Page 9

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair, doing everything I could to block out the argument going on in my new living room.

Thea, my roommate Tanner’s sister, was blocking the baseball game as she argued with her brother about something. It was nothing new for the twins, and I assumed it all started in the womb, but I didn’t find it amusing. Today was too important for that.

Thea groaned loudly, flopping onto the sofa while glaring at Tanner. “Just because you don’t think I should do it, doesn’t mean I have to listen to you.”

“Don’t you think it would be wise to listen to someone who has more information on the topic?”

“Don’t you think it would be wise to not talk to your sister like a Grade-A asshole?” she mocked.

Jackson sputtered out his drink, smiling at me. I didn’t smile back. Instead, I swiped my hands across the countertop before blowing out a breath and dropping my head between my shoulders.

Was it crazy to say that even though I wasn’t enjoying the conversation, I loved this apartment and the two guys I lived with? Tanner, Jackson, and I picked it out about a month ago after finding out Aiden wasn’t going to let us stay with him after the summer. I didn’t think many things could top a newly renovated house with a pool, but I was wrong.

The apartment was a little farther from campus, but it had three good-sized rooms with a modern kitchen and a large living room. Everything about it was perfect for the three of us. The best part being that we didn’t have to listen to Aiden and Lyss competing for the world record of loudest moans on the planet every night. His soundproof room wasn’t as quiet as he thought, or maybe they knew we could hear and that was part of the fun for them.

“This isn’t something to joke about, Thea,” Tanner warned.

“What makes you think I’m joking? I need a place to stay, and there’s space there. Unless you want me to sleep on your couch for the foreseeable future, then I would hop on board the sorority train and let me rush.”

“Why can’t you stay in the same dorm from last year?”

“That room was a broom closet. I couldn’t even do my yoga in there.”

Jackson snorted. “You do yoga?”

“Shut up, Baseball Cap.”

“Baseball cap?”

She shrugged, looking him up and down. “Yeah, baseball cap. Why are you always wearing one? Are you trying to grow out a bad set of bangs or something?”

“No.” Jackson scoffed, adjusting the bill of his cap and skulking into the couch.

“Thea, Jackson’s haircut is not important right now. We’re talking about you joining a sorority that’s known for bullying its members.”

“ Was known. Key point because all the members that bullied were kicked out, which is why they have space with awesome rooms. You know one of them has a bathroom with a clawfoot tub?” She looked between Tanner and Jackson with her eyebrows raised to her hairline. “I’ve never had a bathroom with a tub, let alone one with fancy gold feet.”

“Do you ever listen?”

“Do you?” She countered before rolling her eyes. “You know. If you weren’t my twin, I’d have blocked you by now? You’re like that annoying gnat in summertime making it impossible to get a good tan.”

Jackson snorted at that. “Is that your excuse for being paler than a polar bear?”

“Oh, you’re going to go there?” She stepped forward, glaring at Jackson.

“Thea,” Tanner said more forcefully. “If you hated me that much, I doubt you’d be standing in my apartment right now, let alone sleeping on our couch until you find a place.”

“Will you two stop. Please?” Jackson interrupted, glowering at them. “I’m trying to watch the Catfish game, and your arguing is making it impossible to be impressed by Hawk’s pitch count. He’s on twenty-eight in the third inning.”

Thea rolled her eyes, then narrowed them at my roommate. “Well, if you could talk some sense into my brother, then you’d be able to watch your bird man in peace.”

She dramatically sighed, and as much as I agreed with Jackson, I couldn’t be bothered to stop the yelling. I had other things on my mind.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

My phone was lying on the counter in front of me, and when I saw her name, disappointment slithered through my veins.

Olana: Have you told them yet? They need to know so they can find a new roommate before it’s too late.

Pressing my lips together, I slid my phone across the counter so it was resting against a stack of papers that Thea had left on it. It was technically her room, after all.

When the phone buzzed again, I wanted to growl, but I stopped myself. After Olana’s confession at the wedding, she was doing everything in her power to get me to get back with her. That included living together. Fat chance of that happening.

I’d tasted perfection with Britt, and it only made me realize I had never been in love with Olana. I just thought I owed her something after she helped me with my dad.

I did owe her something, and she did need my help. The guilt I felt because of it was gnawing at my insides. Maybe if I bought her an apartment, she would leave me alone.

It wasn’t like she actually wanted me to live with her. She needed me. We argued, hardly ever saw eye to eye, and I refused to let her isolate me from my friends. Something she’d been trying to do since freshman year.

As I looked at Tanner and Jackson, I smiled. She’d always hated them, but the feeling was mutual. My friends didn’t watch what they said when it came to my ex. They found her controlling, obnoxious, and overbearing. They were right, but they’d never fully understood why I was so loyal to her. None of them were around when I was growing up. None of them saw what happened to my mom and how it changed me.

My phone went off again, and my fingers gripped the countertop with enough force I expected to see cracks.

Why was it always Olana chasing me?

Where was Britt?

It’d been two months since we spoke. Since we kissed, since she came on my tongue, and I was dying to see her again, but she ghosted me. There I was thinking she innocently forgot to tell me she needed to catch an earlier flight home and things would be cool between us.

They weren’t.

She didn’t call. She didn’t text. She didn’t even post on social media. The only reason I knew she was alive was because I saw pictures of her on her brother Sam’s socials a couple of times.

That, and I might have hacked her phone to check it was still working and she hadn’t dropped it out of the plane or something.

Unfortunately for me, it was working, and there wasn’t a day she didn’t charge her battery.

How bad’s an orgasm got to be for you to ghost a guy straight after? Honestly, I might not be as experienced, but from how wet she was and the way she clenched around my fingers, I thought she was enjoying it.

“Please, just shut up for two seconds,” Jackson groused, pointing at the TV. “Hawk is about to make pitching history, and your arguing is really dampening the mood.”

“Then get out of my room, and watch it in yours,” Thea sassed back.

Jackson pursed his lips before gritting out, “Once you’re paying for it, then we can have a discussion about where I watch my TV.”

“Jackson,” Tanner warned.

“What? All I wanted to do was have a Sunday full of relaxation. Not only are you standing in front of the TV, but you’re arguing like you think it’s more interesting than the baseball game. How about this, Thea, you can have my room if it means you’ll argue in there instead? Then maybe I’ll get some peace.”

“That’d be the most action your room has seen since you moved in.”

Jackson scrunched his face. “With your brother? Gross.”

“I was referring to the yelling. I don’t know what kind of action your sick mind was referring to.”

Jackson rolled his head and glared at me with disdain. “Matty. You’ve been awfully quiet. What’s your view on this?”

I blew out a breath, trying to think of an answer that would be less rude than “I don’t care.” It wasn’t my business what sorority my teammate’s sister wanted to join, and frankly, I had more important things to worry about, like the fact that Britt wouldn’t talk to me.

“I think Thea should do whatever makes her happy.” There. That sounded okay.

When my phone buzzed again, I subconsciously looked down, reading the message.

Olana: Matty. Ignoring me is not going to make me go away. You have commitments.

I groaned, stepping back from the counter. Why wouldn’t she stop texting me? Oh, that’s right, because Olana believed she was my girlfriend. I wasn’t sure if Britt was even my friend at this point.

My phone went off again, and I closed my eyes, trying to center myself.

“Who’s texting you all the time? Britt?” Tanner asked, probably to get the spotlight off him and his sister for a few seconds. “Ouch. What was that for?”

Jackson shook his head, staring at Tanner. “Don’t mention Britt to Matty.”

“Why not? I thought they hooked up? Ouch. Dude. Stop pinching my arm. I’ve got to be able to throw a ball to be the quarterback, you know.”

Jackson shook his head, glaring at Thea. “Did you tell him?”

“Come on now, Jackson. You can’t give me that kind of tea and expect me not to tell my brother. They’re roommates, for crying out loud.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“Watch it. She’s my sister.”

“Oh, so you’re allowed to call her that, but I have to watch my mouth?”

“I’d prefer if no one called me insufferable, thank you very much.”

“So if it’s not the girl who shall not be named, then who’s constantly texting you?” Jackson said, reclining in his seat.

“Olana,” I sighed out. There was no point hiding it. The way we were going, I had no doubts Olana would show up here to assert herself, even though I hadn’t given her my address.

Unsurprisingly, the room went silent. Even Thea had a gripe with Olana, and she’d only been here a year.

Jackson broke the silence. “Since you brought her up. Were you ever going to tell us why she crashed the wedding?”

“Whoa, wait.” Tanner looked between Jackson and me, then to Thea. “Olana showed up to the wedding?”

“Thea didn’t give you the full story, then?”

“Clearly not.”

“Matty and Britt hooked up.” Jackson spoke so simply, like it was inevitable, and frankly, when her lips were on mine, that was how it felt. Inevitable. For the tiny moment we were together, no one else existed. I didn’t need anyone. It was just me and her, and I was happy. So damn happy.

“We didn’t,” I gritted out, clutching the countertop so tightly my knuckles went white. No one needed to know what happened between Britt and me. They didn’t need to know we did things more intimate than sex. I will forever regret being so greedy that I had to find a condom instead of enjoying her while I had the chance.

“Then where did you guys go when the rest of us were enjoying ourselves at the after party?”

“Nowhere.”

“Well, you went somewhere because we looked all over the club for you, but neither one of you were there, and that was at least two hours before the rest of us left.”

I pinched my nose, annoyed that the answer to where we’d been was giving me a headache.

“We were there. You just didn’t see us.” I settled for a lackluster response because the truth was hard to swallow.

“Fine.” Jackson didn’t believe me and looked back at Tanner. “So, these two were hot and heavy all night, and I’m not just saying they were making out. I’m talking, full-on dry humping in the middle of the private dance floor. They gave no f’s over who saw them, and honestly, I felt a little like a pervert.”

“Felt like?” Thea interjected.

Jackson ignored her jibe. “I couldn’t stop watching. But then all of a sudden, they were gone. I assumed they found a broom closet to screw in since the next time we saw Matty was at breakfast.”

Thea covered her ears and cringed. “Too much info. I’m never going to be able to look at Matty the same way again.”

“You’re right, I went off track. The most important thing is that Olana crashed what should have been the best night of Matty’s life.” Jackson looked over at me with a curled lip. “I truly witnessed a stalker that day. She came in with her hair dyed platinum blonde, looking like a Britt fangirl with her arm draped around Matty’s neck like he was her pet ferret. Wait, what happened to that thing, anyway?”

“Fred,” I stated.

“Huh?” Jackson looked at me with confusion.

“The ferret’s name is Fred, and he’s still around. It’s just that the apartment she was renting last year didn’t allow her to have pets, so her brother’s looking after him until she can find a better place.”

“So she’s house hunting?” Jackson asked with a quirked eyebrow.

I nodded.

He smirked, rolling his glare to Thea. “Hey Thea,” he said, grinning. “I think I’ve found you a new roommate.”

“I could think of nothing worse than having to hear Matty and Olana going at it. Do you think they pretend to be ferrets?” Thea said.

Jackson barked out a laugh, and I clamped my mouth shut. How was this my reality? Olana was lingering over me like a bad smell, and as much as I wanted to get rid of her, I knew that was virtually impossible.

“So, wait. Does this mean you’ve taken Olana back?” Tanner couldn’t hide the shock in his voice. I wasn’t surprised. He was the only one home when I came back from finding out about all the things she’d been doing behind my back. About all the guys, and how I immediately booked an appointment to get tested. He was there when I said it was the end between us and meant it.

Banging a fist on the table, I said, “Can we please stop talking about my monumental fuckup?”

Jackson raised his hand, looking between the twins. “I’m nearly done. They haven’t heard the worst bit. So, imagine, we’re all sitting at breakfast with Olana, who’s smiling as though Matty is the best prize in the world, and to be honest, I’ve always wondered why she’s so hell-bent on you. And Britt, for that matter. You’re okay looking when you’ve cut your hair, but you aren’t Aiden’s level of hot. That guy just has look at someone and their clothes fall off.”

“You’re such a pig, and it’s not like you can talk about hair, Mr. Baseball Cap.” Thea crossed her arms and shook her head as she walked over to me with a conciliatory glare. “Don’t listen to him. I think you’re the cutest one of the bunch.”

I mumbled out a “Thank you” because I didn’t want to be rude, but I didn’t care what Thea, Jackson, or anyone thought about me. It was only Britt I cared about. It had always only been Britt.

“Alright, Alright. I get it. I’m sorry. You clearly have some sort of charisma I’ve yet to unlock. But anyway, there we were, eating breakfast, all the while, Adam and Hayden were driving a sobbing Britt to the airport.” Jackson pursed tutted out as he glared at me.

Sobbing Britt?

“What are you talking about?” Had someone hurt her? My mind was racing, replaying the entire night and wondering what she was upset about. I shrugged past Thea, making my way into the living room so I could speak directly to Jackson.

His eyes went wide. “What part needs clarification? The part where you treated the hottest girl on campus like dirt or the part where you chose the girl that treats you like dirt?”

“Britt was sobbing at the airport?”

“Um, yeah. Why are you looking at me like this is news? Didn’t Adam send the message to the group chat?” Jackson lifted his ass to pull his phone out and thumbed through his messages.

“No.” I clenched my fist, wondering what had pissed her off so much. Olana. It was the only explanation, but she hadn’t seen her. Neither had Adam or Hayden, so how had it gotten back to her before she left? None of it made sense.

Unless …

She really did regret it. Maybe she was upset we’d taken it so far and ruined our friendship. Maybe she wasn’t talking to me because she didn’t want to give me the wrong idea. Maybe she thought I was acting like a stalker.

“Ah, here it is. Funny. Looks like it was only a message to me. Woops, maybe I was supposed to keep it to myself.”

“What does it say?”

“I really shouldn’t.”

“Come on, Jackson, you’ve done enough,” Thea says from the kitchen. “Just read the damn message.”

“Fine. It says, ‘Got back safely, not that you care. Do you know why Britt was sobbing the entire drive to the airport?’”

“What did you say back?”

Jackson shrugged. “I told him the truth that I thought it had something to do with Olana being at the breakfast table.”

So she hadn’t told Adam why she was upset?

“Guessing that’s why Hayden or Adam haven’t returned my calls since,” I muttered.

“Sounds like it would be a good bet,” Jackson replied.

Well, shit. I’d fucked this all up.

“Imagine doing that to Britt?” Jackson looked between Tanner and Thea before pinning his gaze to me. “I mean, she’s been in love with you since freshman year. Anyone with eyes could see that. Olana tolerates you. Not a place I’d want to be, but hey, it’s your life. You can screw it up however you want. Just, next time, don’t hurt the hot girl who has to interview us for the next year, because things are going to get awkward.”

“That’s not what happened. I want Britt. I’ve only ever wanted her,” I said.

“Aww,” Thea crooned, her hand holding her heart.

“I don’t think she was crying because of Olana,” I said, really thinking about it. How on earth could she think I’d ever pick Olana over her after all the things I said? All the things we did. I wouldn’t do that with just anyone.

“Have you even spoken to Britt since?”

“Nope,” I stated, heading back to the counter so I could check my phone one more time. No surprise. There was no message from Britt but plenty from Olana. I pulled my bag from the side, shoved my phone in it, then hiked it over my shoulder.

“Are you going to talk to her?”

“Nope.” I lied since I didn’t want to feed information to Jackson, the gossip king. It was exactly what I was going to do since I didn’t want this going on any longer. Britt and I talked about everything. We didn’t hide the truth from each other, and if she didn’t want me, I needed to hear it from her. Two months was too long to be sitting in limbo waiting for her. “I’m late for detention.”

“Detention?” Jackson asked with a furrowed brow. I inwardly cursed at my stupid lie. “It’s a Sunday and the start of the semester. How have you already gotten in trouble?”

“Doesn’t matter. Do the crime, do the time.”

“We’re in college. I didn’t even think they gave those out anymore.”

“They do when you’re me,” I huffed out. Jackson’s questions were making my lie so complicated I had to start thinking of a previous time I got in trouble just to make it sound plausible. “The dean’s calling it a disciplinary, but it involves me sitting in a room, writing out why I will stop messing with the campus computers.”

“What security system did you hack this time?” Jackson asked, unamused.

“None of your business. Although, I wouldn’t exactly call it a hack since I could get into the database with a firestick and phone, but that’s for the college to fix, not me.”

Thea’s eyes widened, which surprised me. I thought everyone on campus knew I liked to hack things after the incident with Hayden’s ex. I tried to pass it off as a friend, but most people knew, they just wouldn’t say it out loud. I was pretty good with computers, and it all started when my mom took me to a coding class when I was seven. I loved it so much that by the time I was ten, I was hacking my school’s computer system so I could up my own grades. When I accomplished it without getting caught, things kind of escalated to the point where I was skating on the wrong side of legal. The one good thing about my little hobby was that I’d garnered me more money than sense. Quadruple the amount Aiden was due to inherit, but I wasn’t nearly as flashy about it. Olana knew about some of the money, but not all of it. I’d stashed most of it away in accounts that would make it near impossible to find. I stopped doing it for money once we got a couple of visits from the feds, but sometimes, I couldn’t help myself, and I’d hack a system or two since it was a good way to check that my skills were still up-to-date.

Thea gulped. “What kinds of things are you hacking?”

“Do you remember that game we had against Southern Collegiate a couple of years ago? You know, the one that went viral?” Jackson asked.

Thea nodded. Who could forget it? I’d hacked the jumbotron and played a video of Southern Collegiate’s star quarterback doing some pretty awful things. It was one of my best works.

“You can thank Matty for that. If you need a system to hack, he’s the guy for the job.”

“What? Seriously?” Thea sat up with interest. “Do you think you could hack the sorority system and up my position in the rush?”

“Sure,” I said, stepping through the living room and making my way out. “I’ll look into it.”

“No need. She’s not rushing,” Tanner shouted, then him and Thea were back to arguing.

“Not again!” Jackson bellowed, grabbing his hat and smothering his face with it. I didn’t bother to say goodbye. No one would hear it over Tanner and Thea’s arguing.

Now that I was free, all I needed to do was find Britt and figure out what the hell was going on between us.

Standing in the hallway, I looked both ways before raising my hand to knock on the door. My fist rested against the wood, but I couldn’t bring myself to knock. What the hell was wrong with me? Britt’s apartment had been like a second home, yet I felt like an uninvited guest.

This was stupid. I had a key, and last year, if she wasn’t studying at mine, I was at hers watching a football game. I’d eaten so many pizzas on her sofa that a sign saying “permanently reserved for Matty” would be appropriate.

Shaking my head, I glared at the door, willing myself to knock.

Still nothing.

This was ridiculous.

Britt was my best friend. We didn’t have to be fake with each other, hanging out with her felt like I was with family. Although, I most certainly didn’t view her as a sister. Never had.

That was why I needed to fix this. I needed to knock on her door, finally talk to her and get what happened between us out in the open. Maybe she didn’t want a repeat, but she wouldn’t leave me on read for the rest of our lives without that explanation.

Finally, my hand started working, and I rapped my knuckles against the door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I took a deep breath, expecting all the air to be sucked out of my lungs. That was usually what happened when I saw Britt for the first time in a while.

When I heard some movement, I rested my ear against the door and was surprised to hear a girl giggling.

“Stop it.” Another laugh, but the voice was too muffled to make out what was going on.

Stepping away from the door, I stared at it. Was Britt in there with someone else? Was that the real reason she was ghosting me?

Fuck.

I glanced down at the gold doorknob when it turned, bracing myself for the deep-blue eyes that would greet me when I looked up. When I did, I couldn’t hold back my frown.

Amber eyes glistened at me as a girl I’d never seen before kicked something behind her.

With her shoulder peeking out of her shirt and hickeys scattered across her skin, it was obvious there was a guy with her. I wasn’t curious enough to check his state of undress, but I figured he’d probably be naked.

Dropping her chin, her face turned from amused to pissed off. “Can I help you with something, or did you come here to stare at me, because I’m a little busy?”

A large hand cupped her shoulder, and she shook it off, giving the guy behind her an equally pissed off expression.

I stepped back and broke into a hesitant smile. “Hi. I’m, uh, guessing you’re Britt’s new roommate?”

She blew out an annoyed breath. “Seriously?” She rolled her eyes, groaning as she shook her head. “Is Britt the mecca for obsessed jocks or something?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Look, I get Britt’s hot, but the number of guys she’s attracting is starting to make me think I can’t answer the door without a full face of makeup on, and honestly, I should be able to walk around naked so my moisturizer can sink in without having to worry about random guys seeing me.”

“I can help,” the guy from behind said. Still looking at me, the girl rolled her eyes.

“S-sorry.” What else could I say to that? First, we hadn’t even been back a week, and Britt already had guys coming to her dorm with flowers? It had to be her brothers, right? They were all athletes, so I assumed they’d fit the bill.

Screw it. I’d wasted enough time trying to figure out what Britt was thinking and talking to everyone but her.

“Can I come in? I’d really like to speak to Britt.”

I stepped forward, and she closed the door a little.

“Britt’s not here. She’s at the gym.”

That was it. The girl was ready to shut the door, but right before she could slam it, I pushed my foot through the gap, making it impossible to close. When she felt the jam, she looked down at my sneakers and grumbled, “Can you please move your foot, oh floppy-haired one.”

“I just wanted to ask when she went to the gym. It’s not the usual time she goes.”

“What are you? Her stalker? Am I going to have to report you to campus police? Have you met the guy that monitors this building? Todd. He’s huge, and he’ll take you down if you aren’t careful.”

“I’m not her stalker.” I bit my tongue, knowing that getting on the wrong side of her wouldn’t bode well for any future times I’d need to be here. “I’m her best friend. I know her routine from last year because we have the same classes. On Sundays, she usually skips the gym because she watches the Catfish game virtually with her family.”

“You aren’t stopping me from thinking you’re her stalker, you know? What’s your name?”

“Matty.”

“I’ve lived with her for a month, and I’ve never heard of you.”

It felt like a dagger to my chest. Normally, I would’ve been one of the first names she mentioned on campus. Now, I was barely making it as a footnote. How was that possible when all I wanted to do was talk about her? Also, Britt had been here for over a month? She’d turned the location off on her phone a couple of days after the wedding, so I had no idea.

“It’s fine. I’ll just talk to her when she gets back. Do you know when that will be?”

“What do I look like? Her assistant? I don’t even know her last name, for crying out loud. How the hell am I supposed to know when she’s decided she’s done enough squats to make her ass look like a shelf?”

Okay. Well, this wasn’t going to plan, and I had no doubts this girl would tell Britt about this, which would only make things much worse if she was trying to avoid me.

“Brennon.”

“What?”

“Her last name is Brennon.” Technically, and her middle name was Mackenzie, but I’d keep that to myself, considering her roommate already had suspicions of me being a stalker. I wouldn’t want her looking into it. If Britt did, then she might figure out that I’d hacked her phone so she couldn’t block me anymore.

“What’s your name?” I asked, giving her the best smile I could muster.

“Pfft. Do you really think I’m going to tell you after all this?”

“Fine. Can you just tell her I dropped by?”

“Suurrrre.” It was sarcastic and drawn out, so I was almost certain she wouldn’t.

“It was nice—” She slammed the door in my face.

I dropped my head, wondering if there was some dark force working against me. Were Britt and I never supposed to have a moment together?

I tried calling her again, but she didn’t answer. If she was squatting, then it wasn’t like she’d be checking her phone.

Glancing down the hallway, I wondered what I should do next. I could go to the gym and surprise her, but not only would that solidify my stalker status, I might also get an unintended hard-on seeing her in those tight gym clothes she liked to wear.

Classes started in the morning, and she’d be there. For the last three years, we’d sat together in the same spot in the hall, and I had no intentions of changing that. For me, tomorrow would be no different from any other day we spent together.

Only, it would be different. The wedding happened, and it was a night that would be burned in my memory until I died.

We couldn’t avoid the consequences of it, even if she wanted to.