Page 11 of Playing By Their Rules

“Is everything okay with us?” she asks quietly.

“Yeah, of course,” I say. “Um, why?”

“I don’t know.” She shakes her head. “It just seems like you’ve been pulling away a little. I don’t want to be a burden or anything, or hold you back. It’s just, we’re sisters and you’re the only family I have.”

“Ohhh,” I say, and hurry forward to hug her. “I’m sorry I’ve been distant the past few days. I’ve just been making a lot of life decisions, and it’s stressful.”

I don’t correct her on the “sister” thing. We lived in the same foster home for about seven months before graduating and aging out of the system. She considers us sisters, but I never truly have. I do consider her family in a way, but “sister” has always seemed too strong for what I feel we have.

“That’s the thing.” Her mouth screws up to the side in a thoughtful pout. “Usually I’m part of those life decisions. Usually we’re making them together.”

I hug her again. “It’s probably scary, but you realize at some point we’re going to have to, you know, live our own lives, right?”

“Of course.” She hugs me back. “Of course.”

“Okay, let’s get out of here and get a bite to eat.”

As we leave, my gaze catches on one of the professors’ office doors, and my mind goes back to my bonkers idea. I’ll have to get Bradley alone to talk to him about it, because it’s his help I’ll need.

* * *

Maisie

“You’re sure you want to do this?” Bradley asks as we walk down the mostly empty corridor of Gladius Hall, where most of the psych courses and professor offices are located. Two days have passed since that first day of classes. The night clings to the late summer heat. “I know you have a wild streak, but this is a little on the crazy side, even for you.”

“A wild streak?” I wrinkle my nose at him.

“My dude.” He gives me a stare. “You go to parties, you drink, you flirt, you tease. You never get drunk, but you always skirt right along the edge of it. I know you’re saving yourself for these professors who probably don’t deserve you, but for fuck’s sake you push right up to the edge of the line with everyone.”

“Shh, don’t talk about the professors…I don’t want—”

“Mina isn’t around. Calm down.”

Bradley is puzzled by my strange need to keep Mina in the dark about my crushes. But the thing with Mina is that even in high school, she started liking whatever guy I had my eye on. I want Chance and Ethan to be kept far from her attention. They’re mine. Which is stupid—they aren’t really mine and they’ve probably spanked and fucked a thousand women in the past five years. I don’t like the thought of that, but it’s life. Even so, I don’t want Mina going after them.

“Really, though,” Bradley says. “You’re sure about this?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” My need for vengeance, my need for another chance are equal, and equally strong. “Are you sure? It’s a big ask.”

“Pretending to have sex with my hot bestie isn’t that big of an ask,” he says. “And the offer stands if you want to really do it.”

“Tempting.” I shove his shoulder with my own, which sends me careening in the opposite direction while he doesn’t budge.

And it is tempting. Bradley could be a younger body double for the guy who plays the time-traveling hero in Academy of Ghosts. Dark auburn hair, a fantastic build from all the sports he plays. I get more than a few “way-to-go” glances from strangers whenever I’m out with him. Also, everyone already thinks we’re friends-with-benefits, so this evening’s planned escapade won’t do damage to either of our reputations or relationships if the wrong person catches us.

We pass Chance’s office. A faint light shines through the crack in the door. His office hours just ended, and he’s still here, just as I’d hoped.

The door next to his leads to an empty classroom, and the door is unlocked.

“Here we go,” I say, ducking into the classroom and grabbing Bradley’s arm to bring him with me.

The room is dark. The only windows are very high on the walls, so I don’t have to worry about anyone peering in from that direction. Empty tables sit in long lines going across the room. This is a much smaller classroom than the lecture halls, more in line with where I’d take a more intimate, upper-level course.

If I were going to have an evening rendezvous quickie with some rando, I’d do it somewhere like here, probably. Maybe. Okay, probably not. But what do I know about rendezvous, anyway?

We walk to the side of the room that borders Chance’s office. Professor Wexton. During class, he was all approachable and full of self-deprecating humor, faint smiles. His dark hair and eyes give him a soulful, intense look, but it clashes with his light personality. The edginess started to come out that night five years ago, as soon as we were locked in the hotel room with Ethan.

I wonder which side of him will win out tonight, if either.

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