Page 17 of Untouchable Player

“Uh Nate, I really appreciate you helping me out,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck.

I’m caught off-guard. He’s actually not acting like a cocky asshole. Huh.

“I have to warn you,” I tell him, “I don’t actually know anything about sport’s nutrition.”

“I know, I still appreciate it.” He slurs his words a little at the end of the sentence and as I’m about to tell him not to worry about it, he burps.

Harrison laughs and slaps him on the back and I swear to god Jesseblushes.

I can’t help but glance over every now and then while Katie drinks her second beer and gets flirted with by some guy in corduroys and wire-rimmed glasses taking about Dostoyevsky.Jesse only seems to be getting drunker, and louder. At one point, he picks one of the freshman players up and carries him around on his shoulders before nearly dropping him and I shake my head.Idiot.

I sip a 7-Up and keep checking the time.

When I turn around again, Katie is kissing corduroy guy. I text her, letting her know I’m leaving and go. If I’m quick, I could probably squeeze in a little more studying when I get home.

Jesse

I wake up with a killer hangover and something squashing my arm. When I open my eyes there’s a head of blonde hair draped over my pillow.Fuck. I can barely remember what happened last night. Now I have a girl in my bed whose name I definitely don’t remember.

I slip out of bed, and when I come back from the bathroom, the girl is awake and wearing my practise jersey.

“Hey,” she says, “I hope you don’t mind?”

My jersey iswaytoo big on her and it stops around her knees, the shoulders almost reaching her elbows. I laugh.

“What?” she asks.

“You look funny, that’s all.”

“Funny?” she pulls a face and I realise I’ve said something wrong. “I thought I looked sexy? Isn’t that what guys usually say when girls wear their jerseys?”

How many guys’ jerseys has she worn? Nope, none of my business.

“It’s just that it’s huge on you.”

She sighs and pulls it off over her head. She’s naked underneath and I know I should be wanting to climb back into bed with her, but I’m not in the mood.

I turn around while she looks for her clothes and debate whether to ask her if she wants to get coffee. She answers for me when she’s dressed and throwing me a casual ‘see you later’ as she heads for the door.

Good. I throw myself down on the bed and close my eyes, my head splitting. Why did I have to get so drunk last night?

Memories come flooding back. Chugging beers in the kitchen of that party with the guys. Making a dick of myself in front ofJones’ cute brother, who I’m going to have to see again when he tutors me in a subject he doesn’t even study. Talking to that girl, bringing her back here. Fuck I was so drunk, I hope she wasn’t. She seemed like she was ready for another round before I laughed at her in my jersey.Idiot.

I search the sheets for a used condom, anything to show that at least I was careful, and find one under the bed. At least I hope that’s only been there since last night.

I groan and throw myself back on the bed, wanting to hide under the covers, but Jones starts calling my name up the stairs.

I stumble out of my room like a bear with a sore head. Jones is grinning at the bottom of the stairs and looking like he didn’t even drink last night.

“We’re ordering pizza for breakfast, unless you wanna get your ass down here and cook us something.”

My stomach turns at the thought. “Order your pizza, I don’t want any.”

“You sure? You’ll want some when it turns up.”

I grunt in response and head back to my bedroom.

“Hey Engels, have fun last night?”

---