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Matt
I’m hard again when I wake the next morning, and thoughts of Rowan still poison my mind. This time, I don’t rush out of bed, and instead head to the shower to relieve myself. I see Rowan’s face in my mind as my cock throbs in my hand. I close my eyes, allowing the hot water to brush over my face as I finally come to a release. It’s not the same as fucking a woman, and it’s definitely not the same as fucking Rowan, but it will have to do until I get the opportunity to put her in her place … in only the best of ways.
As I’m getting dressed, an alert on my phone pings, and I pick it up to read it. It’s from my mom.
How is school? Things are quiet here without you.
Despite myself, a stupid grin crawls over my face, and I text her back, making a mental note to call and check in with her later. My mom is the reason I hesitated to go to college in the first place. Because when I’m not there for her, nobody is.
I slip the cell phone into my pocket and head downstairs, meeting Bryce in the kitchen.
“Sup, man?” he says, handing me a to-go cup of coffee. The room smells like weed; he’s been toking up again. I don’t mind it, but Dereck fucking hates it. “Ready to get to class?”
“Fuck, no,” says Dereck, coming down the stairs still zipping his pants. “No one actually wants to go to class, dude.”
“I do,” Bryce says, brow furrowing. “I think it’s interesting.”
Dereck stops at the bottom of the stairwell and raises his head in the air like a bloodhound, sniffing around. Then, his eyes land on Bryce, who shrugs innocently.
“Fucking A, dude, keep that shit to yourself. I’m going to school to be a cop, man, and you’re a fucking criminal.”
“It’s legal here,” Bryce reminds him, but Dereck ignores this.
“And don’t try to kid yourself, you only want to go to class to see Rowan.”
“Kind of like you did last night?” I ask him, and that shuts Dereck up at once. As I watch him gather his bag from the hallway closet, I don’t like the small smirk playing on his lips.
He’s hiding something.
Something about Rowan.
The three of us walk to our Fucking Class together, and Bryce rambles on about something useless the entire time. Dereck is quieter than usual, and that sneaking suspicion I have about him and Rowan only deepens as we get to class and see Rowan already there, sitting at the lab table, head hovering over her open textbook, hair falling down her chest, brushing the tops of her breasts in a low-cut shirt.
“Damn,” I murmur with a low whistle. “That shirt does her good.”
“Who says that, man?” asks Dereck, scoffing. “Grow the fuck up.”
Bryce and I are too shocked to say anything to this, because Dereck has never tried to put me in my place, especially over a comment made about a girl. Usually, it’s him running the commentary.
I don’t like it, but I don’t push it, either. Some battles aren’t worth fighting.
As we approach the table, side-stepping the other students, I take my regular seat next to Rowan, and Bryce and Dereck sit down quietly across from her. Rowan looks up from the book, glances at me, then swivels her gaze toward Bryce, then Dereck. I think all of us are left speechless at this. I know I am. It’s the first time Rowan Bates has willingly faced us without trying to hide behind those cherry locks.
“Hello,” she says, her eyes landing back on me. “How are you today?”
“Um, good.”
“That’s great.” When she smiles, the dimple in her cheek pops out against her sultry-looking skin. She turns away from me once more and looks at Bryce. “And you?”
“Great,” he says, clearing his throat. “Thanks.”
“And what about you?” Rowan’s head swivels in Dereck’s direction, but he’s already looking at her. I can’t read his expression; he’s got a good poker face. But I can feel it. He’s hiding something.
“Never better,” he says, holding her eyes. I think both Bryce and I are shocked when, after a few moments of tense silence, Dereck breaks their stare-down first. Rowan is still smiling, as though pleased with herself, but when I focus on what’s behind her eyes, I can see the same insecurity she held back in high school. It’s like she’s trying too hard. It’s not her.
Maybe now it is. People change.
You changed.
