I want to press more, but she starts cleaning up the dining room table, stacking all her textbooks, and effectively signaling this was the end of our conversation.
Chapter 15
Jake
“Why do you keep watching the door like the cops are gonna bust through any second?” Ollie screams over the loud music pouring through the speakers. I’m two beers in and currently nursing my third, but even the slight buzz from the alcohol and the pretty girl eyeing me from across the room couldn’t fix my sour mood. Normally I’d be the life of the party, bouncing around between doing keg stands, doing body shots, and playing beer pong with the boys. But tonight I was sulking away on our battered old couch.
“I’m not staring at the door.” I roll my eyes, taking a swig from my drink.
“Denial is a river in Europe?—”
“Egypt.” I correct.
“I knew that. I’m just drunk.” He hiccups. “Regardless, you’re definitely holding out for someone.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re staring at the door like Taylor Swift when Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t show up to her 21st birthday.”
I nearly spit out my beer. “What the fuck?”
“Taylor Swift. She used to date?—”
“Stop. Why do you know any of this?”
“First of all, All Too Well is a banger. Second of all, every girl on campus is a Swiftie. It pays me, and my dick, to know these things.”
“You’re an absolute nuisance.”
“You’re one to talk. Do you even remember the name of the girl whose tongue you were sucking on earlier tonight?”
“I will pay you twenty dollars right now to leave me alone.” I pull my wallet out of my pocket. “Actually, make that a hundred.”
“Wow so this is the thanks I get for coming to help a friend in need? I guess that’s why they say no good deed goes unpunished.”
As hard as I try not to laugh, I can't help it. Oliver was as unserious as he was a loyal friend, and I appreciated his concern for me. “I’m alright man. Maybe a little tired, but I’m still having fun.”
“Jake, I think I’ve seen you look more alive after Coach made us skate suicides than you do now. Which is why I’m circling back to my question. Who are you waiting for? Or if you prefer you can also answer, ‘What’s her name?’”.
“No one. And none of your business.”
“Hmm how can a secret mystery woman not exist while also not being any of my business? The math isn’t mathing for me, Jake.”
“Where’s that redhead you were talking to earlier? I’m sure she’s more willing to entertain you right now than I am.”
“Regina went to get me a drink. I could tell her to bring me back an extra if you want?”
“I’m good for now.” I lift the red solo cup in my hand to show him. “I appreciate it, though.”
Oliver clicks his tongue. “C’mon man. I planned this whole party to cheer you up after the bomb Coach Hayes dropped on you.”
“Ugh don’t fucking remind me.” If I could go back in time and take back all the stupid things I did that made Mason hate me I would. Today he decided to switch up the team lineup, knocking me down to the second line and sticking me with two freshmen. Mason insisted this change was for the betterment of the team, that it would help bring our freshmen up to my level and prepare us for playoffs. But I couldn’t help but feel like it was a personal punishment. Like he was trying to tell me, “If I can’t trust you to keep your grade up, how can I trust you on the first line?”.
“I really thought you were going to have an aneurysm in the locker room.” Ollie snorts.
“Honestly I’m surprised I didn’t. I’m still super pissed that he moved me down to the second like, but I guess I just have to trust the process. Hopefully Mason’s right about this being good for the overall team. And if not maybe Coach Jameson will rewrite the wrong.”
Ollie stands up abruptly. “I refuse to leave the resident party boy down in the dumps. I’m going to fix this.”
