Page 4 of Shutout
It makes Dee laugh. “You’re such a little shit.”
“There are other ways you can show Dee how much you appreciate her accomplishments, though.” When Mina Lee smirks, you know trouble’s afoot. Dee and I exchange a glance that clearly meansuh oh. “Like for example, crashing a party with her. And me.”
“No, I have to study,” I chime right away.
But Dee’s confused. “Wait, what do you mean crash? We don’t have to crash our own victory party, you know?”
Mina leans forward, holding her weight on her arms as her hands dig into the mattress. “That’s because we’re not going to O’Malley’s like the team was saying. There’s a better place that would boost the Strikes’ morale even more, and as their alternate captain, you, Destiny Meyer, will help me steer them on the right path.”
“Oh, yeah?” Dee chuckles. “And where’s that?”
My eyebrows pinch but I’m not going to get into this. “Can you please take your mastermind self out of my room so I can get back to work?”
Mina’s sharp eyes glint with a victory she hasn’t yet attained, and she shares, “I just saw on Liam Roberts’ Instagram that there’s a party at the Bolt House tonight.”
“Didn’t they lose their game?” Dee asks, looking at me and I shrug like I didn’t check the results a few minutes ago. It’s not that I care about the team or the sport, but I haven’t broken the old habit.
“They did, indeed. And you know who won? The Strikes. So what celebration would be sweeter than rubbing our victory in their miserable faces?” Mina finishes her speech off with agotchaair that fools no one.
I blow a raspberry. “Admit it, you just wanna see if you can hook up with any of the Bolts.”
“It’s a scientific fact that people could do with a dopamine boost when they’re sad. And you know what releasesdopamine?” She folds her arms, her lips curving in that sneaky way of hers again. “The horizontal tango.”
I level her with a look. “I thought this was all about celebrating the Strikes moving on to the final four?”
“Oh, please.” Mina throws her hands in the air. “I was a good girl in coming to watch Dee’s game instead of the Bolts. Besides, you’re happily partnered up, don’t I deserver a bone?”
“A bone or to bone?” Dee guffaws at her own joke.
“Both!”
At this even I laugh. Mistake, because Mina immediately focuses on me. “Does this mean you’re in?”
“How in the hell does laughing at a raunchy joke mean I agree to this?”
“Well, do you have better plans?” she fires right back.
I stay silent for a brief moment that tells too much. Clearing my throat, I say, “Yes, I have a ton to study for my midterms.”
“Really? On a Saturday night? Shouldn’t you at least be boning your boyfriend?”
Heat explodes in my face. I’m not super comfortable with screaming into the four winds about what Trent and I do or don’t do in private. “I, um—anyway, he already had plans.”
The two of them do a double take at me. Then exchange a glance like I’m unable to discern that they’re dissing Trent in their minds.
“It’s not like that.” I huff and push up to sit on the edge of my bed. “He’s working on a group assignment.”
“Right.” Dee turns to Mina. “What was the excuse last time?”
Mina taps her chin. “Strep throat, I think.”
I get up from my bed and slash a glance over my shoulder. “What? It’s spreading like wildfire on campus.”
“Sure, but when was the last time you two went on a date?”Dee’s eyebrows rise. “Or put plainly, why didn’t you get strep throat from him?”
“We go on dates,” I say, boredom dripping from my voice as I pick my hair up in a high ponytail. “We have lunch when we can, and we do coursework at the library together, and?—”
Mina pins me with a wide-eyed stare. “But when was the last time you two had?—”
