Page 15

Crew

T here was a small get-together going on at the hockey house tonight, so I woke up after a short nap and got dressed. When I stepped into the living room, Lane was on the couch, wearing the same clothes he wore to class.

“Dude?” I spoke. “Aren’t you gonna change?”

He glanced back and forth between the TV and me. “Uh, nah.”

“Um, okay,” I said. “Well, are you ready to go then?”

His mouth formed a hard line. “I don’t really think I’m gonna go.”

My brows drew in, arms raised. “Why the hell not?”

He tipped his side to side.

I gave a sigh, glancing away. “Don’t tell me.”

“Don’t tell you what?”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

He eyed me in silence, waiting for me to either drop it or spit it out.

So, I spat it out. “Is this about Bridget?”

Lane opened his mouth slightly before clamping it shut.

“Lane,” I said firmly, “you cannot keep doing this to yourself.”

I knew shortly after we moved in that Lane had a thing for Bridget. I didn’t think it was anything significant. I figured

it was a little crush he’d get over in a week, but his feelings had clearly progressed, given that he’d been spending every night on the couch for the past week, waiting for Bridget to come home whenever she went out with Mitch.

It was becoming painful to watch.

Over the last few days, I’d caught him numerous times creepily glancing at the door, waiting for her to walk through it. He even made me text her one night asking what time she’d be home, which was extra fucking awkward because Bridget and I rarely ever texted.

Lane was usually always down to hangout, usually always in a good mood. But instead, he’d been spending all his free time sulking. And now he was skipping out on a get-together? This was all completely unlike him.

I’d never seen him like this before and I was hating every second of it. Lane had never been as promiscuous as most of the hockey team, but he’d never really been one that actually fell for girls either.

“C’mon,” I encouraged him. “Don’t waste your night sitting here and basking in your misery.”

“I’m not miserable,” he replied. But I wasn’t convinced. He motioned around to all his things. “I’ve got a movie on. I’ve got snacks. I’ve got a beer. I’m just chilling.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re seriously not going to come to the house? Everyone’s gonna be asking where you’re at.”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “Tell them I’m busy.”

Shaking my head at the floor, I responded, “Well, if you’re really not coming, then can you at least invite someone over so that you’re not by yourself?”

Lane eyed me like the idea was absurd. “Like who?”

“Anybody,” I said desperately. I thought for a moment, trying to come up with someone who could get his mind off Bridget. The first person that popped into my head was the girl I practically peer-pressured him into talking to last week that he ended up spending the night with. “What about that girl from last week at the bar? Ally?”

His brow lifted. “Ava?” he corrected.

“Yeah!” I said. “Invite her over. You said you liked her, right?”

“Bro, I’m fine,” he insisted.

“Lane,” I urged through my teeth.

“Will you feel better if I tell you that I’ll think about it?”

“That depends,” I said. “Are you telling me that so that I shut up or are you telling me that because you mean it?”

“A little of both,” he admitted.

I groaned, tipping my head back. “Do you want me to stay here with you?”

“No,” he immediately said.

I was sort of relieved to hear that, considering that I definitely didn’t want to sit on the couch all night while Lane moped beside me. Again.

My concern didn’t ease though.

“Just go,” he insisted casually. “I’m literally fine.”

I blew out a stressed breath as I turned towards the door. “You’re not fine,” I muttered to myself before glancing over my shoulder. “Text me if you need anything, alright?”

“I will.”

***

I had my eye on a smoking hot dirty blonde that kept glancing at me from across the room. Luckily, I had already called silent dibs on her tonight before any of the other guys could.

I’d never seen her here before, but it wasn’t rocket science to figure out that one of the girls in her friend group had been invited tonight, which in girl terms meant the whole friend group got to go.

I wasn’t complaining though.

This was typically how it went under this roof.

All it took was for one person in the house to invite one girl and an entire army showed up.

Goddamn, I missed living here.

There were no girly decorations hung up in the common areas. No arguing over the TV when a new episode of The Bachelor was on. No evil witch hiding around the corner, patiently waiting to gauge my eyes out.

The only reason I still had my sanity was because of Lane.

Speaking of Lane, I should probably check on him.

I reluctantly took my eyes off the blonde, digging my phone out of my pocket.

Me: You good?

Lane: Better than ever

I rolled my eyes. Could he just admit how he was feeling?

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t good at handling emotions or giving advice, but this was Lane we were talking about. My brother by choice. And to see him so miserable, whether he admitted it or not, was like getting punched in the gut myself.

Me: Did you invite anyone over?

Lane: I don’t feel like entertaining someone

Me: Then let them entertain u (;

Lane: I’m not like you

Me: Clearly

When he didn’t respond, I groaned, putting my phone away.

My eyes made their way back to the blonde, looking her over. She’d been standing in the same spot for at least ten minutes, a perfect path to my line of sight. Was she waiting for me to come talk to her?

Only one way to find out.

I began striding across the room but came to an abrupt stop when I saw a blur of red walk through the door. I tensed for a moment, unsure if what I was seeing was real or if someone had somehow slipped something into my drink and I was hallucinating.

As if forgetting about the blonde, I darted towards the person who stole my attention.

I lightly grabbed her hand and swung her around, my brows drawing inwards. “Bridget?”

“Hey, Crew!” she smiled.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, fearfully glancing around to see where Kota was.

“I was with Mitch, and he got invited,” she said. I followed her gaze over to Mitch, who was casually greeting a few of the guys.

“So, Kota’s not with you?” I asked, relief laced into my voice.

She gave a small laugh, as if she knew what I was thinking. “No.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, my shoulders lightly dropped as I relaxed. “Good.”

Lifting a brow, Bridget spoke, “You really should just forfeit though.”

I tensed up again. “Why? Do you know what she’s planning?”

“No,” she shook her head. “But whatever it is, it’s probably bad.”

I sighed. “I wish Lane would at least help me.”

“Sorry, buddy. This is between you and Kota.” She glanced around, her tone aiming for casual but landing closer to disappointment instead. “Speaking of Lane, where is he?”

I shut my mouth so tight that it hurt my jaw.

At home, waiting for you.

“He’s not here actually,” I said.

She shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans with a faint frown, shoulders dropping. “Really? Why not?”

“Um,” I stuttered, glancing towards the ceiling in thought. “He, um, wasn’t feeling good.”

Her shoulders slumped further. “Aw, poor Lane. I should text him to make sure he’s okay.”

Frantically, I held my hands up as she slid her phone out. “No, no, no!”

Bridget hesitated, eyeing me in wariness. “Why not?”

“Because...” I stumbled.

She raised a brow, her wariness turning to suspicion.

“Because he’s probably asleep and you don’t wanna wake him up by texting him, right?”

She glanced at the time on her phone. “It’s hardly ten o’clock.”

I inhaled deeply, prepared to spew some more bullshit, but luckily, Mitch appeared at just the right moment.

“Hey,” he smiled at Bridget, handing her a drink.

“Hey, thanks,” she smiled back.

Mitch gave me a friendly nod. “Crew.”

“Mitch,” I nodded back indifferently.

When Bridget shoved her phone back into her pocket, I eased up. The last thing Lane needed was to receive a text from Bridget, get confused, realize she was with me, and then either mope even harder for the rest of the night or show up here and get his jealousy knocked up ten notches.

I leaned towards Bridget in the slightest. “Are you sure you don’t know what Kota’s planning?”

“Crew,” she laughed, “I literally have no idea. She hasn’t told me much since the first prank.”

Narrowing my eyes at the memory, I spoke through clenched teeth. “Tampon mistletoe.”

She made a face. “Yeah... Sorry ‘bout that one again.”

I sighed. “It’s fine. I know you were conned into participating.”

“That, I was.”

“Well,” I sighed again, “if you really have no information for me, then please excuse me while I go talk to a hottie.”

Bridget fist bumped me. “Go get her.”

Thankfully, the blonde was right where I saw her last. She had a pouty frown plastered on her face, and as we made eye contact from over her friend’s shoulder, her frown flipped.

I smirked, knowing she’d been waiting for me. And as I neared, she shot her friend a look that screamed Love you but go the fuck away now.

I stopped just before them and as her friend turned and spotted me, the same bright shade as pink cotton candy swirled throughout her cheeks before she dropped her head and wandered off.

Lightly biting my bottom lip, I turned my attention to the blonde. “Hi.”

“Hi,” she said.

I shook her hand. “Crew.”

“Tori.”

“How are you doing tonight, Tori?” The moment her name left my lips, I could see her chest expand with a deep breath. Either she was nervous or hearing me say her name was turning her on. Either way, I liked it.

“I’m good,” she nodded, clutching onto her White Claw. “How are you?”

“A lot better now that I’ve finally got the chance to talk to you.”

Tori raised a brow, trying to hold back a smirk, but failing.

I smiled. “That one was bad, wasn’t it?”

She let out a sweet laugh as she nodded. “A bit, yeah.”

“Damn,” I said through a smile, dropping my head for a moment. “Did I blow it?”

She shook her head. “Not at all.”

I pretended to blow out a stressed breath, my shoulders rising and falling with it. “Thank God.”

Tori laughed again, this time a light blush accompanying it. The next fifteen minutes were filled with small talk, flirting, and another drink before I popped the question and asked her if she wanted to go back to my place.

With sparkling eyes and a captivating smirk, she agreed, and I led her out the door.

***

Tori seemingly took in every inch of the apartment as I led her inside.

“Is that Lane Avery?” she whispered, pointing towards the couch.

Lane had an arm slung over the side of the couch, his mouth wide open as he let out a light snore.

“Yeah,” I whispered back, draping my jacket over the back of one of the kitchen stools.

“My friend was really hoping he’d be there tonight.”

“Ah, really?” I asked casually. “Who’s your friend?”

“Her name’s Nya.”

Never heard of her. Didn’t think I would’ve anyway, but I felt obligated to ask.

“I don’t think I know her,” I said.

Tori nodded, then eyed me quietly, waiting for me to make the next move. I cocked my head down the hall, signaling for her to follow.

The second I closed my bedroom door behind us, I didn’t even have time to turn on a light before she grabbed my hand and yanked me towards her, throwing her lips onto mine.

Right to the point, I see.

I didn’t hesitate to dig my fingers into the skin between her jeans and crop top, pulling her backwards with me until I met the bed and took a seat.

She straddled my lap, pushing herself against my growing dick before moaning into my mouth, the vibration flowing through me.

My hands explored the skin underneath her shirt, more than prepared to rip the fabric off.

But before I got the chance, Tori pulled away, slightly out of breath as she studied the wall behind me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

There was one stream of light flowing through the window from the streetlamps outside, just enough to make out the look on her face. She looked almost... disturbed?

“Um,” she paused, still looking past my shoulder. Her head tipped, “Is that...”

Was this girl on drugs or something? Was there a fucking ghost behind me? What the hell was she looking at?

I narrowed my eyes in confusion as she stiffened to stone on my lap.

“What’s what?” I finally asked, a little snappier than intended.

“Your wall...”

With a troubled breath, I carefully moved her off my lap and reached for my bedside lamp, tugging on the string.

I could’ve sworn you could hear my jaw hitting the floor when I could finally see what she’d been staring at. We ate silence for a minute, shock and rage and embarrassment coursing through my veins.

“Um,” she finally spoke distastefully, grabbing her purse off the floor, “I’m gonna head out.”

All I could do was give her a tight-lipped nod. Because how the hell do you come up with an excuse for why you have a One Direction shrine hanging above your bed? There was no bouncing back from this. I was not getting laid tonight.

I watched in utter silence as Tori practically ran out of the apartment.

Well fucking played, Kota. Well fucking played.