“And… why is that?” I asked him with a smirk. “I think she’s tryin’ a play for you.”
“That’s Rachel,” he said, like that should’ve answered all my questions.
“Okay…”
“We had a thing,” he offered.
“And what happened to this thing?” I inquired. “You weren’t mean, were you?” I asked warily.
He sighed. “Maybe.”
“Griff!” I slapped his arm lightly.
“I don’t know. The whole thing kinda sucked.”
“That’s harsh. Why?”
His eyebrows shot up. “Well, I think she only liked me because I was on the hockey team. She didn’t really know me. Oh well,” he added with a smirk, copying my wording from only a minute ago.
“Only because you were on the hockey team? I doubt that. Hmm,” I squinted up at him. “You’ve got a couple other good selling points, Griffiths.” I patted his arm and shoulder like I was accessing him. “Strong, sturdy shoulders… A brain that hasn’t been concussed too many times… Allllmost a full smile.” That one earned me one of his easy going laughs and I internally patted myself on the back. “Maybe you didn’tlether know you. You’ve got some tall walls, Benjamin Griffiths.”
“Eh.” He picked at the wrapper of his beer again. “Maybe you’reright.”
I nudged him with my shoulder and smiled ruefully at him. “I’m always right.”
29. Griff
While Savannah used our private restroom, I stalked to the fridge for anotherdrink.
I sensed Rachel next to me and I coached myself not to look down at her…Just slowly turn away and maybe she won’t say anything, I thought.
I honestly did feel bad that things hadn’t worked out between us… and for the fact that I handled it kinda wrong. We dated through the fall semester, and we did have some good nights… but I really did think she only liked me because I boosted her campus status. That just showed she wasn’t the right girl for me though, no? I wanted more go-with-the-flow. She mapped out every single detail of our time together and always looked impeccable. That was nice… but comfort was more my style. She wouldn’t be caught dead at a party in leggings, Nikes, and a backwards baseball cap covering her hair like Sav was currently wearing… and no way would she sit on top of a couch during a party and people watch with me. Nah, she wanted to work the room, constantly pose for pictures, and make sure everyone stared at her while she played beer pong– I think she got worse just to garner more attention sometimes… I knew she played softball in high school, so there was no way her aim could’ve been that bad…
Whatever. I had to put a stop to it after we talked about our futures one night. When I told her what I wanted– one of the only times I opened up to her– she cackled kind of haughtily and said it sounded like I was “just after some kinda lame soccer mom.” I promptly corrected her and said, “hockey mom,” which I didn’t think was a bad thing– they were usually fierce, hot moms who cared for their kids more than anything… But she then enlightened me on how she hated kids and would never have them… which was fine… but not really compatible with my goals. I wanted the white picket fence and family I never had growing up… and I knew people couldn’t be forced into that kind of life– that’s when they dipped. I think my mistake was not breaking it off with her that night. Instead, I became distant… which forcedherto dump me… and that just made her hold a grudge.
Annnd luck was not on my side tonight… because Rachel didn’t go peacefully.
She cleared her throat loudly, but I still didn’t look.
“Griff,” she snapped.
Shit.
I looked down at her glaring at me and felt my nose flare, bracing for the public altercation. I hated attention like this.
“So now I know why, huh?” she said darkly.
I felt my face scrunch up in confusion.
“You never looked atmethe way you’re looking at that hoe.”
“Rachel, what the fuck are you talking about?” I asked her quietly, already feeling exhausted by the lecture she was surely about to give me.
“Youlikeher,” she accused.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Who?”
“The girl you were sitting with!”
