Page 10 of Caught Stealing

Like I was the dirt beneath his shoe. Or the scourge of the Earth. Both make me feel like there’s some other dynamic I’m missing between me and Phoenix, despite having never met the guy before tonight.

Except, for some reason, I feel like I know him. More than knowing he’s on the baseball team or having vaguely recognized him from studying at the townhouse with Theo, seeing as they’re teammates.

“I was upstairs,” Oakley says, eyes focused on the road.

“With the stoners?” I let out a low whistle. “Damn, Oakie. I’ve always said you needed to let off steam, but I didn’t mean like that.”

“I wasn’t getting high,” he snaps, shooting me a glare. “Especially after all the shit de Haas went through earlier this season.”

Yeah, getting pegged for drug use isn’t really Oakley’s style.

“Were you hooking up with someone, then?”

His eyes shift to me. “Yeah, Hold. I took a page straight from your playbook and let someone get on their knees for me in the upstairs bathroom with a bunch of other people right outside. Best blowjob of my life; the scent of weed and stale beer truly was the best kind of aphrodisiac. I get why you enjoy it now. Ten outta ten, highly recommend.”

I snort out a laugh and shake my head at the snarky bullshit that just left his mouth, knowing it’s for sure that—a bunch of bullshit.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” I muse. “I fuckin’ called it.”

Three

Holden

Monday morning comes far too quickly, and with it, another week of boring, monotonous classes we’re required to attend. Honestly, I wouldn’t have even bothered with college at all if it weren’t for football—which is about the only thing I actually give a shit about. And it shows when my grandmother harps on me about every chance she gets about dedicating more time to school than football—even all the way from California.

My phone vibrates in my palm as I cross the quad toward my history class, and when I check the display, I can’t help but laugh at the name of the person texting.

Gran: Don’t forget you need to pass your history exam this week to keep your playing eligibility this weekend.

A smile lifts the side of my mouth, and I shake my head. I swear, it’s like her ears start to ring whenever I think of her, let alone talk about her.

Me: Shouldn’t you be watching The Price Is Right instead of texting me?

Honestly, I’m not upset about her checking in on me. As my guardian after my parents passed, I’m sure it’s difficult for her to loosen the reins. Especially when I’m halfway across the country.

Gran: Don’t treat me like I’m some ancient, decrepit sack of bones. I can multitask.

Me: I wouldn’t want to take away your time with Drew.

Gran: And I wouldn’t want you to take too much time away from your studies.

I chuckle softly at her smooth redirection of the subject. She’s always been sly like that.

Me: I really shouldn’t have sent you the syllabus for all my classes.

Gran: Hindsight, my dear. Always 20/20.

Me: I’ve got it, I promise.

Gran: Good to hear it. I’d hate having to disown you for failing out of college.

I snort, knowing Hell would have to freeze over for either of those things to happen, and pocket my phone as I enter the auditorium.I’m only a few rows down the steps, ready to take my seat in yet another dreadfully boring lecture about the French Revolution,when I catch a familiar face in my periphery. One that, not more than seventy-two hours ago, could have buried me six feet deep with loathing alone.

It’s enough to have me sneaking a quick glimpse to confirm it’s him, and when I do, I find his dark eyes already staring at me.

How long has he been in this class?

He holds my gaze for a moment before breaking eye contact, opting to look back at his phone rather than give me another second of his attention. It’s a quick, meaningless interaction by any standard. Yet, after the major cock-blocking performance he did this weekend, it has a way of getting under my skin.

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