Page 21 of Necessary Roughness
Sloane
Finally getting laid had an amazing effect on my work ethic and motivation.
I was able to focus in class, taking notes and really absorbing the information. I hung out on the campus lawn between classes and reviewed everything I had learned, which helped reinforce everything in my mind. Then, when I went home and wrote papers or took practice tests, I felt like an expert.
I was sleeping better at night. Instead of my brain running through a list of anxiety-inducing topics, I more or less fell asleep within minutes of turning out the light.
And then I woke up the next morning refreshed and energetic, a feeling I couldn’t remember having since I was a high school freshman.
Back before the weight of the world’s responsibilities began crushing me.
Getting ahead of my classwork meant I had more time to cook for myself at night.
Gone were the days of Chinese take-out and frozen dinners.
Now I was bookmarking recipes on Instagram and actually cooking them, rather than just telling myself I would eventually get my act together. I was even eating vegetables regularly!
Yeah, that’s a low bar. So what. It felt like a huge victory to me and improved my mood.
Seeing my two new football-playing lovers in class was mildly distracting.
I found my gaze drifting toward Logan during our Creative Writing class, his broad-shouldered frame always in my field of view a few rows down.
And every now and then he would twist and look up at me, a knowing grin on his face.
It surprised me how much that simple smile could brighten up my entire day.
Knox was even tougher to ignore since he sat next to me in Art History, with only a narrow aisle separating our two desks. Visually, he was easier to ignore since I needed to turn my head to look at him, but sight wasn’t the problem with this situation.
It was scent .
Knox Maddox smelled incredible. I didn’t know what deodorant or cologne he wore, but it was subtle and filled my chest with warmth every time I caught a whiff.
That scent conjured memories of our threesome at the party, and the night they came over and watched Die Hard at my place.
When class ended, I strategically took my time packing my bag to make sure I followed him out of the classroom, riding in the wake of his intoxicating aroma.
“See you later, Sloane,” he’d say to me when we went our separate ways in the hallway. I didn’t know if he meant in class, or the next time we hooked up.
Either way, I couldn’t wait.
But those were good distractions, and didn’t take away from my focus. Overall, I was crushing this semester. Sure, we were scarcely two weeks in, but I had a swagger and confidence that I knew would carry me all the way to exam week.
“It’s going great,” I told my mom on the phone that Thursday while walking between classes. “Seriously, better than I could’ve hoped.”
“You said that Sophomore year, remember?” she replied skeptically. “I think it was the spring semester. You registered for eighteen credits, and thought you could handle it at first. But by spring break you were calling me crying, saying you couldn’t do it.”
“I bit off more than I could chew that semester, yes,” I replied patiently. “This is different.”
“If you say so.”
“I do say so,” I insisted. “In past years, I felt like I was barely treading water. I’m older and more experienced, now. I’m managing my time better.”
“You’re partying less, you mean.”
I ignored the jab. “It helps that most of my classes from this point forward are related to my degree. I actually care about what I’m learning, as opposed to Chemistry.”
“I know what it is,” my mom said. “It’s because you’re near the end. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
“I still have another full year after this,” I reminded her.
“Trust me: your father and I know,” she replied. “Our savings account knows, too.”
“Thanks for reminding me, Mom.”
“But I do think there’s something to be said for being near the end,” she went on. “You got the crazy college lifestyle out of the way, and you’re preparing to go out into the real world.”
“Right,” I said absently while walking across the campus lawn. “No more crazy college lifestyle.”
“Just be sure you’re budgeting carefully,” she warned. “Last year, you blew through your summer job savings by February and had to come begging to us.”
“Thanks for reminding me about that, too,” I said dryly.
“You’re welcome,” she said without a hint of irony. “Sorry if I’m worrying about you too much. It’s a mother’s right. I think I was afraid of how you would act after breaking up with Troy. I’m proud of you, Sloane, and I’m glad you’re not letting any distractions get in the way of your education.”
The campus lawn was crowded at this time of day, and there was a cluster of students chatting up ahead. One man and three women. I was on autopilot, walking from one building to another, so I almost didn’t realize that the man was Logan Hunter.
Until he glanced over, his gaze colliding with mine.
He gave me a wink, then turned back to the girls he was chatting up.
“Right,” I told my mom. “No distractions this semester.”
After hanging up with her, I got a text message.
Logan: You’re looking especially sexy today. How am I supposed to focus in study hall this afternoon after seeing that fine ass walk by?
Me: If that distracts you, then you definitely don’t want to hear what I have planned for our date tonight.
Logan: Date? You mean our SEX APPOINTMENT?
Me: That wasn’t the part of my text I expected you to focus on ;-)
Logan: Shit. What do you have planned?
Me: Mmm, I shouldn’t say. I don’t want to distract you.
Logan: Well now I’m EXTRA distracted. So you might as well tell me.
Me: Use your imagination, big boy
Logan: Goddamn, everything you say turns me on.
Me: Really? Challenge accepted.
Me: Rhinoceros.
Logan: Rhinos have horns. Horns are phallic, like penises.
Logan: Try again.
Me: Umm.
Me: Tuberculosis
Logan: …
Logan: …
Logan: …
Logan: Fuck, you got me.
Me: VICTORY.
Me: See you tonight.
Logan: You won’t even give me a clue?
Me: Like I said: use your imagination.
Logan: Fuck.
I smiled all the way to my next class.