Page 102 of His Reckless Freshman

I started falling for Jolie.

I don’t know when or how, but it was happening.

Dammit! Why does this always happen to me? I’ve got the softest, most wet-lettuce heart in the world.

See! This is why I said no girls this year.

I don’t trust myself to be around them. They get under my skin too easily, and then I’m left hurting and⁠—

Ah, news flash, freak: You were the one who pushed her away.

I close my eyes for a second, not even wanting to think about that. I’ve never dumped a girl in my life. And I didn’t dump Jolie. Because we weren’t a couple!

For a second, just a little, tiny second, I let myself imagine what being a couple with her would be like. Seeing those big gray eyes each day, watching those dimples jump into place, hearing her laughter, seeing that cute look of concentration on her face when she’s playing Scrabble, or just calling her or texting her to tell her something about my day.

That would be⁠—

“Ben!” someone shouts, and I turn in time to see a raging redhead storming toward me.

“Caroline?” I frown in confusion. Usually the second she sees me, she dips her chin and quickly scuttles off, but now she’s coming right at me like a woman on a mission. A very angry mission.

What the hell?

“Tutoring sessions? Are you fucking kidding me? Calling them that doesn’t make it okay!”

“What?” My face bunches. I can feel the instant tension around my eyes and forehead.

Is she talking to the right guy?

“My cousin is nothing but a sweetheart. A very innocent one!” She jabs me in the chest with her finger. “She has had a very sheltered life and doesn’t need to be thrust into this world with your fucking lessons about sex!”

The couple walking past us whip a quick look my way, and I shake my head at them with an awkward smile. “It’s not… It…” I shake my head again, and the guy just snickers.

“Whatever, man. Good luck.”

Caroline huffs as they walk away, and I turn to look down at her, suddenly catching up to what she just said. Her cousin.

Oh shit.

“You are such an asshole!” she spits.

“Wait, wait, wait…” I hold up my hand to shut her up, but that doesn’t stop the cold, horrible, ugly realization dawning in the pit of my stomach. “Who’s your cousin?” I ask. Surely the universe isn’t that cruel, right?

“Jolie!” Caroline flicks her arms wide, looking at me like I’m completely dense.

And my gut plummets.

So, the universe does suck, then.

I’ve been tutoring Caroline’s cousin in the bedroom?

This is un-fucking-believable.

Of all the girls on campus to interview me, to make this arrangement with, it had to be the one connected to a girl I’ve been trying to avoid. A girl who most definitely wants to avoid me.

Shit, shit, shit!

I had no idea.