Page 83 of The Friend Zone

“Like people do with the height of their kids?” Ryker snorts.

I nod. “Exactly like that, but with dicks.”

Bay leans forward to read the entries scrawled on the wall, behind Topher’s portrait. “Cash Hanbury, eight inches and a half. Hmm, Lake’s a lucky girl.” She giggles. “Tucker Prescott, seven inches. Cole Marshall, nine inches. Ah there you are too, Jagger. Jagger Connelly, eight inches and three quarters.”

She turns to look at me, her eyes descending all the way down to my crotch without an ounce of shame. Her lips curl up in a little smile, as if she was in on some joke I’m not privy to. I bristle.

“What? You don’t think that’s accurate?” I say, feeling heat rise to my face. For fuck’s sake I’m not the kind of guy who blushes, this is some bullshit.

Bay’s smile widens as she crosses her arms over her chest, looking at me up and down in an appraising way. “I didn’t say that. First off, girth matters more than length, if you ask me. Also those are obviously measurements taken on hard dicks. Do I even wanna know? Did you guys do one of those circle jerks?”

I shake my head, laughing because I would have never thought I’d hear the words circle and jerk come out of Bay’s mouth one after the other.

“Not exactly.” I scowl. “Trust me you don’t want to know.”

Curiosity shines in Bay’s blue eyes. “I kinda do, actually. Hazing is strictly prohibited at Star Cove College and a ranking system based on dick size sounds pretty questionable to me. Maybe we don’t even need to find that video. We could takepictures of this chart and show it to the Dean. If it was Topher’s idea, he could get kicked out of Gamma Delta Tau for this.”

Ryker intervenes before I have the chance to say anything. “True. But if we got him kicked out, don’t you think he’d release that video as retaliation?”

Bay’s smile fades. “He would, you’re right. Even though he might be too embarrassed to do it.”

“Why?” I ask.

Bay points at one of the entries.Topher Mumford, eightinches. “That’s a lie. Topher’s lucky to sport five inches on a good night and when it comes to girth? Total pencil dick.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Go figure. He’s a classic case of small man syndrome.”

Ryker shakes his head. “This is fucked up. The athletic department went to great lengths to ensure more privacy in the locker rooms to avoid this kind of hazing.”

Bay and I snort at the same time at Ryker’s pun.

“Great lengths?” Bay giggles. “Awesome pun, sweetie. Obviously though, not in Topher’s case.”

Ryker stares at the chart on the wall as if it was personally offensive to him. “I just think this kind of thing is bullshit, that’s all. Some men are more growers than showers. I’m glad I quit this fraternity crap last year. It never caused anything but trouble for me. And that was without being measured like I’m some kind of show animal.”

Bay’s gaze softens. “You’re right. It’s all in questionable taste. Especially since Topher is blatantly lying about his own measurements.” She touches his bicep when he rolls his eyes. “Look, I’m not going to lie. Size matters. But just so you know, I might not have your measurements, but you’re totally on par with Jagger and Cole. So you have nothing to worry about. Besides you definitely know what to do with what you have, something that Topher has never bothered to learn. He’s justthe wham bam thank you ma’am type and if his partner doesn’t enjoy it, he blames it on her.”

Fuck, I couldn’t hate Topher more than I already do. “Nova,” she looks me straight in the eye when I use the little name I gave her when she was in my bed, getting off like a cosmic explosion. “I’m sorry that dipshit made you feel like there was something wrong with you. You know I meant it when I said that you’re perfect, right? If anyone has something to be ashamed about it’s Topher. Not you. Never you.”

I said what was in my heart, but I never expected the effect my words would have on Bay.

“Thank you. I was convinced I was broken for the longest time. Until you.” Her gaze softens. “How did we get to this point, Jagger? We were having such a good time. I… trusted you.”

Jesus.

I already knew how I felt about Bay. But in this moment it hits me square in the chest. I’m in love with this woman. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to earn back her trust and her forgiveness. Even if it scares the fuck out of me. Even if it could hurt like a motherfucker.

“I fucked up.” I admit again. “And I don’t know if I can show you that I made a stupid mistake, but you can trust me. I don’t think we should leak this chart.”

Bay sighs. “You’re probably right. If we do and Topher suffers because of it, he’ll definitely release your video.”

That isn’t the point. “It isn’t just because of that, Nova. It’s because it isn’t just me in that chart. It’s every brother that has lived in the house under Topher’s presidency. Those guys don’t deserve to have such an intimate detail outed to the world.”

The flash of respect in Bay’s eyes gives me courage and the hope that maybe not everything is lost.

I just have to trust her, like Ryker said I should.

“I don’t think we’re going to find that video. Wherever Topher put it, it must be out of our reach. Who knows, maybe he’s even bluffing about having it in first place, even though I don’t think he is.”

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