I suck in a breath, glaring at him for not letting this go. The truth is, shit changed for me, and he can never know why. I can never truly let him in because that would mean blowing up everything either of us has ever known. It would mean ruining lives and reputations. It would mean my mother no longer gets the care she needs.
It could mean the end.
So while it may disappoint my best friend that chasing ass isn’t on my priority list, he’ll just have to take it as it is.
“I’m fine.” My gaze lands on the girl again, and everything stills for a beat. “Look, man, I appreciate the concern, but I’m good, okay? Whatever happens between me and these girls, or lack thereof, is my business. So how about we focus on what’s important, huh?”
“Yeah, and what’s that?”
“Winning the championship.”
He grins. “Fair enough.”
Thankfully, he turns his attention back to the girls. Unfortunately, I know that’s not the end of it—it never is with him. But a win is a win.
I glance over at Bryden, or Mountain, as we call him. He’s been standing a few feet from us with his back turned. If it isn’t about hockey or schoolwork, Mountain wants nothing to do with it. And that includes girls. It’s one of the many reasons the team thinks he’s weird.
But in reality, he’s probably the most normal out of all of us.
“What about you, Mountain?” Alex pries. “Do you plan on getting any this semester? We have fifteen weeks left before college is over.”
Mountain glares at him. “Why are you so concerned with where the rest of us put our junk?”
I laugh. Mountain rarely engages, but when he does, it’s always hilarious.
“I’m just saying. This is prime time, and there are way too many girls around to not be getting some.”
“That may be true, but unlike some people, I have nothing to prove.”
Alex nods, knowing his friend is just teasing him and seemingly satisfied with Mountain’s answer. Even if he did care, he couldn’t do much about it. Everyone knows Mountain does whatever he wants when he wants, and no person on this campus could convince him otherwise.
“Well, now that I’ve killed your little peer pressure campaign, I’m going to go. I have things to do tomorrow, and I’d rather not spend my night listening to you two.” Mountain pats me on the shoulder and walks off.
I use this chance to get lost. “All right, man. I’m out, too. See y’all at the crib.”
“Yo. Where are you going?” Alex asks with his hand out at his sides.
“Away from you, Captain.”
CHAPTER FOUR
SAM
When I finally make it to my dorm, the sun is setting. My keys rattle in my hand as I struggle with the lock, but after a few seconds, it finally gives way. With a grunt, I push inside, dragging my bags across the threshold.
“Shit,” I huff, dropping everything so that I can massage my neck where the strap of my duffel bag dug into my skin.
Toting all of these bags around campus while lost was no picnic. Now, I’m a tired, panting mess by the time I close the door behind me. Once I do, I turn around and come face-to-face with who I assume to be my new roommate. She stares at me, her mahogany eyes wide.
She’s cute in a bubbly kind of way, with long, brown hair that she wears straight, and brown skin that’s a similar complexion to my own. She smiles, immediately takes one of my bags and brings it farther inside.
“Hi,” she says, her voice high-pitched and full of excitement. “I’m Gracie Martinez.”
For a moment, I stare at her, taken aback by how friendly she is. I’ve only been at this school a few hours, but I can already say that she’s drastically different from everyone else I’ve encountered.
I clear my throat. “Sam. Sam Collins.”
She’s dressed in pink socks with polka dots, shorts, and an oversized T-shirt that hangs off one shoulder.
