Page 9 of Released from the Sin Bin

We finally get it undone with Jocelyn holding Chelsea’s arm down, and guide them out of the house as fast as we can to not disrupt everyone else’s date.

“This was not my fault.” Carter rips his blindfold off to reveal his deep, dark eyes as he points at me. “I was being nice.”

“Just go. You’re making my life harder.” I push him to go down the porch steps after Chelsea.

“I make your life more interesting.” He winks at me as he backs away.

Every other couple is getting along great. To my surprise, that includes Kandi and Luca, who have no idea they’re paired with each other.

Chelsea and Carter continue arguing outside, and a few minutes later Chelsea comes in dragging Carter behind her back with a handful of his shirt to take him to her room.

“Told you so,” Carter mouths as they walk past. Proving his point that women will choose the asshole.

It makes me sick to see how right he is. The proof is in the shelter we’re supporting and raising money for tonight. Guys can say whatever they want, be complete jerks, and still get exactly what they want.

Chapter 3

Willa

Jocelyn comes into my room and sits on my bed as I get dressed.

“Are you still going to the Kappa party tonight?” She plays with the fringe on my pillow.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I wouldn’t miss my boyfriend’s birthday party. It also happens to be our third anniversary.

We met freshman year on his birthday. I found him on the curb, puking his brains out after his friends fed him too many shots, and couldn’t leave the poor guy by himself. I gave him water from the bottle I had and helped him back to his dorm room. He begged me to stay. It was the first time he ever got drunk and was so scared.

The next morning, he woke to me in his bed, fully clothed and over the covers. We talked all morning, spent the entire day together, and the rest is history.

“Because they screwed over every plan you tried to make for him,” Jocelyn says, listing off all the reasons why she thinks it’s ok to bail on my boyfriend’s birthday. “Because he’s not going to acknowledge your anniversary, and I’ll have to hear about that tomorrow. Because he doesn’t respect you and is a lousy boyfriend. He’ll end up disappearing halfway through the night, you’ll get upset, and—”

“Wow. Ok. I get it.” I stop her from saying everything I don’t want to hear. “Tonight will be different, and even if it’s not, I can't bail on his birthday. You know that.”

“Yeah.” She rolls her eyes. “I wish you’d see what we all see.”

Every day I’m defending my relationship to someone. It’s been even worse this semester with Luca. He doesn’t waste a day to tell me his opinion on my relationship.

I do see what they all see, but no one sees what I do. Our relationship isn’t perfect, but whose is? How can they judge ours when they merely get a surface view of what’s really happening?

Vic loves me, and I love him. I wish my friends could understand that.

“Are you going to go?” I ignore her opinion. “Luca is bailing. He thinks he has a shot at getting Kandi to go out with him tonight.”

“I have other plans.” She stands from my bed and throws my pillow back on the bed.

I almost stop her to find out what plans she has, but I’m running late. I had an entire day planned out for us, but Vic’s friends took over the party planning. They’re better at planning parties than I am, but that meant putting aside any plans I made for our anniversary.

It’s not every day someone turns twenty-one.

“Willa.” Vic smiles as he sees me coming up his lawn. “You’re the most gorgeous sight…” His words get cut off as he swallows back a belch. His dark chestnut eyes are glossed over, and the breath that comes out is a powerful stench of beer. “Sorry.”

“I guess you guys already started?”

“One funnel.” He holds up a finger with a smirk. “Only one.”

Vic is a Kappa Delta, the fraternity known for its hard parties, and their occasional breakfast of shotgunning and funneling beers when they're celebrating something big. Such as, a twenty-first birthday.

“Happy Birthday, baby.” I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his bitter tasting lips. Only one funnel is a load of crap, but it’s his birthday. I can’t be mad at him for having a little fun.

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