Page 24 of Wild Hearts

CHAPTER TEN

Brady

“EARTH TO BRADY!” Iblink as Jordan waves his hand in front of my face. “What’s with you, man? You’ve been in ‘la la land’ for the last two weeks.”

It’s the last week of February and summer is slowly coming to an end. There’s only one week before uni officially starts and we’re on campus, collecting our books and signing up for Orientation Week activities. He drags me over to the social activities booth, but a certain blonde catches my eye across the quad.

I swallow, quickly tearing my gaze away from Wren before I get busted staring at her. God, she looks so damn good in those denim cut-offs. Running my hand over my face, I stare at the table in front of me trying to focus. There’re trivia nights, bogan bingo, beer pong tournaments, mystery bus pub crawls – Jordan grins as he signs us both up for the last two.

“Seriously, J?” I roll my eyes.

He shrugs. “Well, we’re certainly not gonna be hooking up at a trivia night, and I’m not dressing up as a bogan.”

I groan. I’m not planning on hooking up withanyone- unless her name is Wren, but I have a feeling that neither of the activities he picked will be on her list of things to do. It didn’t escape my attention that she wasn’t drinking at Jordan’s party and I wonder what’s going on with her, but given our awkward encounters lately, I’m likely the last person she’ll confide in.

I let out a sigh. “C’mon man. Aren’t you sick of all these pointless hook-ups? Don’t you want something... more?”

His forehead crinkles. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. Something... steady?”

Jordan barks out a laugh, clapping me on the back and leading me in the opposite direction from Wren. He shakes his head. “You’re a real crack up, Willis. We’re twenty years old – way too young for all that.”

I roll my eyes again. “I didn’t know there was an age requirement.”

Jordan stops abruptly, turning to face me. “Seriously, Brady. Whatisup with you? You’ve been wound up tighter than a fucking spring since...” His eyes widen as he finally puts two and two together. “Oh shit. You and Wren.” His face breaks into a shit-eating grin. “So, how long have you two been... you know?” He wiggles his eyebrows.

“We’re not. It’s...” I shake my head and shove past him, desperate to be out of this situation.

“Hey, hey, hey. Brady, wait.” Jordan jogs to catch up to me. “When did this all come about?”

I take a deep breath before answering him. “A couple of weeks before the bonfire last summer.”

“Wait... She’s the ice-cream shop girl?”

“Uh...”Shit.I realise there’s no point in denying it, so I nod. “Yeah, she is.”

“Huh.” He studies my face. “You really like her?”

I give another clipped nod before dropping down onto a bench outside the cafeteria. With my head in my hands, it’s easier to admit to him just how far gone I am for my sister’s best friend. “I – yeah, I do.”

He drops down next to me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I shrug.

“So, what happened? Clearly something went on between the two of you, or you wouldn’t be acting like a fucking hangdog.” I lift my head and narrow my eyes at him. He raises his hands. “Sorry, man, but have a look at yourself.”

With a sigh, I glance across the quad, my eyes knowing exactly where to find Wren standing in a group with Ivy, Lachy, and Harley. “It’s a long story.”

Jordan follows my gaze. “Why don’t you just grow a pair and tell her how you feel?”

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