“Let’s get this stuff in. It’s getting cold.” I nudged my chin to the luggage.
Sam smiled. “Couldn’t agree more.”
Chapter Eight
Naomi
Aftermeetingmyroommates,I decided living with four guys wouldn’t be as awkward as I originally thought. They seemed fine and even friendly. Mostly.
Finn didn’t like me, plain and simple. I’ve gotten used to people not taking to me on principle alone. Streaming for a year opened me up to criticism. After being hate-raided many times, I’d grown what I’d consider a thick skin and ‘fuck ‘em’ attitude. I knew how to keep a smile on my face while interacting with trolls. Doing it in real life would be harder.
“There’s a perfectly good deck out back. We should have the newbie welcome party here,” Lincoln suggested.
Once I’d dished up our food and the guys put their luggage in their rooms, we’d gathered in the living area. The guys wanted to plan a get-together for their team. All four of them played hockey for the school. I knew absolutely nothing about the sport—something that appalled them. Despite being a janitor at the arena, I never took much interest the games. I preferred the ice shows. Hockey rules went over my head the first time I tried to watch.
“We’ll make you an expert by the end of the semester,” Lincoln promised. He was by far the most energetic of the group. The guy couldn’t sit still, he even stood when he ate.
“It’s not as difficult to understand as it might seem,” Henrik had chimed in. “I couldn’t remember all the rules at first, too. It gets easier after you’ve seen a couple of games. Even easier when you play.”
Henrik spoke in a calm voice. Unlike the rest of the guys, he wasn’t a large presence. Not in stature or in personality. He was always the first person to say, ‘thank you’ or ‘excuse me.’ He was polite in how he spoke and how he maintained his appearance. He slicked his brown hair out of his face. His neatly pressed black dress shirt was tucked into a pair of gray slacks. He looked like he belonged in a boardroom, not on a college campus. His skin was even paler than Finn’s and his eyes darker.
Sam smiled at me. “We should get you on the ice, Naomi. Who knows, maybe you’ll show up some rookies on the team. Heaven knows we’re going to need the help this year.”
Unlike his friends, Sam didn’t mind talking over people. It was safe to say the others looked up to him, glancing his way for the final say when everyone threw their opinions around. His clear, dark skin and perfect smile gave me pause upon first meeting him. Sam reminded me of a dashing hero in an otome game. I didn’t think people like him existed outside of a computer screen.
“Fat chance.” I laughed at the suggestion. Me better than athletes on the ice? “I can barely stand up on skates.”
“Something we should remedy immediately.” Sam gave me a charming smile. I returned it.
At that moment, my gaze strayed in Finn’s direction. He hadn’t said a word since we sat down. The guys tried to include him in the conversation many times, but he brushed them off.
He was staring down at his phone. It didn’t take long for him to sense me looking at him. When we made eye contact, my cheeks burned. Despite the feeling, I didn’t turn away. He raised a brow, silently asking if I wanted to say something. I didn’t. Or maybe I couldn’t because my tongue felt heavy under his gaze.
The guys’ conversation faded into the background as Finn and I continued to stare at one another. I couldn’t figure out what we were doing. He leaned back in his seat, pressing buttons on his phone’s screen before placing it face down on his knee. My phone buzzed in my back pocket, but I didn’t reach for it.
Finn rested his chin in his hand, studying me. It surprised me I didn’t feel self-conscious under his gaze. Something about how Finn looked at me said he wasn’t judging. He was taking me in and trying to figure out the same thing I was: why was I interested in him? Out of the four of them, he was the most standoffish and intimidating.
Another vibration in my pocket made me forfeit our staring match. I dug my phone out to read the screen.
MidQuest: I was thinking about you. How’s your night going?
My heart hammered.Thiswas the type of guy I should focus on. Someone who didn’t mind checking in. Though I just met Finn, I could tell he wasn’t the ‘texts you randomly because he was thinking about you’ kind of guy.
Chai03: I’m good, thanks! Getting ready to turn in soon.
While I waited for him to text back, I looked at Finn. He was distracted by his phone again and stayed that way as I resumed staring.
MidQuest: Hope you get a good night’s sleep. I’ll talk to you in the morning.
I sent him a heart back and pushed off the couch, announcing to the guys it was well past my bedtime. Everyone except Finn protested. I argued with their pleas, reminding them they also had their first day of class tomorrow. Apparently, we were all unfortunate enough to have classes scheduled before ten AM on a Monday.
They decided to be responsible and turn in early at my suggestion. For one night only, according to Lincoln. We said our goodnights and headed to our rooms. I waved at them before closing my door. The box I used to hold it shut slid into place. I crawled into my bed and stared at the ceiling. My stomach buzzed with nerves of excitement for the semester ahead.
Iwokewithacrick in my neck. My mouth felt like cotton and my head pounded with a headache. As cute as my bed looked, the mattress felt like bricks. Anytime I rolled over, I woke up from the sheer discomfort.
As I reached over to turn off my alarm, I glimpsed the time. According to my screen, I’d pressed snooze five times this morning.
Shit, shit, shit.
