Page 25 of Out of Bounds

10

Kassie

Mr. Intense

While I typed up my reply, blue fabric drifted over my phone, two different plain Marrs University t-shirts that made my jaw drop when I spotted the price tag.

"Why in theworldare these sixty dollars?"

"Who cares, Kass? Not your bill, not your problem." Zariah giggled.

"That’s a pretty big bill."

"Plus, if you have some,Ihave some. We’ve only got a couple of months left together. It's a prime clothes-trading opportunity."

"Oh. Good point."

I hadn’t even thought about that. Zariah and I swapped everything we could. I never had a lot of money growing up and that was something I was used to. Secondhand everything. Thriftstore everything else. And Zariah was on a strict diet from taking her dad’s money.

My phone buzzed in my hand.

Ball Dribbler: YES.

I frowned. "Who texts yes with a period?"

"Intense men."

"Men with…." I struggled to come up with a joke. "Oh, I don’t know. Maybe."

I hesitated over the keypad before deciding what to tell him. My fingers flew across the keys, copying his texting style.

Kassie: SHOPPING NOW.

"What about hoodies?" Zariah pressed. "Football season lasts until December. You’ll need a hoodie."

Pulling down a few options, I held up the black one and the bright gray one for her inspection.

She shook her head. "We’re getting both. Let me grab a basket."

"Both?" I didn’t have it in me to argue though. Theywerenice hoodies. And I sure wouldn’t be giving them back after our little song and dance.

My phone buzzed again.

Ball Dribbler: SHOW ME.

Those two words made my fingers pause over the keys. If anybody else would’ve sent that…or if any other insanely attractive man in my contacts list would’ve sent that…I pressed my lips together and scanned the letters, trying to decipher the meaning.

Those weren’t butterflies in my stomach. I just hadn’t eaten in a while.

"What did he say?" Zariah’s words made me jump.

I pulled away from her, back towards a rack of jerseys. I had to say something. Because with those two words, Ryan Cross had effectively knocked me off my horse.

I held up my phone. "Want to watch me mess with him?"

"Huh?" I caught Zariah’s attention.

Kassie: Ur not supposed to send pics like that through text

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