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Still, our conversation has left me feeling confused and off-balance.
It’s obvious by the company he keeps that I’m not the kind of girl he’d ever make a play for—though I knew that already.
So why had he asked me to go for coffee? Or followed me into the cafeteria? Had it just been to get information about Mandi?
Sighing, I turn in the opposite direction and look out of the window.
I know better than to fall down this rabbit hole. I don’t go for jocks—or players—ever, so why is this bothering me so much? The reason he’d done any of it doesn’t matter anyway. Guys like him flirt with all kinds of girls just for fun.
I’m not his type, and I never will be.
4
“Danny’s being a complete pain in the butt, Hol,” Penn complains, making a face. “He keeps leaving me to do all of his chores while he fixes up his latest heap out in the barn. I’m tired of pulling double duty for my brother so he can tinker with his cars. I already have a full-time job.”
I’m lounging outside in the quad against my favorite tree, waiting for my Philosophy study group to arrive and catching up with Penn via video chat.
It’s early afternoon, and the late October weather is warm enough that I was able to wear a short-sleeved shirt today.
“How is this different from any other day?” I ask her pointedly. “You know how Danny is with his cars. He gets time blind when he’s fixing up one of those damned things.”
“I know,” she mutters, rolling her eyes. “He’s doing all the outside chores on the farm, but when it comes to the indoor stuff we share, he’s a total slacker.”
“Farm work is hard,” I reply, shrugging. “You know that as well as anyone. If he’s dedicating the extra energy toward working on his cars, I’m not surprised he’s slacking on other things.”
“I know, but it’s not like I’m not busy with work, too! Plus, I’m taking that online English class. I’ve done the dishes five times this week, Hol. Five times. He can take a freaking turn.”
I’m so glad I grew up as an only child. No sibling crap like this to deal with on a regular basis. My Dad has kids from his current marriage, but I’ve never even met them and probably never will, so I don’t consider them siblings.
“Have you talked to him about this?” I ask, scanning the quad as I keep an eye out for Mandi. I don’t want her accosting me today. She keeps bugging me to go to one of Eli Donnelley’s hockey games, and I’ve already told her “no” numerous times.
“Yeah, but we just got into a fight,” Penn says, waving a hand. “I talked to Mom and Dad about it, but you know how they are with Danny. The first-born son can do no wrong.”
“If I were in your position, I’d swipe his cell and not give it back until he swears to do his fair share. Might make it hard for him to call his girlfriend if you’ve got possession of his phone.”
Penn laughs and brushes a lock of long, curly blonde hair away from her freckled face. “Ooh. That might just work. He’d go ballistic if he couldn’t text Bayley every night. You’re an evil genius, Hol.”
I grin at her. “Right? It’s my backup plan if this whole music journalism dream doesn’t work out.” I wave to Beckett and Jasmine, the other members of my study group, as they make their way across the lush, green lawn of the quad. “Hey Penn, I gotta bail. My Philosophy study group is here.”
“Nerd,” she teases, sticking her tongue out.
“I can’t wait until you actually start college full-time,” I grumble. “If you knew how hard my classes were, you’d know why I need to study so much.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she says, winking. “Talk to you later, babe.”
“Later, Curly Cue.”
I end the video chat and glance up as Jasmine and Beckett plop down on the lawn across from me.
“This is literally the best place to study when it’s nice out,” Jasmine says, setting her Philosophy textbook down on the grass. “I wish it could stay warm like this.”
“Yeah, who would have thought we’d get a 70-degree day this close to Halloween,” Beckett replies, nodding in agreement.
“Enjoy it while you can, guys, because it’s supposed to pour down rain tomorrow, and then the temperature drops down to 50.”
“Ugh. Figures,” Jasmine mutters.
I first met Beckett and Jasmine thanks to a group project assignment, and we all became good friends after that.
