“Me?” I asked him as I picked up my book bag.
“All of you.”
Exchanging looks, we piled into his office. Coach was looking at the photo Ava had almost creamed over.
“She’s inconclusive,” Coach started with no preamble. “Izzy doesn’t know if she was an unfortunate drunk or targeted also.” He sighed. “She did say she can tell you almost every statistic in the history of football though.” Coach’s eyes gleamed in approval. “And for that, Ms. Bryant is your proven alibi.”
I glanced at Gray, who was frowning. “I don’t understand.”
“She’s a Lions fan. Blood runs blue and white, and when she’s not supporting the Lions, she isn’t even a Titans fan, but a Panthers one, something to do with her grandfather.” Coach looked personally offended. “There is no way in hell you and this girl hooked up with heronlydrunk.”
Ash snort-laughed, and I saw Gray hide his smile. “Coach, are you saying she would have to bedruggedbefore she slept with me?” I asked incredulously.
“Sure as shit am.”
Ash let out a loud laugh, and Gray joined him. I looked at Coach, who was grinning. “Fuckers, all of you.” I walked out of the office to the sound of them laughing their asses off behind me.
Heading to class, I ignored the calls from my brother and cousin to wait for them. Ava needed to be under the influence to fuck me? Is that what she told the doc? I’d see about that. I’d gone looking for an easy lay on Saturday and instead ended up at Quinn’s and watched the game with her. Then I went back to the house and waited for Gray and Ash to come home and head out. I hadn’t had sex with anyone since her, and now they were saying she needed to bedruggedto sleep with me. Fuck that.
The first class of the afternoon passed quickly, and then I was in the class where I got a blow job the other week. I scanned the seats for the little turncoat, and when I spotted her blending into the wall, I stalked toward her.
As I dropped down beside her, Ava wordlessly stared at me before her eyes darted around the room. “What are you doing?”
Pointing at the large white screen in front of the room, I told her, “Learning.”
“Why are you beside me?” Ava demanded quietly. Her eyes kept flicking to the door.
“Do you want me to move?”
“Yes!”
Turning, I looked at her, and she sat back, her head dropping to break the eye contact. “Excuse me?”
“This professor thinks I’m already a team bunny. You sitting beside me is only going to condemn me further.”
“What the fuck is a team bunny?” I asked her in amusement.
“Jett!” Ava’s eyes were wide with pleading.
“You want me to move?” I asked again, and when she nodded too enthusiastically for my liking, I stood.
Her relief was palpable, and I bent over her, my lips on her ear. “You can thank me for this later, on your knees, rabbit.”
I was laughing as I made my way up the stairs to the back row. Now that I knew where she was in the class, I had no idea why I hadn’t noticed her before. Her face was red from embarrassment, and when the dude who had given her grief last week started on her again, I took special note of who he was.
Five minutes into his shit, and Ava was on her feet. This time, she didn’t confront him but merely packed her books and climbed the stairs. I watched her silently as she took the empty seat beside me. When she eventually made eye contact, she gave a slight shrug.
“Better the Devil you know,” she murmured as the lights dimmed and the professor started class.
The darkness hid my smile.
* * *
The week passed quickly, and although I saw her once or twice on campus, she didn’t seek me out, nor did I her.
But she was all I could think about.
Ash had her in one class, and at dinner on Thursday night, he commented that their professor seemed to hold a personal vendetta against her. As he ate his chicken and spaghetti, he shook his head. “You can see he intimidates her, but every time he picks on her, she answers.” He shoveled his food into his mouth. “You gotta admire her spunk.”
