Nothing But Trouble (Malibu University Series)(62)
“Heeyyy. Am I interrupting something?” a male voice queries from somewhere behind us.
Our heads jerk in unison to find Dallas standing a few feet away in the living room. His eyes––black and blue and swollen. His lip cut. His arm in a sling.
“What the fuck?” Reagan mutters. “Where have you been?”
“Jail.”
Chapter 23
Alice
“That’s pretty cool,” Simon says as he and Morgan watch the first cut of the video I’m going to submit for the James Cameron internship on my iPad, the deadline only three weeks away.
On screen, we watch the boys moving in slow motion. Dallas coming out of the water vertically to slam the ball into the back of the net, the water spray trailing the ball creating a perfect arc. All that raw emotion and unbridled energy working in synch. Factor in the animated faces of the players around him and it’s pretty awesome if I do say so myself.
The transitions between video and still shots aren’t as seamless as I want them to be yet. For that, I need to use a professional editing machine like the one Simon said he has access to.
“Three weeks, people. Do not wait till the last minute. I will not be taking any submissions past the stroke of midnight on the twenty-first. So don’t come to me with excuses of your grandmother losing a kidney in a freak motorcycle accident and you being the only matching donor in the world. True story––someone tried that one on me once,” professor Marshall barks.
The lecture hall breaks out in laughter.
“The transitions are a little choppy,” I whisper. “I’d really appreciate it if I could get some time on the Avid machine…if the offer still stands.”
Simon’s dark eyes slide from my iPad to meet mine, his face a blank canvas. I can’t get a read on him which, in and of itself, is a little strange.
“Uh, yeah. Let me check with my buddy, see when he’s got time available.” There’s a hollowness to his voice that engages my suspicion mode. Maybe he doesn’t know how to decline?
My attention swings to Morgan. “What do you think?”
“Semi-naked men isn’t a subject that interests me, but the camera work is phenomenal.”
I can’t help but smile at her honesty. “How’s yours coming along?” Morgan told me she’s submitting a short on the Manga culture in Tokyo. She lived there in high school while her dad was stationed there as a diplomat.
“Great. I’m done and submitting it tomorrow.”
“I know you’re supposed to be the enemy but I’m wishing you luck anyway. If I don’t get it, I hope one of you two will.”
“Same,” Morgan states and blows a bubble with her gum.
Simon remains oddly silent. I glance up to find him staring back with a peculiar look on his face. He leans across his desk, into Morgan’s personal space, and she sits back to avoid him. A chuckle rises up from my chest.
She’s disliked him from the get-go and I can’t figure out where it stems from.
“Are you busy this Saturday?” he says, expression guarded.
The amusement drops off my face. Even Morgan’s eyes widen. That’s why I couldn’t get a read on him. He was working up to ask me out again. He’s nervous and here I am conjuring nefarious motives.
We never did make it to the Scorsese retrospective all those weeks ago. Between midterms and putting together our submissions, we both got busy. I had completely forgotten about it. Apparently, Simon hadn’t.
“Uh…no.” That should not have sounded like a question. It should’ve come out as a firm declaration, fired back without hesitation. I might have flubbed this.
After Dallas showed up on Thanksgiving night, all the heat smoldering between me and Reagan turned into a clammy chill. I haven’t spoken to him in the three days since. Only a few sporadic texts between practices. The team’s been busy preparing for the championship tournament starting next weekend so that’s understandable. What isn’t, however, is how we left things.
Somewhere between Barstow and Las Vegas, Dallas dislocated his shoulder by driving his Porsche into a ditch. And that was the least of it. He was charged with reckless driving, evading arrest, and his license has been suspended. All in all, he had a slightly more messed up Thanksgiving than me and Rea.
By the time he’d finished filling us in on the details of the arrest, a palpable awkwardness had settled between us. I don’t know what I expected but I didn’t expect it to get uncomfortable, for him to drive me back to the dorm in complete silence. So am I available? Yeah, I am.
“I mean, I am––available, that is.”
Simon smiles. “Do you like Thai? There’s a great Thai restaurant in Westwood…maybe we can catch a movie after?”
God, nervous men are so adorable. Looking into Simon’s open gaze, I say, “I’d love to.”
Because zebras have no business crushing on Thoroughbreds.
“Bailey, you coming over?” Dallas says, speaking into Reagan’s phone.
I can hear the rest of the guys on the team carrying on in the background, everyone celebrating the big win. A lucky goal by Rea in the last minute of the fourth quarter saved their season. Regardless, a win is a win. They beat Long Beach State fourteen to thirteen in the opening round and advance to the semifinals of the NCAA championship tournament next weekend.