Page 10

10

Caleb

M y alarm blares at seven a.m. and I swing my legs over my bed and quickly swipe my phone.

Across the room, Nick’s still asleep. I know he has a morning class as well, which means his phone’s alarm will probably go off any minute.

It sucks that I literally can’t get away from him. No matter how pissed off I am, we still need to share a room.

Just when I thought we were actually friends, he had to go off and expose his true colors. He’s uncomfortable with me talking about hooking up with guys. But it’s all right when the rest of the guys do the same thing—only because they’re talking straight hookups?

Fine, then.

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been this pissed off in my life, and that’s saying something because my temper’s terrible.

I glare at him as I get up. All this bitterness in me can’t be healthy, but I can’t help it.

For a long moment, I only watch him—like a creeper, but who cares? His hair’s a mess and his blanket’s discarded at the foot of his bed. Nick’s shirt rides up to his abdomen, and he has a hand on his abs. Just yesterday, I thought he looked cute like this.

Stupid me, really.

“Fuck you,” I grumble under my breath.

I’m about to head off when his phone, resting on his desk, catches my attention.

Smirking, a fabulous idea pops into my mind.

It’s not my proudest moment, but I grab his phone from his table and turn the damn thing off— there. Nick’s not getting up and he’s going to miss his first class, which I’m sure will be a total wreck on his very perfect day.

I’d feel bad about it, but then again, if he thought I was going to let his disdain for my sexuality pass, then he’s in for a surprise. While I’m at it, I open the windows and throw his shoes outside, because fuck him. It’s raining, which should make me feel bad, but it doesn’t.

I can’t get away from him, but I sure as hell can make sure his days are as horrible as possible.

***

After my morning class, I meet up with Maddox in the library. He’s got his nose buried in a book and just when I think he’s not going to notice me—he does that when he’s focused—he looks up and frowns.

“Why do you look like someone shit in your coffee?” he asks

I fight to rearrange the scowl on my face… and fail horribly. Shrugging, I take a seat across him and bury my face in my arms. It’s not until Maddox prods my ankle under the table that I realize he’s not going to let this go.

My voice is muffled against my arms when I say, “Got into a fight with Sandoval.”

“Ah, must be bad because you’re using his jock name.”

“The hell is a jock name?”

“It’s what you testosterone-fueled athletes call each other because you think it makes you all sound manly.”

I lift my head to stare at him. “You mean our surnames?”

“Yes, that.” Maddox grins at me. “You’ve been calling him Nicky for a while now, and now you’re back to his impersonal jock name. Must have been a bad fight. What happened?”

He can probably see the mess I’m in because he gently closes his book and puts it aside. It’s unlike him to brush off studying.

Maddox folds his arms and gives me a look.

“You don’t want to know,” I tell him.

“Try me.”

“Fine. He said something homophobic, and it pissed me off.”

Maddox frowns. “Are you sure? That doesn’t sound like Nick at all.”

“You don’t know him that well, then. Told you he was a fake-ass golden boy.”

“I… wait, no. Back up a bit. What exactly happened?”

“He said he doesn’t want to hear about my hookups.” Maddox shifts in his seat and clearly has something to say about that, maybe to tell me that not everyone’s going to be fine hearing about those kinds of things. Quickly, I tack on, “But you don’t know what it’s like in the locker room, Madd. These fuckboys talk about their sexcapades all the time and Nick never has a problem with it—but then to me, he doesn’t want to hear about that shit.”

“I don’t know. It could be a misunderstanding… what if he was jealous?”

I burst out laughing, and a girl from a few tables down shushes me loudly. What Maddox said is so fucking hilarious that I swear I’ve got tears in my eyes when I finally settle down.

He asks, “Did you let him explain himself, at least?”

“No. I turned his phone off so he’d be late for class, then I threw his shoes out the window.”

“Caleb! Are you serious!?”

“Yes,” I say as smugly as I can, even if I don’t actually feel all that great and proud about what I’ve done now that I’ve had time to think it over.

“You’re an ass,” Maddox grumbles, and I only shrug in reply.

“Hey, Jennings!” Rhys’s voice is loud in the near silent library, and he marches towards me with a pissed off look, Schultz in tow.

I smirk. Guess they heard about the pranks.

Maddox murmurs, “You’re in trouble.”

“As if.”

In contrast to Rhys, Schultz doesn’t look angry—if anything, he seems entertained by all this.

“Nick was late for class and missed half an exam, and his shoes were drenched,” Rhys says. “That was your doing, wasn’t it?”

“Possibly.”

“Nobody else would do something that fucking unhinged.”

I grin. “Simmer down, Captain. It was a harmless prank, and one silly exam won’t even cause a dent in the golden boy’s GPA.”

Schultz lets out a laugh, only to be shushed by the same girl who shushed me only minutes earlier. He says, “Dude, he smelled like a wet dog.”

I mock a gasp.

“That’s the end of it,” Rhys orders, as if I’d ever listen to him. “No more pranks.”

“Or what?”

“Oooh, prank war?” Schultz jests, and Maddox lets out a tiny snort.

Apparently unnoticed by my teammates until now, they both glance at Maddox.

“My bad,” Maddox deadpans. He grabs his book and flips through it. “Continue.”

While Rhys averts his attention back to me, Schultz continues to stare at Maddox. His expression gradually changes from curiosity to… interest. Schultz’s lips part and it’s as if he’s seeing another human being for the first time, and it grates on my nerves.

Maddox is undeniably one of the prettiest guys on campus, and it wouldn’t be the first time someone’s immediately enamored by him. So, I get Schultz, but also—I can’t have that.

“Anything else?” I ask, wanting them to go now.

“No more pranks,” Rhys repeats. Hesitatingly, he adds, “Or… uh, we’ll fight back. I guess. Right, Schultz?”

So convincing.

“Ah? Yeah, sure.” Schultz is still watching Maddox. He turns to me and points at Maddox, then back at himself. Beaming, he whispers loudly, “Introduce us.”

Not sure why he’s saying it that way, considering Maddox is within earshot. My best friend, who’s tapped out of this conversation, is reading his book intently. I can’t tell if he’s ignoring Schultz or if he genuinely didn’t hear him now that he’s back to his studying.

I flip Schultz off.

“Shoo,” I tell my teammates, and Rhys rolls his eyes. Rhys relents and drags Schultz off—who’s now glowering at me for not conceding to his request.

Once they’re gone, Maddox mumbles, “You athletes are Neanderthals.”

I snort, amused. Can’t disagree, though.

Honestly, our captain’s not that smart if he thinks I’m going to cave and let Nick get away with anything. If he thinks this is the end of it, then he’s in for a surprise.