Page 111 of Becoming Selfish

She stands up, swinging her backpack over her shoulder. “Just giving you fair warning. Do with it what you will.”

She’s obviously pissed off that I wouldn’t give her any information on Marc, so she’s trying to hurt me by reminding me of Eli’s past. I don’t care if she spent the last three years around Eli. She doesn’t know him like I do... right?

“See you around, Logan,” she concludes as she walks away with a satisfied grin on her lips. She’s worse than the typical mean girl. She’s worse than Alyssa. At least with those girls, you know what you’re getting, but with her, she’s sneaky. She comes off sweet and innocent, but in reality, she’s a snake.

I fucking hated every minute of that. I’ve never once doubted Eli since that day at the pond, and I don’t like Lauren trying to put doubts in my head. I’ve been proud of myself that I’ve been able to separate the relationship I had with Zac from the one I have with Eli. Even when Patrick tried to fill my head with reminders of Eli’s old life, I ignored it. I could’ve easily taken the distrust that I gained from Zac into my relationship with Eli, but I didn’t, because Eli hasn’t done anything to make me not trust him since we got together. I know he has a muddy past with women, but I can’t hold that against him now.

“Your ex is not very nice,” I tell Marc as I sit on the floor and lay my books and notes out on the coffee table in front of me.

Ali and I decided to take our Thursday night study session to the grad dorm’s common area, hoping for a change of scenery from our rooms. Marc also decided to join this week. He and Ali had been waiting for me on opposite couches in the common area while I ran and grabbed my third coffee of the day.

“‘Bitch,’ Logan. I think the word you’re looking for is ‘bitch,’” Ali corrects.

“Sorry, you’re right. Marc, your ex is a bitch,” I restate.

Marc chuckles. “What did she do?”

“She found me on campus this afternoon and asked me if you were seeing anyone.”

“Yeah, and when Logan wouldn’t give her any information, she started spewing all this shit about your brother. Trying to get her to doubt that Maddison could be faithful,” Ali chimes in, fired up.

“Such a bitch,” Marc agrees, shaking his head in frustration. “Logan, don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know shit.”

“Besides, she’s the one who cheated. What does she know about being faithful?” Ali spits as Marc’s face falls. “Shit. Marcus, I’m sorry.”

Marc shakes it off. “No, you’re right. Honestly Logan, don’t even think twice about what she said. She knew the old EJ, and she didn’t even know him very well. She barely came around my family in all the years we dated. He’s different with you. Everyone who knows him can see that.”

“She said she’s been texting you,” I say to Marc.

Marc quickly looks to Ali as Ali averts her gaze from both of us.

“Yeah, she has. But I never respond.”

“She wants to get back together with you.” Ali uncomfortably adjusts herself on the couch, sitting back and resting her head on the cushion behind her.

“Don’t worry. There’s no way in hell that’s happening. EJ is the only one of us who has a giiiirlfriend,” he teases, dragging out the word and changing the subject.

“Shut up,” I respond between laughs. “I’ve been meaning to ask, who helped him come up with the idea of asking me that way? It was really cute.”

Marc throws his hands up in defense. “Don’t look at me. That was all EJ. Because someone never told me they played basketball,” he playfully scolds. “You always just said you were a fan, but you failed to mention that you were a stud.”

I shrug in response. “Different life.”

“So that was all him?” I ask, surprised.

“Yep. You should’ve seen my mom. She was practically melting into the couch when he told her what he was planning to do.”

I bite my bottom lip, trying to hold back my grin, as Ali nudges me with her foot, telling me that she told me so.

I grab my notes to organize them, with a satisfied smile on my lips. I can’t believe that Eli came up with that idea all on his own. I already felt special, but now even more so.

After about an hour of silence and passing around our notes, studying for tomorrow’s test, Ali leans back into the couch with a heavy sigh.

“Okay, I need a five-minute break.” She pulls out her phone to scroll mindlessly.

“Me too,” Marc adds, standing from his seat and stretching his arms towards the ceiling.

I glance down at my phone, hoping to see a missed call or text from Eli, but there’s still nothing. Their game should’ve been over by now, but maybe they went into overtime. Or perhaps he’s waiting until he’s alone in his hotel room to call me, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been glancing down to my phone every few minutes over the last hour, waiting for him to call or text.

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