was messed up, but then again I know I made mistakes, too. I guess in the end, we all do. But Erin is worth forgiving. She’s worth loving.
Jess and Ashlei are both sitting in the front row, having just conceded their positions to new girls, too. Ashlei is tearing up but trying to hide it and Jess looks ready to party. The three of them all graduate tonight after having stayed an extra semester to finish out their position terms. Knowing they won’t be here next semester guts me, but for now, they’re all staying local. And I thank my lucky stars for that.
“You got this, Big!” Cassie yells out and a few girls giggle. I give her a wink and she smiles, her new short red hair shining in the fluorescent light. She chopped off her long locks over the summer, trading in the “old” her. And damn, did she ever shed her skin. Adam has broken her out of her shell entirely. She goes out now – a lot. But, she’s still on top of her studies. She’s just learned to let loose and have more fun, and I know with her by my side, we’re going to have an amazing spring semester – regardless of what happens tonight.
“I’ve already given my sappy thank you speech,” Big says, wiping at a tear forming in the corner of her left eye. “But I just have to say one more time that I am truly honored for the privilege you all bestowed upon me this time last year. I hope I made you proud, and I want you to know that I will never forget you – any of you – or this amazing sorority.”
Everyone chants out various Kappa Kappa Beta cheers, holding up our hand signs. Erin smiles, quieting us once more.
“Okay okay, enough about me.” She turns to face me and the two other girls running for president. “This decision was incredibly tough for all of us. We had to ask ourselves who would be our best leader, who would fight for us, and most of all – who would represent us and everything we stand for?”
She turns back to the rest of the room. “I have nothing but absolute faith that the person who you all chose to place your faith in will far exceed your expectations. This young woman is exciting, fresh, full of ideas and even more – spunk.” Everyone laughs a little. “She’s everyone’s best friend, confidant, and mentor. She’s been through a lot in her life, more than most of us will ever face, and she isn’t afraid to own every part of her life that’s made her who she is.” A warm smile spreads on her face as she turns back to face us. “I am proud to announce that the new president of Kappa Kappa Beta is…”
Breathe, Skyler, breathe.
“Should I let someone else say it?” Erin asks, facing the room. Everyone laughs and cheers while the three of us at the front of the room try not to punch something. I’m waiting for her to finish her sentence, but she just cheers with the rest of the room, confusing me further. Suddenly, the back doors swing open, and the brothers of Alpha Sigma pour into the room, half of them strung up with acoustic guitars. They’re all wearing various button ups and ties in the shades of Kappa Kappa Beta’s colors, and as they fill the room, they start to softly hum a song.
And then, Kip walks in.
My hands fly to my mouth and I try hard not to cry, but the emotion of seeing him in the same room overwhelms me. He smiles, a heart-melting, sexy-as-hell sideways smile that makes a dozen girls in the room swoon along with me. Kip walks slowly to the front of the room and when he reaches me, it takes everything I have to not jump into his arms. He takes my hand in his, pulls my fingers gently to his lips, and then turns to face the room.
“Ladies of Kappa Kappa Beta, your new president!”
Everyone claps and cheers, jumping from their chairs, and that’s all it takes for me to completely lose it. Tears run down my face as Kip pulls me in for a hug, kissing my forehead as Erin pins the president pin on my dress. I wipe the tears from my cheeks as Kip and his brothers sing a hilarious rendition of My Girl. When they finish, Kip tucks his hands into his pocket and faces me.
“Skyler Thorne, you mean everything to me. You are my world. When we met earlier this year, we were both playing a game that neither one of us was prepared to lose. Tricks were played, hearts were broken, but in the end – we somehow made it out alive – and together.” He pulls his hands from his pocket, and dangling in his left hand is a small charm on a chain. “I promised to never gamble with your heart again, and this is me showing that promise to the world. Please, make me the happiest man in the world, Ella Mae. Wear my lavalier?”
He holds out the small silver necklace with Alpha Sigma’s letters on the charm and tears flood my eyes again. It’s tradition for a fraternity brother to lavalier the woman he thinks he will spend the rest of his life with. It’s just one step ahead of an engagement ring, and lavaliers are not given lightly. This is a big deal, and my heart feels it, because it’s swelling so big in my chest I’m afraid I might explode or float away.
I can’t find words, so I simply nod, and the room erupts in cheers again. Kip throws me his amazing smile before clasping the necklace
around my neck and pulling me in for a long, almost-inappropriate kiss. Hoots and cheers ring out in the room and my cheeks flush, but I don’t care. Everything is absolutely perfect in this moment.
Everything.
“All right, bitches,” Jess says, standing and throwing her hands in the air. “Let’s go party! Everyone to Ralph’s!” Kade walks up behind her and squeezes her hips, making her squeal and throw her arms around him before her lips find his. They had one hell of a summer, but somehow they made it through. Jess has changed Kade, and she’s changed for him, too – or maybe like Kip and I, they just didn’t know who they really were until they found each other.
More cheers echo through the room and everyone starts to file out for what will be the last hurrah before the seniors graduate and the undergrads go home for Christmas break. I stay back with Kip, still wrapped in his arms, afraid if I let him go everything that just happened will disappear.
“Congratulations, El Presidente,” he says, kissing my hair.
“How are you here?”
He shrugs. “I couldn’t wait any longer, so I caught a flight out.”
“Oh yeah.” I scoff. “Because I’m sure all this was super spontaneous.”
Kip winks. “I can’t tell you all my secrets.”
“How long are you here?”
“Well,” he says, biting his lower lip a little. “Funny story. I’m here for a while, actually.”
“A while? As in?”
“As in now, all next semester, and all of summer semester, too.”
My mouth drops. “What?! How?!” I throw my arms around his neck and press my lips to his, muting his answer. He smiles against my mouth, his strong arms keeping me firmly in his grip.
“My project got approved. I have until the end of summer to film the pilot season of the show I wrote. At the end, I’ll submit it to compete against the other interns. And if I get selected, there’s a chance my show will air as an online series.”
Black Number Four Page 33
