“Whoa, are you okay?” A deep voice asks. And I happen to know it too well.
I glance up and meet the gaze of Jared Collins. To most people, he’s one of the best wide receivers in the South, all golden boy charm and effortless talent. To me, he’s just Jared Collins from Riverbrook Middle School, the boy-next-door type, if you ignore the fact that he didn’t actually live next door. His shaggy blonde hair falls in just enough to look intentional, and his sharp blue eyes seem to see straight through you. There’s a crooked, almost lazy smile playing on his lips, like he knows exactly what effect he has on people but won’t admit it out loud.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” I stammer, feeling my face flush even more.
“It’s all good,” Jared says, his smile stretching across his face. “You look like you’re in a hurry.”
“Yeah, I was just, uh, looking for my friend,” I say, trying to regain my composure.
“You mean avoiding that guy?” he juts his chin slightly at the scene of the crime. “He’s good looking.”
“Shut up.” I feel my cheeks burning like a campfire.
“Oh, what’s this I see? A blushing Alli? Are you crushing on him?”
My eyes widen, how does he know about that? There’s only one answer. “Serena told you?!” I slap his arm.
Jared feigns innocence. “Ouch! That’s my catching arm! And she didn’t tell meper se. You guys really should use your inside voices when you’re on FaceTime.”
If it wasn’t clear that I was blushing before, I’m definitely blushing now, but out of embarrassment. “You heard us that night?!”
Serena and I had an hour-long call when she was moving into her apartment this past summer, and I practically gushed about seeing Ethan in the student center that day. I was convinced it was love at first sight and fate bringing us together.
Jared raises a brow when he sees my face flushing pink. I blame the beer. “Earth to Alli?”
“Oh, yeah, sorry, I’m fine.”
He studies me for a moment, seeming to weigh my words. “You sure? You look flustered.”
I manage a weak laugh, hoping to brush off my obvious discomfort. “Yeah, it’s just… crowded in here.”
“It’s an Omega Kappa party, they invite everyone.”
“Well, I wasn’t expecting this many people.” I cross my arms, still holding onto my drink. I hesitate, glancing around the room. “I really should go find Olivia.”
I turn to leave, but Jared’s arm halts me, making me raise a brow at his touch. “Need something?” I ask with unintentional sass.
“I haven’t talked to you in a while, since—”
“Since we graduated and we moved away?”
He nods, a nervous laugh leaving his lips. “Yeah, I just thought we could catch up. How are your classes so far?”
“Busy. The first few weeks always throw me off—it takes a minute to figure out the workload and actually juggle everything. But I’m managing.” I glance around again, hoping to spot Olivia. “It’s just been… a lot.”
“I feel that.”
“Yeah, Serena told me what happened. Everything okay?”
“If ‘okay’ means no longer running away at the sight of sprinkle cupcakes, then sure. I’m jolly.” Jared leans back slightly, the corners of his mouth tugging into a wry smile, his hands resting loosely on his thighs.
“But those are the best kind,” I shoot back.
“Not when a girl breaks into your dorm covered in icing and sprinkles. Naked.” His tone is dry, but the way he runs a hand through his shaggy hair, almost as if banishing the memory, says it all.
I shiver, the image making my stomach turn. “I don’t think I’ll ever eat a cupcake again.”
Jared’s expression mellows as he continues, “Transferring this late isn’t easy, but my advisor’s been great about helping me figure things out. College can be a lot sometimes, but it looks like you’re handling it pretty well.”
