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Finn
Colton and Kaneare getting on my last nerve. Between taking breaks every five minutes and their bitching, I’m not impressed. Yes, hanging drywall is hard work. It’s exhausting. The shit is heavy, and it takes time if you want it done right.
“Y’all know I can leave anytime I want, right? This isn’t my house. I don’t have to be here,” I state when they come back from their fifth break of the day. The only reason I knew they left the room was because of the silence.
These guys aren’t lazy. I know this. I’ve hung out with them before. They’re cool as fuck. Colton is a talented musician. His band, Fallen Angels, plays every party the frat hosts. He wants to make a living off his music someday, but his parents are making him get his degree first or they’ll cut him off financially.
His roommate, Kane, is smart as hell. The dude can do anything on a computer you need him to. He designed the logo and branding for Colton’s band, going as far as having custom guitar picks made. His creative genius blows me away.
And they’re both tall, strong guys. They can handle drywall; they just don’t want to.
“Come on, man. We need you here,” Kane says, turning the air compressor back on as he pushes his sunglasses back up his nose.
Yes, we’re inside. Yes, he’s wearing sunglasses. He always has them on for some reason.
“Yeah,” Colton yells over the hiss. “Can’t do this without you.”
“And I only have two hands, so get your asses back to work and stop disappearing on me,” I state firmly as I lift the drywall board into place while Kane secures it to the wall.
We work in silence for the next hour. Colton cutting the pieces to size while Kane and I get them hung. After both walls are complete, taped, and mudded, I stand back and inspect our work. It’s clean. Once the mud is dry and sanded, we can paint. That’ll take a few hours, so I decide to pack up my shit and get out of there before Max puts me to work doing something else.
Honestly, I’m happy to help. It gives me something to do during the day, but I didn’t realize how long this project was going to take. When Max said only a few guys stayed for the summer, I figured he meant six or seven.
Nope. Only Kane, Colton, and Julian.
Brady showed up yesterday for a little bit to help but he has an internship this summer at some clinic. Julian works every day at a restaurant, sometimes up to twelve hours, so he’s not always available. Which leaves the four of us.
If Max hopes to get everything on his wish list accomplished, it’s going to take us weeks. Hell, it took two days to do drywall when it should have taken one afternoon.
“You out of here?” I hear Max ask.
“Yeah. I’ll be back tomorrow morning. If you can get Tweedledee and Tweedledum to sand the drywall later tonight that would help. We can start painting as soon as you pick out a color.”
“Gotta rip up the carpet first.”
“Since when?”
“Since I smelled it. I was going to clean it, but I don’t think it’s salvageable. Too many parties, too much puke. The room will be off limits once it’s done.”
“What were people doing in your meeting room anyway?”
As little as I know about fraternity life, I do know one thing—every house has a sanctuary, a room no one but members are supposed to be allowed in. That room at the Kappa house looked like every party had been thrown in it for years. It should have been the best-looking room in the place but instead it was the worst.
“That’s the thing. It’s the one room in the house that should have always been locked yet was the most fucked up one in the place,” he says, echoing my thoughts, as he blows out a breath in frustration. “It’s like Matt had no fucks left to give. I don’t even know where the key is. I have to replace the lock.”
Shaking my head, I don’t even know what to say. Matt was a douche and he let the house go to shit only for Max to have to bring it back to life. One look at this place and I would turn around and walk away if I were trying to pledge a fraternity. Appearances are everything, and the way this place presents itself is anything but good.
“Let me know what color paint and I’ll snag it on my way over along with a lock for the door.”
“Thanks for everything, Finn. I really appreciate it. We’ll make you an honorary member for life,” he jokes. As much as I love Max and a few of the guys in his frat, he knows I have no interest in being a part of that life. It’s not for me. Honorary or otherwise.
“Thanks, but I’ll pass. Text me later. I’m gonna shower and grab some food. You headed home soon?”
Not that I care. I just need to know how to plan the rest of my night. Can I head straight to Willow’s, or do I need to wait for Max to crash? Because waiting up every night and sneaking out is getting annoying.
Less than two weeks.
I can’t wait for this to be over. As much of a rush as sneaking around was when we first started, I’m looking forward to being able to walk out the front door at a decent hour without feeling guilty. I want to be able to take her out to dinner. To walk into a party with her on my arm. To kiss her whenever I want to without caring who’s in the room or if someone might see us.
