Page 2 of Keeping Score

“Must have slipped my mind,” I mutter as I turn back toward my brother and his friends, shooting him a look that I hope conveysfuck off.

“Don’t look at me like that!” Corv growls. All that earns him is a raised brow from me, prompting him to get to the point of his unwanted visit. “Fine. I came to see if you wanted to come to a party with us tonight?” The moment the words fly from my brother’s mouth, I feelhisgaze on me, burning a path down my body and bringing it to life like no other can.

“I do–”

Before I can finish declining his offer, Becca, Chelsea, Molly and Zara all agree on my behalf. It grates on my nerves but I don’t want to cause trouble on my first week here and alienate myself from the friends I’ve just made, all because they have the hots for my brother and his friends.

“Cool, well come round about eight and we’ll leave from ours,” Corvin states. I flick my gaze to Darius as I answer my brother.

“I thought nohoeswere allowed at your house?” Darius’s eyes spark with vexation telling me I just poked the bear. I feel the stares of the others on me but my focus is on the tall, dark, handsome man before me. It should scare the hell out of me but it doesn’t, all that look does is excite me.

“He didn–” Before Corv can finish speaking, Darius cuts in.

“It seems this hoe is exempt,” he snaps before storming off toward the gym. Beckett follows after him without saying a word. Corv sighs and shoots me a sad smile before racing off after his best friend. He has no idea what happened between me and Darius. Corvin just thinks Darius and I hate each other, that wasn’t always the case though.

“Don’t mind him, babe. He’s just pissed because he has blue balls,” Crue says as he shoots me a wink, then he and Saint follow after the others calling out that they’ll see me later. I can’t pull my eyes off Darius until he disappears inside the gym. How can somebody who used to make you feel like the center of their world change in an instant and make you feel like shit beneath their boots?

“Guurrrlll, we need the goss…” I tune out Becca and the others as they all harp on about what they are going to wear and who they plan to suck and fuck. I don’t plan on taking them with me. Katie and Cody are more than welcome because unlike the others, they aren’t panting like bitches in heat ready to get some meat between their legs.

When will women learn that desperation isn’t attractive?

The girls weren’t kidding. Mr. Thompson is an ass!

The asshole chewed me out because I wasn’t up tohislevel of where he says I should be. He didn’t even cut me some slack when Garrett, a friend of Katie’s that she introduced me to on my second day, tried to defend me. Instead of him listening to what Garrett and I were trying to tell him he ordered that Garrett be my tutor! Which is why I am now sitting in the library at five p.m. on a Friday night instead of being in my dorm getting ready to hang with my brother and friends.

“I know this must not be how you envisioned your Friday night.” I shake my head to clear my thoughts and smile sheepishly at Garrett. He has been nothing but helpful and I would even go as far as to say kind to me, when I have done nothing but be in a sour mood.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I guess I just didn’t expect my first Friday night here at CHU to be spent–”

“With me?” Guilt washes over me.

“That’s not what I meant.” He begins to pack up his books as he speaks.

“It’s okay, I get it. You probably have a boyfriend you have a date with and the last thing you want to be doing is staring at my ugly mug.” I balk at him, Garrett may be a lot of things but ugly sure as hell isn’t one of them. He has this whole football player cross surfer guy look going on. With blond hair with tinges of brown through it, shorter on the sides and long enough on the top for you to run your fingers through, and eyes that are filled with life and laughter. They are an odd color of blue, but with flecks of green throughout them. It doesn’t hurt that even through his shirt you can see he has a killer body. Reaching across the table I place my hand on top of his, halting his movements, his gaze cutting to mine immediately.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.” Some of the tension in his shoulders eases at my words. “No, I don’t have a boyfriend but I do have a brother and I promised him I would hang out with him and his friends tonight.” His face lights up and I cringe internally at the hopeful look in his eyes. I may be single but that doesn’t mean I am emotionally available. I haven’t been available to anyone in a really long time.

“Well in that case, let’s save studying for tomorrow?” A smile breaks out on my face as I eagerly nod and start to pack my things away. “We can do this test Mr. Thompson gave youtomorrow as well so then we can chill on Sunday and not have to worry until Tuesday.” I beam across the table at him.

“I knew I liked you!” I declare, a tinge of pink hits his cheeks and I have to duck my gaze, not wanting to see the look I know will be in his eyes. I don’t want to give him the wrong impression but I also don’t want to be presumptuous so I decide to leave things as they are and wave goodbye to him as I make my way back to my dorm to meet Katie and Cody. No sooner do I walk through the door and the girls are on me to hurry my ass up and shower so we can get ready, have some pre-drinks and head over to my brother’s place. We may be underage but this is college and who the hell doesn’t have a fake ID these days?

After showering and changing into a pair of denim cut offs, I pull on a camo, thin-strapped singlet that is longer in the back and short in the front, short enough to show off the bottom of my toned stomach. Years of dance have been so good to my body and that is the only reason I’m excited for tonight. I can’t wait to feel the music and dance to the beat. I slip my feet into my low cut Chucks, dab a bit of lip gloss on my full lips and apply a tiny bit of mascara that I know will make my green eyes pop. I give myself one last once-over in the mirror before deeming myself ready. One thought lingers in my head as I follow the girls out of our room and head for the lifts.

I wonder if Darius will be there?

Darius

Leaning against the counter, I watch as Leah shows her friends aroundmyfucking house like she has the right to! I have to bite my cheek to keep from lashing out at her. Corv lost his shit at me today in the gym. He went on a rant about how I have to let thisgrudgeI have against his sister go. Corvin thinks Leah and I stopped being friendly because she told her friends about my mom. That was a lie and the only one I could think of to throw him off track that his sister rocked my fucking world and then blew it apart. Aside from Corv and the guys, Leah was the best thing in my life until she fucking betrayed me!

I didn’t give her a reason why I ended things, I just ghosted her.

When Corv and me came back for Thanksgiving one year and she walked through the door with Gary Hayes, my hatred for her only intensified. She knew better than anyone that Gary is and always has been my arch enemy on and off the field. The bastardplays for the dolphins and we are set to play them for the first game of the season. We are the two top teams and they beat us last year in the finals.

“Glare any harder and your face will crack.” I turn to see Beck leaning against the wall opposite me. He has this look whenever he knows something he shouldn’t, and right now, he has that fucking look. “How long?”

“How long what?” I snap, He crosses his arms over his large chest and gives me a dry stare.

“How long have you and Corvin’s little sister been sleeping together?” I keep my face blank but inside I am a fucking mess. If Corvin ever found out about me and Leah he would kick my ass and I’d let him.

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