Page 11 of Weak Side

“Right. Well, his name is Theo. He plays hockey. We’ve already talked to the dean, and there isn’t anywhere else open, so I’m kind of stuck.”

Unless…

He blew out a breath, trying to figure out a solution. “I’d offer for you to move in, but I can't be distracted with it being my senior y—”

Checking out of the conversation, I moved my gaze past Chad and settled on the doors to my dorm room and froze at the sight of Theo standing against the railing of the stairs with his black hoodie pulled up over his beanie, staring directly at me. His expression was hard to read, but I had a feeling he was trying to figure me out, and I couldn’t blame him. He was going to be living with me, and I was pretty certain he had heard part of the phone conversation I’d had with Taytum after the meeting with the dean—you know, the one where I was openly referring to my mother and how she attempted to seduce a marriedman to pay for my tuition.

My face burned at the thought, and I quickly looked away from Theo and straightened my shoulders as I checked back into the conversation with Chad.

“So, yeah. Anyway, I have to go.”

“What?” I asked, confused. “Where are you going?”

“I just told you,” he scoffed, acting as if I were stupid, but to his point, I did just completely blank out our conversation. “I have to go get things ready for my classes next week.”

I slowly blinked, still confused. “It’s a Friday night, though. You have all weekend to get prepared for next week.” Shaking my head, I changed directions and faked a smile. “Never mind. I know how you are. Call me later? I guess I’m gonna carry the rest of my boxes in and get settled too.”

“Sure, baby.” Chad leaned in, not bothering to take the heavy box from my hands, and pecked me on the lips. Before he climbed into his BMW, leaving me standing alone in the student parking lot, he shot me a look that made him identical to his father. “Make sure he knows you’re not single.”

And there it is.

“No need to be insecure, Chad. You know you can trust me.”

His forehead furrowed. “I’m not being insecure. I’ll see you later.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but he disappeared in his car and slammed the door before speeding away angrily, as if I had done something wrong.

Blowing out a breath, I stepped forward and began walking to the doors, hoping Theo was no longer standing there watching me. My eyes stayed trained to the black pavement beneath my feet, and the second I took the first step, a heavy presence made itself known. The box was nearly jerked out of my hands. Theo’s finger brushed over mine, and it stole every bit of my attention.

“So that’s why you were so adamant that you wouldn’t be a distraction to me.”

I pulled the box back from Theo’s steady grip and peered up at him. He was even taller, standing on the top step, and I ignored the touch of his hand against mine as he slipped his grip from the box. “What are you referring to?”

Theo leaned back against the railing and crossed his arms over his chest. His Adam's apple bobbed as he angled his chiseled chin to the parking lot behind me. “You have a boyfriend.”

I shrugged. “That’s not why I said I wouldn’t be a distraction.” I began climbing the stairs, quickly moving past him. “Jocks really aren’t my type.”

Theo opened the door, and I walked inside, not bothering to say thank you because it felt like a surrender of some sort. I was generally a nice person, but Theo’s presence irritated me. Maybe it was the fact that he was a jock, or maybe it was the fact that he oozed arrogance and turned heads every three seconds. The short walk to the second floor was like we were being followed by paparazzi. There was no doubt in my mind that I would be featured in the school newspaper by tomorrow morning.The Bex Daily News: Popular hockey star, Theo Brooks, was seen walking with the poor girl whose mother tried seducing the dean for tuition money.

When Theo and I reached the top of the stairs and began walking down the hall, he tried grabbing the box from my hands again, but I quickly pulled it back. A chuckle rumbled from his chest. “I’m not trying to steal your box, Bryant. I’m just trying to help you.”

“I don’t need help,” I snapped. He stopped walking for a brief second, and I instantly felt guilty for being rude. Hewasmy roommate, after all. I softened my tone. “But thanks.”

Theo walked ahead of me and opened our door, and I shuffled in after him, feeling the air stiffen with an awkwardness so cold I got a chill. The lamp on his desk was still on, and when I dropped my box to the floor, I turned around to grab the rest of my things but nearly choked at the sight of Theo leaning against his desk casually with his hands in his pockets. He watched me for a second that seemed to drag on for eons before I placed my hands on my hips and asked, “What?”

“Does your boyfriend live on campus?”

I wasn’t sure why that mattered, but I shook my head no anyway.

“So, he lives in an apartment?”

“Yeah…so?” I slowly walked to the door, wondering how the hell I was going to live with this guy when just a single look from him made me feelseen.I didn’t like his attention on me because it wasn't brief by any means. His eyes lingered.

When I peeked over my shoulder at him, he had his hand on his chin, as if he were lost in thought. My blood rushed with his next question. “Why don’t you just live with him? It’s apparent he doesn’t enjoy the idea of you living with me.”

“How is that apparent?” Annoyance began to simmer as I turned and faced him.

“I heard what he said to you.” He shrugged as he bent down and grabbed his gym bag that was near the foot of his desk. “He wants me to know you’re not single.” Theo wasn’t looking at me as he said the next words, but I knew that he was skeptical. “Just seems weird to me. How long have you two been together?”

---