Bad Rep (Bad Rep, #1)(45)

“That's how it used to be all the time.  Now I can barely get him to kiss me.  Do you think he's seeing someone else?”  Olivia sounded terrified at the possibility.

“No way, Liv!  How could ever look at anyone else when he has you?  Put that thought out of your head.” Milla was saying exactly what a supportive friend should say.  But I couldn't miss the fakeness of it.  I knew with a certainty that had Milla been in my shoes with Jordan this summer, she would have been all over him like white on rice.  Great friend there.

Gracie snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Maysie!”  I blinked and stared back at her.

“What?” I asked, embarrassed at being caught snooping.  Gracie sighed in exasperation.

“Never mind.  Just drink up.  You can't go to the mixer without a pre-buzz.”  She put my bottle to my mouth.  “Now drink.”   Isn't this the very thing we were forced to watch videos about in high-school?  It had been the subject a myriad of after school specials.  But how many college aged student succumb to it each and every time?  Gotta love peer pressure!

Olivia seemed to have gotten herself together and joined us in a round of Kings at the kitchen table.  By the time we were ready to go, most of my sisters were well and truly lit.  I hadn't ended up drinking that much, so I was still relatively sober.  Gracie and Vivian held onto me as we made our way to the Pi Sig house off campus.  They laughed a little too loudly and were told by some of our other sisters to shut up or we would all get busted for drinking.

“Shh,” Gracie whispered dramatically, putting her finger to her lips.  Vivian and I laughed, earning us another glare from our less than tolerant sisters.  The guys were waiting for us when we arrived.  Jordan was at the door, holding it open for us.  He looked ah-maz-ing.  He wore a deep blue button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to reveal his toned arms.  He wore a pair of dark jeans and had changed the barbell in his eyebrow for the hoop again.  His hair had been freshly buzzed and the whole affect was heart stopping.

I gripped Gracie's hand tightly.  Even though I was the one who was sober, I was I afraid I'd fall over.

“Ouch, you're crushing my fingers, Mays,” Gracie whined, pulling her hand away.  Olivia led us up the stairs and stood on her tip toes to give Jordan a kiss on the lips.

Jordan pulled away a short second later, his smile now tight.  “Welcome ladies, come on inside.”

The girls filed into the house.  Music was blaring and my bones reverberated with the bass.  I tried to slink passed Jordan without him seeing but his voice stopped me.

“Good to see you, Mays.”  I looked up at him and gave him a weak smile.  His eyes were sparkling as they took me in and I had to force myself to look away.

“Thanks,” I mumbled before hurrying after Gracie and Vivian.

The Pi Sig guys converged on us as we entered the house.  Soon, people began pairing off to dance.  Gracie had gone off with Eric, her date, and Vivian had latched herself onto some guy I didn't know that well, leaving me the lonely wallflower.  Just fantastic.

I felt a little out of place and I wished I had taken Gracie's advice and come with a date.  Arriving solo to these events sucked giant monkey cock.

I found the keg on the screened in porch.  I poured myself a cup and took a few sips.  Ah, cheap beer.  I'd rather drink cat piss.

“You gonna drink that or what?” someone asked.  I turned around as Gio came in.  He really was one of the smarmiest guys I had ever met.  He just oozed cheese.

I tipped my cup in his direction.  “Cheers,” I said, emptying some of the crappy beer into my mouth.  I tried not to grimace at the taste.

Gio took my cup and put it down.  “Come dance.”  He pulled on my hand and I let him.  I tripped over a piece of linoleum popping up from the floor in his haste to haul me out of the kitchen.  I toppled forward but Gio caught me around the waist.

“Easy there, babe,” he teased, leaning into me.   Oh crap was he trying to make a move?  The sound of giggling snapped Gio out of it.  I used Gio's arms to right myself and looked over at the doorway.  Olivia and Jordan had come in.  Olivia was hanging off of Jordan's arm.

“Gio, your moves are worse than ever.  Leave poor Maysie alone.” She laughed and I gave her a smile.

“Oh, I can handle him.  No worries.” Oops, that came out all wrong.

Gio wound his arm around my waist.  “Oh, you can handle me alright,” he purred in my ear.  Yuck!  I tried to shove him back.

“I think she wants you to let her go, G,” Jordan said tightly.  Gio dropped his arm and I looked at Jordan.  His face was dark and if looks could kill, Gio would be ten feet under by now.

Gio laughed.  “No harm, no foul.  Can't blame a boy for tryin'.”  Gio put his hands up in mock surrender.  “I still want that dance though.  I promise to be good.”  Gio grinned at me and my eyes darted to Jordan again.

Our eyes connected and he looked pretty pissed.  For a second I wavered, tempted to tell Gio to forget about it.  But then I looked down at Olivia wrapped around his arm like a f*cking octopus and felt my own anger flare up.