Co-Ed(24)

She didn’t laugh.

She just held on to me tighter as if it was true.

And my heart beat a little bit faster.

And I fell a little bit harder.



“Hey.” Finn knocked me on the head. “You okay? You look lost.”

I shook my head a bit and grabbed more beer. “Yeah, yeah. Hey, let’s get shit-faced.”

He eyed me tentatively. “You don’t get shit-faced — Correction, we don’t get shit-faced. Last time, poor Leo almost got pregnant.”

Leo flipped us both off.

I joined in their laughter because I had to, because if I didn’t, I was afraid I would do the opposite.

I gulped down another beer, well on my way to being buzzed, when I scanned the crowd again and saw Shawn walk in with one of her teammates, Alexa. It was my business to know everyone.

The hell was she doing here?

I’d told her to go to bed!

I slammed the cup down on the table and marched over to her. “You don’t belong here.”

Her mouth dropped open. “I’m sorry, what?”

Alexa’s eyes widened as if one of us was about to throw down.

“You—” I pointed to the door. “—need to leave.”

“What crawled up your studious ass and died?” Shawn snorted at me. “I’m here because my friend invited me. I was perfectly happy in my sweats, getting ready for bed when she texted.”

And just like that, I was checking out her leather skirt and short white crop top that made me want to devour her whole and come back for seconds, thirds, fourths— There was no end to the tasting I would do.

“You’re dressed… inappropriately.” Yeah, that’s all I had. Maybe I was already drunk, because it came out almost like a stutter, which I’d never done in my entire life, not even when I was getting laid as a freshman in high school by the senior homecoming queen.

Alexa looked between the two of us, snapped her gum, and patted Shawn on the shoulder. “I’ll just go get us some beer. You wait here.”

Shawn crossed her arms in a protective stance.

Shit, how tall are those heels? And why the hell am I sweating?

“Are you drunk?” she asked.

“Not yet.” Not enough, never enough.

“Oh good, so you have plans for public drunkenness. Great.” She grinned. “Well, try not to puke in your backpack before the tutoring session tomorrow afternoon.”

I glared. “I can hold my alcohol, but thanks.”

She just waved me off and walked by like I wasn’t fucking Knox Tate.

Again.

Leo and Finn both flashed me dumb-ass grins while students standing around us looked ready to tweet every single individual on their profile with the hashtag #royallybitchslapped.

“Twice.” Leo came up behind me. “That’s twice she’s blown you off.”

“I can count. Thanks, though.” I was barely keeping myself in control when I noticed Finn talking to Shawn across the room. She was laughing as if he was the funniest idiot on the planet, and when she stopped laughing, she glanced up and flipped me off.

“Oh shit,” Leo said under his breath. “He’s bringing his A-game, isn’t he?”

I glared. “Let him have her.”

“How noble of you.” Leo grinned. “One would think you’re actually… jealous.”

“I don’t get jealous,” I muttered, sucking air from an empty cup only to find out I needed a refill.

“Says the guy drinking cheap beer like it’s water.” Leo gave me a new cup.

I took it and watched them, staring like a man insane. What the hell was it about her?

Nothing. She was beautiful.

But I saw beautiful on a daily basis.

Maybe it was her attitude.

The way she seemed so hell-bent on not falling for it, falling for us; the way she judged me when any other girl would bend over backward just for a taste of my mouth.

Finn and Shawn started dancing, but soon she bowed out and left Alexa with him. Finn didn’t seem to mind though, as he grabbed Alexa by the waist and pulled her close. The girl seemed ready to combust with excitement. And my eyes, my eyes roamed until they landed on Shawn.

She was in line for the bathroom.

Yeah, good luck with that.

I marched over to her, grabbed her hand, and drug her through the lines of people, despite her angry protests, until we were near the stairs. Then we ducked under the caution tape, and I knocked on the upstairs bathroom door, shoved her in, and guarded it like a dog.

She was in there all of two minutes.

Then the door opened. Her eyes narrowed in on me. “You need to pick.”

“Pick?”

“Yeah, I don’t do this whole hot-cold thing. It’s not sexy on TV. It’s not sexy now. I don’t like assholes, and I don’t like guys who are so inwardly confused that they lash out at other people. So, I’m letting you choose. Are you going to be an asshole or a friend?”

“I don’t…” I was too surprised to form words. Instead, I burst out laughing. Yeah, the beer was starting to hit. “I don’t have friends who are girls.”

“Maybe you should try. Might be good for you.” She winked. “Plus, I’m a pretty good friend. Just ask Slater.”