Page 15 of Your Side of the Offense

"No, but it won't hurt to find out where she stays," Jaden says.

"It will fucking hurt," I remind them. "It will hurt a lot. I say let's leave it alone. Try and give her space. We will ruin her experience if we corner her so quickly.” I take the blunt from Archer. “Let's just give her room. We have the whole year for everything."

"I can't believe you're the one with common sense out of all of us," Caleb laughs.

"Yeah well, we aren't boys anymore." I drag another pull.

"And don't be weird when you see her." Jaden points to Caleb who just shrugs.

"Look, I don't know what you assholes mean to do, but I am going to take my opening if I see it," Archer says.

"Just make sure that opening doesn't shut the rest of us out, butthead," Jaden warns.

We all laugh.

"You weird as shit sometimes," Archer says between laughs.

The night is spent binging again, but everything is a blur and at some point, I drag my ass to my room. In my dreams, I see her and she walks away from me by the end of the dream.

When I wake the next day, it is to a filthy house, with people passed out on our floor. After I kick them all out, we clean. Tonight is the last night before the academic year officially begins and we are going to Trevor's party.

It’s later in the evening when we walk over to their street, arriving as the party is raging on. My gaze rakes over the students. I know its fucking idiotic to think I will see her here, but fuck I won't deny I'm hopeful.

"Yo!" Trevor calls from the living room where the pool table takes up the center of the room, where all the athletes are. A few eyes turn to us, and we walk.

"Yo, what's up!" Jaden launches himself to Trevor's handshake first. I have been friends with Jaden since kindergarten, but it still amazes me how easily he makes friends and gets people to give him exactly what he wants. It's like they all bend to him.

"The future kings are gracing us with their presence," Logan says rounding the table.

I don't know why, but I don't like the guy. There's nothing wrong with him, he's just too…normal. And for some reason, I find that suspicious.

I do what's necessary and step into my public persona. Grabbing drinks, we join the pool table. And I am constantly avoiding the fuck me eyes all the girls keep making. If I was the old me, I'd get one of them to suck me off right here. But lo, those days have come and gone.

I'm holding out a candle for someone who hates my fucking guts.

5

KNIGHT FOR THE NIGHT

Summer

I blink my eyes up at my new bff as she stands there, her hands on her hips.

"Do we have to be college freshmen clichés? Can't we just sleep and make our parents proud?" I complain trying to hold her gaze.

“No, we are going to this party, Summer. This semester is going to be major stressful for me.” She looks serious. “We are going. Even if I have to drag you there myself."

"I'm starting to think my parents were wrong to leave me in your care," I say getting up and unknot the robe I had on.

I was comfy for bed. Was going to have an auto-romantic night with candles; silk robe with nothing underneath, the smutty book already chosen. Strawberries and chilled cheap sparkling wine chilling in my fridge, vibrator fully charged. I was hoping for a night ending with some leg shaking and a good night's rest.

But my new friend has other plans. She plops herself on my bed as I pull up a short jean skirt. I am topless as I look for a top and notice her checking me out, and it puffs me out a little. I find it extra titillating when girls check me out. Some girls might dress for the male gaze, but I dress for the female lustful gaze. For me, that's where it's at.

Women will appreciate your body without getting entitled and violent about it, I like that.

After I find a top, she helps me with my hair. Luckily, I just washed it, and it was primed for tomorrow. So getting it in order doesn't take long. I let my curls down and she helps me with some makeup.

Apparently, it's a senior party and we need to care what they think about us. We should feel lucky and be grateful. My little friend here could be a social climber. But she's nice and I like her a lot and no one's perfect.

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