Page 12 of Necessary Roughness

Sloane

I gawked at the sight of the two big football players standing in my doorway.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

Logan held up a plastic bag. “We brought you soup!”

“I bought the soup,” Knox explained. “He insisted on carrying it.”

“I want her to know it’s from both of us,” Logan complained. “I was going to Venmo you half the cost.”

“No, you weren’t,” Knox said bluntly.

Logan winked at me and said, “You’re right, I wasn’t.”

Knox’s piercing green eyes quickly took in Jayden, Bryson, and me. “You were faking sick, weren’t you?”

I winced. “I’m sorry. Yeah.”

“Told you, bro,” Logan said.

“I’ve been a nervous wreck all day,” I explained. “Not just because of what we agreed to, but because of my course load. I have so much work to do. I got overwhelmed.”

“I feel that,” Logan said. “We’re a week into the football season and I already want to lie down and take a ten-hour nap.”

“That’s just called sleeping, sweetie,” Jayden said.

“Hah!” Logan pointed at the twin. “I like this guy. He’s got jokes.”

Jayden batted his eyelashes. “If you ever want more than just jokes, I can be your wide receiver…”

“I want to put a shock collar around your neck and buzz you every time you say something inappropriate,” Bryson groaned.

“Shut up! You always embarrass me in front of the straights!” Jayden whined.

Logan cleared his throat loudly. “I think we’re being watched.”

I turned and followed his gaze across the living room. Morgan was peering at us from the crack in her doorway. When we all turned to look, she quickly disappeared.

“I remember her from last week,” Knox muttered. “She seems charming.”

“You have no idea,” I said.

Logan handed me the plastic bag. “We didn’t know what you like, so we got three kinds of soup. Sorry you got nervous about tonight.”

“We totally understand,” Knox added. “Don’t worry about it. The whole thing was crazy of me to suggest. But if you change your mind, send us a text.”

“Or a smoke signal,” Logan said cheerfully. “Whichever outdated mode of communication you want to use.”

“I’m glad someone else thinks her flip-phone is ridiculous,” Bryson said.

“A-fucking-men,” Logan replied.

They gave me a final smile, then started to leave.

“Wait!” Jayden said. “We were going to hang out and watch a movie with Sloane, but something came up and we can’t stay. Why don’t you two stay and keep her company?”

“They don’t need to do that…” I said, shooting my friend an alarmed look.

“I’m always down to chill with a movie,” Logan said with a wide grin. “What movie?”

Jayden balked for a moment, then blurted out, “Die Hard!”

“Die Hard?” Knox asked.

“It’s one of Sloane’s favorite movies,” Jayden explained. “She puts it on whenever she’s stressed.”

“Bro. I fucking love Die Hard,” Logan said.

Knox was focused on me. “We don’t want to impose. We should leave you alone…”

But now that they were here, standing at my door, I felt the pull of their combined charisma. They were fun to be around. I wanted to hang out with them, to get to know them a little better. Maybe that would banish the nervousness I felt about our arrangement.

“You’re not imposing,” I found myself saying. “Stay. This is too much soup for me to eat alone.”

Bryson and Jayden gave me quick hugs. “You three have fun. But not too much fun.”

I gave Jayden a final glare before they slipped into the hallway.

Logan snatched the bag out of my hand. “Fuck yeah. Soup party. Where do you keep the bowls?”

“I’m actually not sure,” I admitted while Logan began searching.

Morgan slowly came out of her room and approached us. She gave me a pointed look.

“I’ll put them on the spreadsheet,” I reluctantly said. “If you’ll graciously allow me to retroactively add them.”

“I suppose it’s fine,” Morgan replied curtly. “This time.”

“We need to see your student IDs,” I told the two football players.

They could tell from my tone not to ask questions. Knox handed me his ID, which Morgan quickly snapped a photo of.

“I don’t have my ID on me,” Logan said.

Morgan stiffened. “All students are required to carry them at all times. How do I know you’re a student, and not someone trying to break in and steal all my stuff?”

Logan tapped on his iPhone for a few seconds, then held the screen up to show Morgan.

“Here’s the college website.” He tapped another button.

“Here’s the athletic page.” More taps. “The football roster. Here’s my headshot.

Logan Hunter, number seventy.” He glanced at the screen, then furrowed his brow into an intimidating scowl to match the headshot.

Morgan pursed her lips, and I was certain she was going to complain, but fortunately the Chinese food delivery guy chose that moment to knock. She retrieved a spoon from the kitchen, then disappeared into her room.

“Spreadsheet?” Knox asked.

“Don’t get me started.”

“She was super weird last Thursday, too.”

“You have no idea. It’s going to be a long year.”

“No point in worrying about it now,” Logan said cheerfully while handing out soup bowls. “It’s time for Die Hard!”