Page 12 of Collide
A what? I look down at the flowers again and blink at her. But the sound of a creaking door makes both of us turn.
The girl stares wide-eyed. “Need some privacy?”
How many roommates does she have?
Summer snorts, then pushes me away to walk back to the couch. “No.”
Her roommate eyes me. “I’ve seen you before. Where?”
“Not sure, but I’m Aiden,” I extend my hand and her eyes widen before she takes it.
“Oh shit!” She beams. “You’re notorious in these dorms, Captain.”
“For good reason, I hope.”
“I’d say so.” She smiles, then turns to Summer, mouthing something that I don’t see.
Summer ignores it. “You’re free to go.” She dismisses me like I’m an annoying child.
I try again. “One chance.”
“No.”
What is it going to take? I’ve never had to fight this hard to keep a girl’s attention.Majority of the time, I don’t have to try at all.
“What did you do?” her friend asks.
“Amara,” Summer warns, and I watch them have a silent conversation. Amara purses her lips before eyeing me up and down, and then she opens the door with a sympathetic look.
When I don't move, there’s a small smile on her lips. “She said no, pretty boy.”
“Come on, Amara. Don’t you think I deserve one chance to fix my fuck-up?”
She twirls a braid around her finger, eyes settling on the flowers in my hand. “Whose funeral did you go to?”
I give her a strange look. “What?”
“You’re holding a mourning wreath. Like the ones at funerals,” she explains.
Now that I really look at it, I realize I’ve seen the wreath before. That explains all the looks and condolences I received on my way here. I try to recover. “I’m showing just how sorry I am.”
She chuckles, her expression contemplative. “You’ll need that when she’s done with you.” The ominous threat should have me walking out, but when she closes the door, triumph lifts my lips. “Good luck. I’m not getting in the middle of this,” she declares, walking back to her room.
Well, there goes my plan.
I turn to the fuming girl who’s typing intentionally loud on her laptop. Funeral flowers in hand, I approach her like a man would a lion. With a slow lift of her eyes, she watches me take her laptop and place it on the coffee table.
“Let me help you with the assignment.”
“I don’t need your help. I could easily walk over to the basketball team and get their captain.”
There’s no doubt about that, he would be all over her if she wanted him. My damage control is failing. “Anything you want. I’ll do it. Do you want rink side seats, or I can set you up with one of the guys? What about Eli? All the girls love Eli.”
Unimpressed, she folds her arms. “You think the equivalent of having you in my research is sitting rink side and a date with one of your teammates?”
I shrug innocently.
“I’ve never been to a Dalton hockey game and I’m not planning on going.”
