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I heard Miles’ voice in the stairway and knew I had three seconds before he’d be bursting through my door. I looked around, making sure I had everything I needed. I trusted the guys at the hockey house so I didn’t need to take alcohol with me, but cash? Check. Keys? I grabbed them, putting them deep into my pocket. They were pushed down so far, I’d have to dig them out later. They’d be safe. And what else?
The door burst open. Miles threw his hands in the air, his face flushed. “Pre party drinking! Let’s do it, roomie.”
I was looking around. “What am I forgetting?”
“Phone?”
“Phone!” I snatched it, shoving it into my other pocket and knowing that’d also be work to get out so it was safe for the night. “I’m ready.”
His grin was crooked as he came over, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “I’m in the mood to get fucked up tonight.”
“Atwater found me yesterday on campus to make sure I was coming today. He said this is supposed to be a small thing?”
He snorted, walking me to the door. “We’ll see if that happens.”
It didn’t happen.
The house was overrun when we got there. Bass music was blasting, though more muted than I was expecting. As we walked inside, the whole first floor was filled with people talking, standing around. A bunch had congregated in the kitchen, where as we walked in, we found Atwater busy finicking over food.
He saw us, and did a double take. “Finally! You’re here.” He threw down a towel that’d been over his shoulder. A red apron was tied around his waist. He snatched up his phone, typing on it. “I’ve been waiting for you to arrive.”
Miles and I shared a look.
He asked, “You’ve been waiting for us?”
Atwater gestured to me with his phone. “Daniels. You don’t know the lengths I went to get you here, and now you’re here, and I’m going to let the person know who wanted you here.”
I frowned. Cruz? But that didn’t make sense…
“You told me yesterday this was supposed to be a small shindig.”
He looked around, half glaring, before blowing a puff of air that dislodged some of his hair. His curls fell back in place. “It was supposed to be. Keys is going nuts. Also, Angela was supposed to meet new friends, but guess who took her under her wing? Bianca. Labrowski is not happy with me, so yeah. Basically my ass is going to get beat every day in practice for the rest of the season.”
I had no clue who Angela was, but Gavin came in from another room. Seeing us, he raised his hands in the air. “My people. Finally.”
Two of his frat brothers were with him. They circled us in the kitchen, began eating some of the food. Atwater had put out bags of chips. Salsa in a bowl. Three boxes of pizza, and a whole tray of egg rolls. Fast food wrappers were stacked on one of the counters, along with a plethora of alcohol bottles.
“Sorry to say, but you are looking seriously hot, Daniels. In a way where I want to do dirty dirty things to you.”
I showed my teeth, rounding on Gavin, but it wasn’t him that spoke. It was one of his brothers, who I didn’t know his name.
I glared instead.
Gavin laughed, touching the guy’s forehead and shoving him back. “Down, boy. She ain’t like that. You can look, but don’t approach. Trust me. She took my balls on more than a few occasions.”
The brother was wasted, his eyes almost cross-eyed, but he stared at Gavin. Something mean and dark flashed in his gaze. He opened his mouth, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear whatever he was about to say, but Atwater exploded. Again. “Finally!”
He pushed past us, shoving the frat brother back, and Gavin into me.
I was winded from the impact. It took a little before Gavin extricated himself. He was that drunk, which I figured he would be. I figured most would be since everyone started drinking before the game today. They won, but lost yesterday, so there would’ve been a renewed sense to drink in celebration.
It was then that I saw who Atwater was greeting. A pretty girl. Long dark hair. Hazel eyes. She was tall and slender, and looked a little familiar. She was with another girl, and a guy. Both of their faces were turned away, but they looked at me, and my stomach dropped.
I recognized the girl. She was on the same floor as myself last semester, and the girl with her was Tasmin Shaw. Taz’s boyfriend was on her other side.
“Daniels.” The same frat brother fell into my side. His bourbon breath wafting over me. “They got a whole dance floor set up downstairs. What do you say? Wanna go and grope each other in the dark?” He belched, but remained smiling at me.
