Page 57 of Palm South University: Season 3

OF COURSE, SHE DID.

That’s the theme of the night, because even though I should be focusing on how kick ass the Alpha Sigma Halloween boat party turned out, I can’t focus on anything or anyonebut Cassie.

Of course, she showed up to the boat dock with Grayson, and of course, they took the boat Iwasn’ton to get out to the sandbar. Of course, she wore a tight, incredibly sexy, white, two-piece swim suit, one that crosses over her chest in just the right way to remind me how hot that body of hers is, the one she usually hides under modest dresses and blouses. Of course, she dressed up as Cleopatra, complete with a golden headband that makes her green eyes even more distracting than usual. Of course, she stayed on the opposite end of the sandbar, cozying up with Grayson in a beach chair and tossing her head back like he was the funniest man in the whole goddamn world.

Of course, she did.

I’ve been trying to ignore her, trying to enjoy myself, but it’s been largely unsuccessful. Play a game of beer pong, search out Cassie in the crowd. Judge the costume contest, watch Cassie dance with Grayson on theMummies and Mimosasboat. Do a keg stand, hear Cassie’s laugh from across the sandbar as she slides off one of the boat slides into the ocean.

It’s maddening, especially since the last time I talked to her I made a complete and total ass of myself.

And the strangest thing is that all day, all I want is for her to come talk to me.

Until the exact moment she does.

“Hey, you,” she says, wading out into the water to where I’m standing. The sun is starting to set, so all eyes are on the shoreline in the distance, watching as bright oranges and pinks streak the sky.

I swallow, tucking one hand into the pocket of my board shorts, the other holding my red plastic cup of beer. “Well, if it isn’t Queen Cleopatra. Nice headdress.” I tap the gold piece hanging over the bridge of her nose with my finger and she giggles.

“Thanks. And you’re…” She pauses, eying my open collared, relaxed fit, white shirt tucked into my dark blue board shorts. A simple, red cloth belt separates the two, and a sword is fastened to my hip. “A rookie pirate?”

I laugh. “Prince Eric, but thanks for crushing my spirits.”

“Prince Eric,” she deadpans, and I shrug, offering her a sheepish smile. “A little late for that, don’t you think?”

The weight of those words slam into my chest like a boulder, and I lift my cup to my lips instead of answering her, eyes back on the sunset. She dressed up as the Little Mermaid last year, and instead of dressing up as Prince Eric then, I’d chosen Danny Zuko fromGreaseto match Skyler.

“Having fun?” I ask after a moment.

“Somuch fun,” she says, crossing her arms lightly over her middle and facing the sunset, too. “You really are making a name for Alpha Sigma, Adam. You should be proud.”

I don’t know why it hurts when she says those words, when she says anything, really. It’s like hearing any semblance of love from her kills me, like it’d almost be easier if she just hated me.

“I am, of some things, at least. Not so much about that phone call I made.” I peek at her in my peripheral.

“We all drunk dial sometimes,” she answers easily, eyes still on the shoreline.

Grayson comes splashing through the water and picks Cassie up from behind, spinning her around as she kicks and squeals. “There’s my queen!”

“Put me down, you animal,” she teases.

When he drops her feet back into the water, she pecks him on the lips, and I tear my eyes away, thankful I have my sunglasses to hide behind.

“Hey, Brooks,” Grayson says, as if he just saw me standing there. He’s dressed as Mark Anthony, Cleopatra’s one true love, and suddenly I feel a little foolish in my own costume. “Great party. Seriously. And, hey, no hard feelings about the dodgeball game. You guys won fair and square.” He holds out his hand toward me. “Truce?”

I grit my teeth, wanting more than anything to smack his hand away and tell him to eat a dick, but I grab his hand and shake it firmly instead. “Yeah, man, and thanks.”

He turns back to Cassie. “The first boat is about to head back to shore,” he says, twisting a strand of her hair between two fingers. “I was thinking maybe we should be on it… take this party back to my place.” He runs those same two fingers across her collarbone and over her shoulder, trailing them all the way down her arm before tucking them into the band of her swimsuit bottoms.

Chugging the rest of my beer, I keep my eyes on the sun, now starting to dip beneath the clouds just above the horizon. Every muscle in my entire body is tense, so much so that I’m sure I’ll wake up sore in the morning.

“Yeah,” she answers breathily, and my cup cracks in my grip. “Just give me a minute. I’ll meet you by our beach chairs?”

I feel Grayson’s stare drilling into the side of my head, but ignore it, pretending like I’m not listening to their conversation. “Okay. But hurry, they’re loading people up now.”

“I’ll be right there,” she promises, kissing him once more before he’s wading back up to the sandbar.

I don’t know how long we stand there, silent, her eyes on me and mine focused in the distance. In my mind it’s both forever and just a split second, so I’m not sure which it really is before I completely lose all common sense and rationality.