Page 24 of Crimson Promises
Connor raised his eyebrows. “That’s what you call being rusty?”
Next up, it was Riley and Derek’s turn. Both of them went for routine shots. Both made it in.
We went back and forth, Connor trying to earn the crowd’s adoration with risky shots, Riley and Derek sticking to safe, standard throws. I landed somewhere in the middle.
I should be above this crap. I knew I should. But I wanted to show cracks in Angelfucker’sfacade.
We reconfigured our last four cups into a diamond. The ball bounced back and forth between the two teams, no one missing a shot. The backyard was ensconced in a bubble of silence except for the wooden planks that creaked under our movements.
Connor did a crazy move where he did a handstand with the ping pong ball in his mouth; then just as he popped up, he lobbed the ball into the back cup. He sunk his in.
It all came down to a final shot. I was up next.
There was not one ounce of me that felt guilty for using my angelic nature to my advantage.All is fair in love and war, right?I had learned the utter horror of truth that came with that statement. And a little revenge against pretty boy wouldn’t hurt my mood for the rest of the evening, either.
I stripped down the pizzazz and flicked my wrist. The ball flew towards the cup in a perfect arch; it sank in effortlessly. Sprinkles of beer surrounded the cup from the splash. Connor bear hugged me from behind.
Derek sent his in. It all came down to Riley’s shot. If he missed, we won. If he got it in, we would have to go to sudden death.
A jock to his core, Riley approached the table with a strut. He turned his back to the table squatted, and as if he was recreating a football play. He snaps the ball to the other end while calling “hut-hut”. The crowd was hushed. As if it moved in slow motion, the ball hit the back rim of the only standing cup and then rolled off the table. Elation surged through me.
Angelfuckerlost.
He made direct eye contact with me, and I smirked.
Connor climbed me like a tree. I couldn’t help but laugh. This guy could grow on you, literally. Once I was able to push him off, we simultaneously pumped our fists in the air.
Riley and Derek scurried off with their tails between their legs.What does Aurora think of him now?
I searched the faces of the crowd, but hers wasn’t there. A bitter taste worked its way up the back of my throat. The win didn’t seem so sweet anymore.
I turned to Connor. “I’m going to head out, man. Thanks for giving me a shot.”
“Brooo, you can’t leave now.” He gestured to the group of ladies that hung by the balcony. No longer were they directing their attention to the football heroes. “We havegroupies,” he whispered.
“They are all yours.”
“Alright, alright.” He looked me up and down. “You’re fine folk, Ben. It was a privilege kicking those jocks’ asses and teaching them a lesson. All those guys run around campus thinking their shit don’t stink, if you know what I mean.” He grasped my forearm. “Anytime you want to annihilate at beer pong again, you say the word.”
“Will do.” I gave him a clap on the back and headed down the deck’s stairs. Tonight had gone much differently than I had anticipated. Again, I got distracted from what I should be doing. Got caught offguard by emotions I’ve been having difficulty keeping at bay over the last week. A foreign feeling that slithered under my skin. It made me vulnerable, and I had no space for my defenses to be lowered. That was when predators felt it was best poised for them to attack.
* * *
I needed to check on Aurora. Taking a moment to close my eyes, I looked within myself, to the place buried deep to search for the bond. Again, like an invisible string, it seemed to tie us together. It pulled me down a concrete stone path that seemed to go on forever. Black miniature lanterns lined the route. Some were kicked over or dented, only a select few remained whole. The recklessness of the frat house didn’t discriminate against any objects. It ended up in a courtyard. On the outer rim, other stone paths connected from Greek row to the tiny garden.
As I headed closer to the center, a withered gazebo was set in the middle, and six-foot hedges surrounded it like a cocoon. Hushed noises were emanating from the interior. Two heartbeats. The bond slacked; I knew she was here. I hoped Aurora didn’t twist her ankle on the rickety steps of the run-down pavilion.Maybe she finally made a friend?The noises came from two bodies fused together.
A flash of blonde hair sent a rush of blood pounding in my ears. There I was, standing in the middle of the path like an idiot. I backed up. She didn’t need me to watch over her tonight. Clearly, she was well taken care of with Angelfucker’stongue down her throat. Heading towards the safety of the hedge’s shadow, I accidentally snapped a twig and then lunged into the darkness.
Riley’s head snapped up, scoping, searching for any hazards in the night.
I could hear Aurora’s breathy answer. “What’s wrong?”
He kept his gaze focused on the line of trees ahead of him.
She tried to turn her head to see what he was staring at, but he drew her face back in his hands. “Thought I heard something. It’s most likely noises from the party or some animal scurrying around trying to grab some food.” He lightly brushed his lips against hers. “Now, where were we?”
Listening to that created a renewed sort of torture.
