Page 105 of Under the Influence

"Hey, sleepyhead."

"Hi," I sigh, pulling the blanket up like a shield, a little embarrassed.

"Stop hiding from me. You don't hide from me, not ever. Okay?"

I pull the blanket down but just enough to peek at him. He drops the towel to pull on some boxers, and I can't help but stare. He's totally ripped and looks like a damn Greek god.

"If you don't stop looking at me like that, we aren't going to make it to school," he laughs.

"Would that be so bad?"

"No," he smiles. "But I need to show up. Nash needs to know I won't cower to him like some abused dog."

He crosses the room, "Go get cleaned up. No one else is up here, and the bathroom is yours."

I do as he says, and we head to school.

We pull into the parking spot next to Madden and Cori, like we do every day. Cori hops out laughing with Madden and gives me a huge hug.

"I'm so sorry about last night. That must've been so scary."

Her caramel hair is braided loosely with the perfect pieces framing her face, and her perfect legs peek out of a white mini skirt. She is so beautiful, the poster child for popularity, and I want to be jealous, but I can’t. It is impossible not to like her, even if she is the type of girl I picture Drayton would really want. She radiates positivity and doesn’t care that I don’t exactly fit in.

I bump her with my waist, "Where were you? You dipped out early yesterday."

"I had a run-in with Nash after lunch, then I went home and threw myself a pity party."

"Sounds thrilling."

She shrugs, "Wasn't anything like your night."

"You have to stay away from him," I beg.

"Oh, trust me, I plan on it."

We push the main doors open, stares falling on our group as we descend the hallway.

"Hey, Cori!"

"Drayton, hi!"

Everyone yells at us like we aren’t invisible, which is strange.

"Morning, ladies!" Crew steps into our path, doing some weird bow. The baseball boys don’t speak to me, so something is definitely up.

"Oh, now you're talking to me?" Cori rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I don't think Nash is really in a place to tell others what to do." he laughs. "That video kind of has him by the nuts."

"Video or no video, Nash doesn't own me."

Crew smiles, "He doesn't own me either."

"Oh really?" I challenge. "Nash said Cori is off-limits and you were like Yes, daddy.”

“He’s definitely not my daddy.”

Cori and I look at each other and explode into laughter, but Cori says, "Well if you are talking to me now, do you think you could get me your notes from week one?"