Page 10 of Don't Puck Him

“Hey, listen, don’t take to heart what Cash says, huh? He’s just like that with new people he doesn’t know. All mouth.”

Wren sighs. For the first time tonight, I see her relax some. Her shoulders soften, and she stops trying to hide her feet. I’ll let her have this moment.

“Yeah, but it’s worse than just goading a fellow student, right? We live in the same house. I have to live with his mind games 24/7. Not funny.”

“True. Give the guy some time. Once he gets to know you, he’ll settle down. He’s probs just miffed he has to share a bathroom with you or something dumb. Cash will come around.”

Wren lifts her head and stares straight at me.

“Why were you looking at me from over there?”

Hm… straight to the point, huh? Interesting. Didn’t see that coming from this weak little bird.

“Oh, I don’t know. Bored, I guess. This party is okay. Maybe I’ve gone to too many. I saw nothing keeping my interest until I saw you.”

I give her an intense stare, one that covets, not merely appreciates.

Wren is on the ropes. I suppress a laugh. She can’t tell if she’s supposed to trust me or fear me. Right now, I’m coming off worse than Cash. Politeness with a bite. Wren is waiting for my bite. I’ll let her wait.

I look up at her face again. Only this time it’s not a pleasant sight. Her lips are quivering, and her eyes are filled with… is that, is that fear?

I avert my gaze and stare at my beer bottle. The brew is warm, and my label is all torn off. I throw it in the fireplace.Man, Hunter, do you have to go this far? She’s about to cry, for God’s sake. Stop being such a jerk. You want not to go as far as Cash, then don’t. Give the poor thing a break.

“Hey, listen, I’m off. Nice to see you, Wren. You take care now.”

I get up and walk away before she can say a word, before I can see the shocked expression on her face I know is there.

I reel in my line, store the lure, and put away my female fishing box for another day.

I drop my beer bottle on the foyer divider and head outside the door, never looking back.

Grinning from ear to ear, and not in a good way. Not in a good way for beautiful Wren.

5

WREN

“Ah, c’mon, Wren. You gotta go to this party. This one is way more your speed. You’ll have fun at this one. I promise,” one girl from my dorm wing says. The rest chime in, eagerly nodding their heads.

I have no friends here yet, so I know I have to play along. I feign an excited smile and get dressed into my best jeans – a pair that actually fit well, for a change – and a cut-off top, and follow the girls to another frat event off campus. With every step, I’m hating the idea more and more.

What if Hunter, or God forbid, Cash, is there? I don’t think I can take another night of public bashing. I should get into their faces and tell them to bug off. But it’s not in me. Not yet, anyway. I want to make friends. This is a new beginning for me. I don’t want to screw things up right from the start.

My floor mates are chattering away. All of them have been here a year already and know all the ins and outs. Who’s who. Who to link with and who to avoid. What classes are the best to take if you’re a hockey groupie, and all that dumb girly jazz.

“Oh, God, have you guys seen Hunter this year? Man, muscles on muscles. That fab boy didn’t laze around and swill beer all summer, that’s for sure,” Gracie says.

“I don’t know about Hunter. My eyes have been glued to his bud, Cash. I could run my fingers through his luscious dark hair all night.” Cindy coos.

“You guys are pervs with those hockey guys. I got my sights set on this year's football scrum. I went to their first practice. Oh. My. God. It’s like a baker’s dozen of heavenly donuts. I’d take any one of them to be my sex slave!” Madeline swoons.

All the girls laugh and quicken their speed to the frat house.

I quicken my steps, too, wishing I had the courage to do an about-face, haul butt back to the dorm, and hide under my duvet. This schmoozing for guy meat is so, well, ugh. But if I want friends, I better play the game.

We turn the corner. Before we’re even close to the house, we see the party spilling outside onto the lawn and a line up to even get into the house.

My floor mates cheer and run. I sigh and slowly walk forward.

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