Her small smile returns as she says, “nice to meet you all.”
“Careful, Barkley. You’re going to scare the poor girl off,” a familiarly irritating voice calls from behind me. Charlie looks past me to the owner of said irritating voice.
Releasing Charlie, I turn to face Holland and Mason who look showered and victorious. Ellington won the game, so that makes sense. I’d feel pretty victorious too.
I narrow my eyes at him as he approaches with his big, stupid grin.
Turning back to face Charlie, I give her a sympathetic look. I crook my finger for her to lean closer and cup my hand around her ear.
“Ignore him. He’s not completely right in the head. Doctor’s say his brain is like, ten sizes too small for a twenty-two-year-old.”
Ryker and Mason snicker behind me as Haley, Ellie, and Gwen giggle. I look back to Holland whose eyes are narrowed on me, but he looks more amused than angry.
Charlie looks confused as hell, and I almost feel bad. She looks from me to Logan, who looks like he’s trying not to laugh.
“We’ve been over this, Lane. Nothing about me is small. Come over here and I’ll prove it,” he licks his lips before shooting me a devilish smirk. I roll my eyes out of habit.
Reaching out for Gwen, I grab her shoulder, trying to steady myself. Gwen grabs my arm, helping me stay upright.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” she asks, clear concern in her voice. I continue to hold onto her, holding my stomach. I can feel my friends’ eyes on me, but I keep going.
“Y-yeah. I just… I thought I was going to die there for a second,” I tell her before straightening and looking Holland directly in the eyes. “I felt a bit claustrophobic with Holland’s ego taking up so much space.”
“You’re funny, Barkley. Real funny,” Holland nods, crossing his arms. He looks like he wants to say more, but he refrains.
We continue to glare at each other, stuck in this battle of who will have the last word.
“I’m confused, are they friends or not?” I hear Charlie whisper a bit too loudly into Logan’s ear. He chuckles before replying.
“Yeah,this is normal.”
“Okay, you two. Stand down. Don’t scare away our new friend,” Ellie says as she throws her arm around my shoulder.
“I’m fucking starving. Are we going to get food or what?” Mason asks, clearly getting a bit irritable. “I’m literally going to fade away and die from hunger.”
Mason grabs onto Ryker, acting as if he’s withering away to the ground. “This is the end. Tell my mom I love her, and don’t let her in my nightstand,” he whines pathetically.
Ryker shakes him off, shaking his head.
“Get off me, asshole. I see you’re still dramatic as fuck.”
“Do you see what you’ve left us with, man?” Holland asks.
“Listen, you try not eating for eight straight hours and then playing a game of rugby,” Mason groans.
“You ate right before the game, Mason,” Holland deadpans.
“Well, it feels like it’s been days.”
Rolling my eyes, I grab Gwen by the arm and start walking toward the parking lot.
“Come on, shitheads. I wanna get drunk,” I call over my shoulder.
Let the weekend begin.
Chapter 12
Holland
