Page 7 of Blood Sport

“Well, we all know why,” Rylee grins, sharing a knowing look with Jaycee and Candie.

I sit up a little straighter, cupping the cool glass of the cocktail in front of me. “Why?” The girls giggle, making me frown. “Just tell me.”

“We all saw Jaylen walk in with that girl,” Jaycee says, tilting her head to the side. “And we all know your history with him.”

I snort, shaking my head. “We don’t have a history, Jay. He’s my brother’s best friend, and we grew up together, that’s it.”

“Yeah, that’s what I call history,” she counters with a grin. “I get it, okay? Jaylen is the hottest guy on campus, we all know that. You would be stupid not to find him attractive.”

“It’s not just that.” I sigh, chewing on my bottom lip. “You know Miles would kill me if I acted on my attraction for Jaylen. Besides, I think Jaylen has enough women to worry about besides his friend’s sister. We all know what he’s like.”

The girls nod in agreement, and Rylee leans over to bump her shoulder against mine. “He’s a playboy, Ev, so maybe it is a good idea to steer clear of him, for the safety of your heart. But that doesn’t mean you can’t fantasize about him.”

I chuckle. “Oh, that happens more often than you might think.”

We all giggle and fall into comfortable small talk, trying to raise our voices above the booming music blasting from the DJ deck behind us. Jaycee is studying to become a veterinarian, Candie is studying business, and Rylee is studying visual arts. We may all be in different degrees and have different interests, but we’re still the best of friends and know how to have a good time.

When we all moved in and learned we would be living down the hall from each other, it was the start of a blossoming friendship. When living in a sorority house, it feels impossible to befriend every single girl because there are a lot of housemates, and not everyone is destined to be friends with differing personalities, so I’m glad that Jaycee and Candie are so easy to be around. We have shared many enjoyable and unforgettable nights out, including this one, and I know how this is going to end. Before leaving, we’ll walk until we find a fast food restaurant, order the greasiest food, and then head back to the house to sleep well into the next afternoon, riding out our hangovers.

Could I ask for a better night?

“What’s up with Amara?” I randomly ask, my words slurring slightly as my vision becomes a little more blurred from the alcohol. I need to cut myself off after this cocktail, otherwise, I won’t be able to leave the club on my own two feet. “I think she hates me.”

Candie waves me off with her perfectly manicured hand and flips a lock of brown hair over her shoulder. “I’m sure she doesn’t hate you, Ev. She probably just doesn’t know you very well.”

“We’ve lived in the same house for nearly three years. You’d think we’d know each other pretty well by now,” I deadpan.

“Maybe she’s jealous of you,” Jaycee offers with a shrug. “From what I know about Amara, she feels threatened by anyone who is on her level, whether that is looks or intelligence. I think you fit into that category.”

I laugh and shake my head at the ridiculousness of that statement. “There is no way any of that is true.”

“Who knows?” Jaycee says with a knowing smile. “Or maybe Amara just doesn’t like anyone, so it’s not something you need to stress yourself out over.”

I hum, chewing on my bottom lip. Ever since my first day in the house with the new girls who arrived at the same time as me, Amara being one of them, we have never been able to get on with each other. Every time I try to start a conversation or be nice, Amara will always shoot me a dirty look and leave immediately. At first, it didn’t get on my nerves, but now it does.

Why doesn’t she like me? That’s all I want to know.

“You’re right,” I say with a sharp exhale. “Fuck her.”

The girls laugh in unison as Candie says, “Yeah, fuck her!”

A moment later, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom, making sure to take my side bag with me. Jaycee does the same, saying that she is going to meet up with the mystery guy who got us into the bar. I manage to find the bathroom down a small corridor near our table, being met by many drunk girls. Some are sharing a cubical, laughing or gagging, and others are standing at the sinks crying and holding each other. It made for great entertainment while I did my business and washed my hands.

I leave the bathroom, stand in the corridor, and watch my friends, smiling at the sight of seeing them so happy. But then my attention drifts back to Jaylen and the gnawing curiosity that has been pushed to the back of my mind for the past couple of hours. Maybe this is the perfect opportunity for me to slip away from the group and see what is going on upstairs. Since I saw Jaylen go up there, I have spotted multiple people also going up there.

I need to know what is on that floor, and I need to know now.

I round the corridor and slip into the throng of people nearby so as not to be spotted by my friends. The last thing I need is for them to want to follow me or talk me out of following Jaylen. It’s not what I want to hear right now.

Once through the crowd of people, I reach the wooden staircase leading to the second floor. With my hand on the railing and one foot on the first step, I look up, having a flashback of the night my parents died before quickly shaking it off and walking up the steps, hoping and praying none of my friends spot me.

When I reach the top, I’m met with a long hallway with multiple doors on each side. The walls are black to match the theme downstairs, and it feels eery and quiet, despite how many people I saw walk up here. As I walk further down the hallway, the quietness shifts and I’m met with loud moaning. My eyes widen as my steps falter.

Okay, maybe this place is a weird sex club that only some people are privy to knowing.

I hold my breath as I continue to walk, not knowing what to do from here. As I pass by the doors, the windows that accompany them are covered by thick black drapes, blocking me from viewing what is happening inside. As curious as I am about what is going on up here and possibly finding where Jaylen went, it would be rude of me to peek inside if given the chance. This seems like a private area, so I’m sure the people inside don’t want a peeping Tom looking through the window.

I wonder which room Jaylen is in and if the soft moans filtering through my ears are coming from the woman he brought up here. My cheeks flare at the thought.

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