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“Why you’re hanging out with her.” The disgust in her voice was so thick that I felt Tanner squirming against me. Rachel hated me, and the only reason I could assume was because she was angry that I was a legacy and she had to work her way up to the top of the sorority pole. I didn’t want it, so I didn’t get why all her hate was pushed toward me.
Tanner chuckled, and my stomach bottomed out because he was laughing at me. I hadn’t exactly given him any reason to be nice but laughing with my arch nemesis felt like a kick in the teeth. “You sure?” I wasn’t sure if I was seeing things, but Tanner glared at Rachel, his focus narrowing in on her face. She stopped laughing, her smile quickly morphing into a frown. “Because I’ve been chasing Aster’s tail since last semester, but she’s too smart for her own good and won’t give me the time of day.” When he glanced at me, he winked, squeezing my shoulder. “Too busy, apparently. Maybe once I finally get that A in Sports Marketing, she’ll let me take her out to celebrate.”
Rachel’s reaction was priceless. She looked between us, her mouth now trying to smile, but unfortunately for her, it was coming out as a frown and her eye was twitching so wildly; it was hard to look away.
I, on the other hand, didn’t know what to do, so I wrapped my arm around his waist and pinched his torso, hoping that conveyed my annoyance with him getting involved.
“So, does that mean if Aster pledges, you’ll be the one to escort her to the ball?”
Ball? Who was I? Cinderella? I thought it was just a dinner and dance. I didn’t think I’d need to dress like a pastry, to hang out with people that I couldn’t stand.
Tanner chuckled. It was warm and low, and I could feel it vibrate through my body because of our proximity. “If she’ll let me.”
Something passed between Rachel and Tanner, and I guessed it was something to do with them having history. Her neck was red and blotchy as it slowly travelled up to her cheeks. “Well, that’s just great.” It sounded as fake as I felt. “I guess I’ll be seeing you two around then.”
“You sure will.” The words rolled off him with so much confidence that I decided to pinch him again. Rachel flinched, looked between her friends, and backed off. I never thought it would be so easy to get rid of her.
Tanner and I stayed connected until Rachel and her crew had walked through the quad doors. It was only after I realized that the coast was clear that I pushed away from him and slapped him in the chest.
“What the hell was that?”
Calm and composed, Tanner just stared at me because my hit did absolutely nothing. He grinned at my attempt to hurt him and then flicked his blonde hair out of his face. Okay, I was never one for a guy with long hair, but Tanner’s strong features made it work. Even if he was wearing a headband, that made it look like he was covering a bald spot.
Crossing my arms, I glared at him, waiting for an explanation.
“Wow. Are you sure you aren’t my teacher? Because you’re one toe tap away from being everything I ever wished Ms. Huxley was.”
I swiftly unfolded my arms and pressed my lips together in an attempt to keep my cool. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. “Tanner. Please, can you explain why you did that?”
His lips drew into a side smirk. “You know, for a genius, you’re surprisingly confused a lot of the time? But since you asked nicely, that was me saving your pert little ass.”
My jaw clenched; my fingers dug into the skin of my arms because he thought he was saving me? What an idiot. He’d just made things a thousand times worse and didn’t even realize it. “My ass didn’t need saving, thank you very much.”
“You sure about that?” He glanced over my head, and then his teal blue eyes dropped to me. I felt a zing of something strike through my body, but I assumed it was adrenaline from holding back all those attempts at killing him. “Because before I came over to you, it looked like you were one second away from punching her in the face.”
“Funny you should say that, because I’m one second away from punchingyouin the face. Besides, it wouldn’t have been anything that she didn’t deserve.”
His smile dropped, and he squared his shoulders. “What did Rachel do to you?”
“Not something I want to talk about. Especially not with you. Now, if you excuse me, I’ve got things to do.”
I spun on my heel and started to walk away, but like a lost puppy, Tanner followed behind me.
“She’s done something to you, hasn’t she?” He said, saddling up beside me.
“I walked away. Didn’t you take that as a hint I didn’t want to talk to you?”
“Yeah, butIwanted to talk toyou. So tell me, what did she do?”
I rolled my eyes. “She took something that was mine.” I left it as a cryptic threat because Connor wasn’t really mine. He clearly never was, but Rachel flaunting the fact that she could easily take him hurt more than I’d like to admit. Just like at the sorority house, Rachel was living out the life my mom wished I had. Upping my pace, I walked as fast as I could, and I was surprised that I’d gotten as far away from him as I did.
“Aster, wait. I’ve got a proposition for you.”
I looked up at the sky and closed my eyes. What did I do to deserve all these people annoying me? On my afternoon off, no less. “Let me take you to the ball.”
“You mean the one you invited yourself to?”
“Exactly. I’m glad you see. You need me.”
