Callie: Glad to see you got your swagger back. Douchebag swagger, but you’re back to your normal self. I wouldn’t be surprised to find girls trailing you.
I baited him to see his response. I never played games and yet I just had. I hated people who did that, but my fingers had a mind of their own. It was a hard battle to fight when my heart, head, lady parts and now hands were all on different paths. And each one thought they were in control.
Zade: Want to be one to follow me around? I’ll put you first.
Callie: Hard pass. Hard pass, man.
Zade: One day, Callie, one day.
I grinned and caught myself. I needed to stop this shit. I was flirting and I liked the attention. I put my phone back on music and began making to-do lists of everything I needed to get finished by the weekend. I only checked my phone three times to see if I had a text, which I didn’t, before class finished. I snuck out before the crowd and headed toward the favorite campus restaurant, Cam’s. It smelled like shit, had beer stains on the floor and had been notorious for frats and bros to hang out. I’d heard about this place all last year. I couldn’t wait.
I walked into the place shortly after and saw Greta and Aaron sitting toward the back. Tanner’s large frame almost blocked Greta’s bright blonde hair. I smiled a little too wide, drawing some unwarranted stares from a small circle of women. I avoided their hostile stares and walked over to the dingy booth. “Hey, guys!”
“Callie, girl.” Aaron scooted over and I took the spot next to him. “We ordered three pitchers and are about to play quarters. You in?”
“Hmm. Beer and games? Hells yeah.” Greta and I high fived and Tanner and Jeff joined us, Tanner pulling out a small ping pong ball. How he always came prepared for drinking games beat me. “Everyone here?”
“Yup. Z might join us, but you never know. He has to weigh his options. Tits and ass, or us. I wouldn’t blame him.” Aaron shrugged and Greta caught my eye. An unwelcome lead pit formed in my stomach. I’d made my stance clear to him and he had every right.
“His loss then. Let’s do this!” I found a clean glass and filled it up from the pitcher in the center of the table. Jeff and Tanner squeezed next to Greta. She seemed tiny between them, all squished and shit. I took a picture, her smile contagious. As the drinks continued, I took more pictures and laughed so hard I almost peed. Aaron spilled beer on his shorts and it gave the impression he’d pissed himself, and Jeff told us a story about his brother shitting himself on a train. I held on to my stomach, my laughter out of control. Greta and I stumbled to the bathroom.
“Oh, my god. I need to go. Now!” Greta yelled, yanking my hand. “This way.”
I followed her to a piss-smelling hallway. “Are you taking me back here to kill me? It looks creepy as hell.”
“It’s Cam’s. You get used to it.” We marched into the small room and smiled at the girls primping in the mirror. “I’m glad we did this. I know it’s Thursday, but damn.”
“I agree. This should be a weekly thing.” We went to do our business and came back out to see three girls glaring. I gave them a weird look and one approached me. Greta stepped to stand next to me. I didn’t think she needed to protect me or hold me back, but my nerves went on edge.
“How did you two end up sitting withthem?” The blonde twisted her made-up mouth at us and I recoiled.Who speaks to strangers like that?“What did you do?”
“Excuse me?” I stood tall, looking down at the nasty stranger. “Who’re you to be rude to someone you don’t know?” Greta sucked in a breath but kept her arm on my shoulder. For whatever reason, the blonde had her hatred directed at me.
“You come here and slide right into the group. What did you do to get them to notice you? Sleep with them? All of them? I don’t get it. You don’t even wear makeup. Are you fifteen? Gross.” She sneered at me, looking me up and down. Pure disgust crossed her face and made her appear ugly. Not only in personality, but in jealousy.
“Listen here.” I stepped toward her, my lack of height not really an issue. My temper made me taller. “First off, these people you are referring to arepeople. They have normal lives and friends. They make up their own damn minds and clearly, if they gave you the curb, it was for a reason. Secondly, come at me again and you won’t win.” I stepped closer to her, her eyes widening in fear when I looked her up and down in the meanest way I could. “Cleat chasers never get far. You’re ten a penny.”
I yanked Greta’s hand and dragged her out of the bathroom, her mouth hanging open. I didn’t stop until we reached the main area. Music drowned out our conversations from others and we blended in. After that altercation, I wanted just that—to not stand out. “What the hell? Who are these girls?”
“Callie. That was amazing and awesome and terrifying at the same time. I’m kind of turned on and scared.” She put her hand on my arm and shook her head. “God, you are awesome. I got nervous. I hate girl fights and intimidation. You handled that…easily.”
“Nah, it’s easy to stand up to spiteful people. I have a harder time standing up to people I love or care about. That’s really hard.” I waved off her compliment. “I’ve seen enough of people like her to know they’re after one thing and that’s to use potential players for fame. They try to ruin the players’ lives or trap them and they think the world owes them something.”
“Damn. I need to learn how to do what you just did.”
“Anytime. So let’s head back—I want to beat their asses.” I wiped my hands on the back of my pants, the sweat collecting the more I thought about how angry I felt. “For real though, I’m going to need you to hold me back if they come at me like that again.”
“I’m not sure… I think it might be more entertaining to watch. Plus, they say abestfriend ends up in jail with you while a friend only bails you out.” She paused, running her tongue to the side of her mouth. “Actually, I want to be a part of it. I need more adventure in my life. Oh! We need to watch those cool fighting movies to learn—”
“No, stop.” I yanked on her arm to pull her in the right direction. “Settle down, psycho.”
Chapter Twelve
Zade
I avoided the grasps of Carly and Jen, and excused myself by saying I had to go throw, but really I needed to escape them. I tried not to think about how Callie probably thought I was even more of a dick after she’d heard about the damn Zwillows Pillows. I cringed. God, I hated that name. I despised the club, hating the entire premise of it. But I loathed it more knowing it proved Callie’s claims right.Should I text her again? Nah. God, when did I lose my ability to convince girls to be with me?
My phone went off in my hand.Mom.I answered it on the second ring. “What’s up, Mom? This is unexpected.”
