He presses his lips to mine and lingers for a few seconds before pulling back.
"I've got to go. This is a big game tonight. Not just because of the scouts, but OSU is one of the best," he explains. I know how the game is played, but not who the teams are.
"You're gonna kick their ass, baby," I tell him with a wink.
"Damn right," he tells me with a grin just before he closes the door and I'm alone once again, the silence ominous, and I really, really hope I'm wrong in thinking it's a sign of things to come.
seven
The game is insane.The crowd even more so. I've been to the games before, but tonight? The fans are taking things to a whole new level. Shirtless frat guys with purple and red letters painted on their chests, females all decked out in jerseys or sweatshirts, and the cheerleaders as loud as I've ever heard them.
"Holy shit, did you see that last play!" Lex yells. "Cam plowed over those two and dragged them along for a good three yards." She's been going on about him since halftime began.
"He's a beast," Bash agrees.
I smile, pride filling me. My guy puts his everything into the game, and as I look at the scoreboard, I can see that's exactly what he needs to do. We're up 17-14 at the half. It's going to be a tight one.
My phone beeps with a text and I pull it out of my sweatshirt pocket. It's from Cam.
Cam: We're coming out now. I had one of the assistants put a surprise for you by the fire extinguisher behind the old concession stand. Check it out when you get a chance.
I'm grinning like an idiot and Bash elbows me.
"What?" he asks.
I show both him and Lex—Lex grins, Bash's smile goes flat.
"Go!" Lex urges, "before they start playing again and you miss the ass whooping."
I snort. "Fine, fine, I'll go."
"Want me to go with you?" Bash asks.
"Nah. I should be okay. Want me to bring you anything back?" I ask.
"No! Now hurry!" Lex bosses.
I head toward the stand, weaving between people going up the stadium stairs while I go down. I breathe a sigh of relief when I'm finally outside, away from the crowd, and walking over the grass toward the alleyway that leads from the street all the way to the main cafeteria building.
I get so many people waving—too many—and all because I'm Cam's girlfriend. The attention is daunting. I just want to go back to being a nobody, being invisible, anonymous. Life is so much easier when people aren't trying to kiss your ass to get close to your boyfriend.
I reach the building, finding the extinguisher enclosure, and open the door. I frown when all I see is a piece of paper folded into a tiny triangle. I pick it up, pricking my finger on something as I do.
"Shit," I mutter, trying to see what it was, but it's too dark in that cubby. I pick up the paper and unfold it.
Boois all it says.
I flip the paper over, smudging it with the blood from my finger, trying to see if there's anything on the other side. Nothing.
What the hell?I barely finish the thought when I'm grabbed from behind. He's big and his breath smells like sausage and I want to puke.
"Fucking cunt," he whispers against my ear. "The recognition you're getting by fucking the running back is bullshit. It's time you remember you are nothing."
A fist plows into my lower back—my kidney, I think. Then again and again and again until the pain is so piercing it steals my breath. He turns me around and shoves me back against the wall, the handle of the extinguisher cubby digging into my spine. He pulls me forward and slams me against the wall, the back of my head slamming into it. My vision blurs and my ears begin to ring.
I try to look to see if I can recognize him, but he's got a black ski mask on. His fist smashes into my face over and over. I hear the cartilage of my nose crunch and feel the warm rush of blood.Well, he broke that real good, didn't he?
My eyes begin to swell shut, and when I can no longer maintain my balance, I collapse onto the ground. But he's not done. Not even close. Now he starts kicking me.
