Page 28 of Raise 'Em Up

“Oh, you all fucking play dirty.” I sigh.

“But you love us.” Lennox grins. “You said so yourself.”

I can’t help but smile. “Damn it.”

“Don’t worry,” Alex says, coming down the steps. “I’m going to miss you, but honestly, being able to fuck my girl without having your little cheermates listening will be nice.”

“Alex!” Serenity slaps his arms.

“What?!” he says. “It’s true.”

“So, you two were in on this?” I narrow my eyes at my friends.

“What?” Serenity bats her baby blues at me. “You're not excited to be roomies?”

“Wait, really?” My eyes widen and I smile. “We’re rooming together?”

“Yup.” She grins wide. “We did a bit of moving around, and some other girls took Missi’s old room. So it’s me and you, babe.”

“When she’s not in one of our rooms,” Mateo adds.

“Yeah, sorry, Ren. Don’t think Rylee will be sleeping in her bed much.” Donny shrugs.

“Keep pulling shit like this, and I’ll never know what any of your beds feel like.” I glare at them all.

But, I follow them up into the house and check out my new room. I have to admit, it’s nice. And it’s a lot bigger than the dorm. Besides, rooming with another girl is so much better than having to deal with Alex’s gross boy stuff.

The next week goes by fast. It feels like I never left, but also seems so new and exciting. School is going well, my classes are awesome, and cheer… Yeah, that’s going to take some getting used to.

With Missi gone, I’m actually having fun, since I'm not having to look over my shoulder all the time to see what she might do or say next.

“Come to my place tomorrow night,” Trevor says as we walk hand in hand through the courtyard.

“Ah, okay, but why?” I ask. He doesn't live too far from the school, but I’ve never been to his place before. He stays at the football house during the week, but goes home on the weekends.

“We’re having our usual Sunday family supper. I want you to come and meet my mom and step-dad.”

I stop and look up at him with slightly widened eyes. “Really?”

“Of course.” He kisses my palm, smiling against it as I shiver in pleasure. “You're my girl, and I know we haven’t been together long, but I'm certain you’re it for me. So, I want them to meet you and see just how amazing you are.”

“Are you sure?” I ask, biting my lower lip nervously. “Don’t you think they’ll be unhappy about me and the whole ‘dating a bunch of guys’ thing?”

“Doesn’t matter what they think about that.” He shrugs. “It's not their life to judge. And I’m an adult, I can live how I please. If they love me, they will respect that.”

“Damn, you're so sexy when you talk all mature and shit.” I laugh.

“You should see me when I do my taxes.” He winks, and I roll my eyes at his bad joke. “But seriously, come over this weekend. Please?”

“Okay.”

“Really?” he says with a bit more excitement.

“Yeah. I’ll come.”

The next day, Trevor picks me up. I’m wearing a pretty deep-green sundress with my hair down and curled. Nothing too fancy, but I didn’t want to just show up in jeans and a crop-top. I want to look nice for them.

“Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?” Trevor asks as we walk up the steps to his house.

---