I hated him on sight.
I'm not a hateful person. In fact, I'm actually really friendly, but something about Jack Edwards rubbed me the wrong way, and has ever since I first saw him weeks ago.
Maybe it was the arrogant, smug smile on his face when girls eye him admiringly, or maybe it the was undressing with his eyes thing he did to said girls. Maybe it was the bragging, the I-don't-give-a-crap attitude or the knowledge he could get any girl on campus. Or, rather, any girl in the state.
Maybe it was because I was attracted to him when I most definitely did not want to be, combined with the fact he reminded me of everything I left at home in New York.
I shook those thoughts off and carried on looking around the room of the Sophmore house as if he didn't exist. It was hard to do - especially when he had three girls on his arm and other unmentionable body parts. Did I mention the guy is sinfully hot?
He had this messy, sun-kissed blonde hair with natural highlights that most girls would - and do - pay a fortune for. His eyes were so blue they were almost electric, and his skin was naturally tanned from the Texas sunshine. I was sure I didn't need to mention his perfectly lean, muscular body because, after all, this is California and surfing since you can walk was a requirement to life.
“Stop ogling him.” Kayle stepped up next to me and nudged my shoulder.
“That's about as likely as me doing a striptease for the whole house,” I replied
“Honey, I can name several guys that would not walk away from that.”
Carl winked at me across the bar in the kitchen and I sighed. “They can keep dreaming. Never gonna happen, Kayle.”
“Shame.” She grinned at me. “I can't say I'd walk away either.”
I shook my head, but I was smiling. Since the day Kayle walked into our dorm room weeks ago, she had been open about her sexuality. She was bisexual and didn't care who knew. I respected her from the second we met. Her openness was refreshing to me.
“You're incorrigible,” I mock scolded.
“Hey, if the shoe fits!” She winked and snapped her fingers towards Carl. “Drinks, mofo!”
“Wait your turn, ya pain,” he replied, pouring two vodka shots and handing them to someone at the end of the bar.
“I bet he'd jump to it if it was you askin',” she whispered not so quietly.
“Now you're talkin', Kayle!” Carl turned and hit me with his thousand-watt smile. “Would you like a drink, gorgeous girl?”
“I'm fine, thank you.” I smileed politely. “I'm sure Kayle will take one, though.”
“Bull. Shit.” Kayle leaned forward and slapped a hand on the bar surface. “Four vodka shots, Carl. Tonight I'm showing Miss Sandra how it's done.”
“Right on!” He turned and lineed up four shot glasses.
“Kayle,” I hiseds. “You know I don't drink!”
“Didn't,” she corrected. “Didn't drink. You do now.”
“Kayle.”
“Sandra,” she mimiced my tone of voice and accepted the glasses Carl slid to us. “One, two, bam. That's how we're doin' this, baby girl. No thinkin', no messin'. Down them both.”
“This is such a bad idea,” I muttered, picking up both glasses and peering at the strong smelling liquid. “If I vomit, you're cleaning it up.”
“Always.” She winked. “Ready? One, two, bam!”
Tip. Swallow. Tip. Swallow.
My throat burnt as the alcohol slid down it, and I patted my chest as if that'll stop the red hot feeling. Carl smirked at me.
“Thought you didn't drink?” he asked.
“I don't,” I replied, putting the glasses down.
“She's gonna be a hard one to crack.” Kayle wiped her chin. “Sure you haven't ever drank before, Sandra?”
I shrugged one shoulder, the lie falling easily from my lips. “Obviously I've drunk alcohol, just not enough to get me drunk.”
“This changes tonight!” Kayle banged the counter again. “Carl, six more shots.”
“Of?”
“Of whatever the fuck you wanna put in the glasses.”
“Make it twelve,” Leila said, sliding in next to me. “Three for me, three for Maggie when she gets here.”
“Twelve? How many glasses do you girls think I have?” Carl joked and opened another cupboard. There's a shelf of shot glasses neatly lined up.
“I'd hate to be whoever cleans those tomorrow,” I said.
“Jack.” Carl laughed. “I just get to serve them to your beautiful faces. Unlucky for him, but definitely lucky for me.” He leaned forward and placed three glasses in front of me with a smile that would melt any other girls heart. I raised an eyebrow and waited patiently as he handed everyone else their shots.
“Did I miss anything?” Maggie shuffled between me and Leila, her blonde hair bobbing as she bounced excitedly. “Ooh, so many shots? What's the occasion?”
“Sandra's getting drunk!” Kayle announced, lifting up the first glass.
“No way!” Maggie tilted her face towards me. “For real?”
“Apparently,” I replied dryly.
“Aw shucks, Sandra. It's fun!” She wiggled her body and Carl's eyes moved to her chest. Maggis's very well-endowed in the boob department and liked to let the world know.
“No more talkin'!” Leila huffed, picking up a glass. “One, two, three, bam?”
“Yah, duh!” Kayle laughed and picked up the second glass.
I took a deep breath and picked up two glasses. What the hell was wrong with me tonight? I didn't drink, at least, not like this. I couldn't be out of control.
“Bam!” Kayle shouted.
One. Two. Three. Fire.
Whee.
I blinked a few times and swallowed. “Holy sh-crap.”
“It's working,” Leila giggleed. “Sandra doesn't swear, ever!”
“I didn't swear,” I protested. “Crap is not a swear word.”
“Fine, you almost swore.” She rolled her dark, kohl-lined eyes. “I will have one naughty word out of those pretty pink lips before the night is up!”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
“I'd like a few things out of those pretty pink lips,” Carl commented, winking at me.
“Fuckin' pig!” Kayle punched his arm over the bar.
“Jesus, Kayle. Your fist made of fucking iron?” He rubbed his arm.
“For you, Carl honey, my fist can be whatever you want it to be.” She winked and stood up straight, grabbing my hand. “Come on, baby girl, we're goin' to shake our booties!”
I shot Leila a 'help me!' look and tugged on Maggie's shirt.
Woah, okay, I'm comin'!” She turned and dragged Leila along too.
The front room was crowded. Music pumped from speakers and bodies grinded in the middle of the floor. A couple was making out on the sofa and – oh my god. Nope, thatwas definitely gone past making out.
I looked away and allowed the girls to drag me into the writhing mass of people. The alcohol was spreading through my body, and I relaxed a little, knowing I was done for the night on the alcohol side. No point pushing my luck.
Maggie grabbed one of my hands and urged me to dance, to let go. Crazy. That was what this was. Drinking and now dancing. These girls were ruining me.
“Lighten up, baby girl!” Kayle shouted. “Mr Jack himself is watchin' your sexy little body!”
Fantastic. Just what I wanted – to be the next on his to-do list. The next on a very, very long list.
“He can keep looking,” I replied, seeing him watching from the corner of the room. “Looking is as close as he's gonna get.” I turned my back to him, and Leila shook her dark hair out, moving towards me.
“Someone needs to take his ass down a peg or two,” she said. “Lord knows he hit every branch on the way down the beautiful tree, but he's sure perched at the top of the ego one.”
“Right,” Maggies agreed. “But he's always been like that. That's just Jack.”
Maggie and Jack both come from the same town and from what she's said, their parents were quite close so they grew up together. Besides us, she was about the only girl at the party that wasn't falling at his feet.
“You know what?” Kayle said. We glanced over at him and another blonde was wrapped around him.
“What?” I said and turned away from him with a look of disgust on my face.
“That boy needs to know what it's like to do what he does. What it's like to be humped and dumped.”
All eyes turned to me. I shook my head, stepping back. “Oh, no. No, no, no way!” I turned and left the room, pushing my way through the kitchen to the yard, all three girls on my heels.
“Sandra, it'll be fun!” Leila took my hands and bounced. “Come on!”
“Um.” Maggie looked at the house then at me. “I guess it wouldn't hurt.”
“No.” I shook my head again.
“You only have to hump him once,” Kayle reasoned. “Besides, he's not exactly bad to look at, is he? I could imagine smacking that ass.”
“Then you do it!”
“Oh, no.” Maggie sighed. “She can't. Kayle might be bi but everyone knows she prefers girls, so he won't go there. Leila has a boyfriend who happens to be his friend, and I grew up with him. He's like my brother or something. You're the only one that can do it.”
“I don't understand what we'll get out of this.” I looked at each of them.
“Satisfaction of knowing the guy finally wanted what he couldn't have,” Kayle shrugged. “Come on, Sandra. It'll take two weeks, three, tops.”
“A month maybe,” Maggie added. “After that, he'll get bored and give in or he'll be in love with you. He's always watching you, Sandra. Even in class when you think he isn't. And he refuses to talk about you to me, so I know he's attracted to you. Usually he gives me a play-by-play over his weekend conquests.”
“Plus Maggie knows how his mind works,” Leila said. “So we have that advantage.”
“You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?” I sighed and raked my fingers through my hair.
“Nope.” Kay shook her head.
“Oh, hell. I have a feeling I'm gonna regret this.”
“Sandra Edwards. Your mission, should you choose to accept it.” She grinned and placed her hand out. Leila and Maggies put theirs on top of hers. “Is to play the player at his own game. Do you accept?”
I inhaled deeply, every bit of my mind screaming at me to say no and run. Play the player. The guy I hated because he embodied everything I wanted to leave behind when I left New York.
Instead of running, I place my hand on the pile in front of me.
JACKI have no fucking idea who this chick is who's hanging onto my arm. I'm pretty sure I've never seen her in my life, but she's kinda hot with nice tits so I guess she can stay for a bit. She's not hot enough to bang though, so she won't be around for that long.Blondie pressed her lips against my ear, and I hid my cringe by looking around the house. My eyes found Sandra Edwards – Princess of University of California, Berkeley.She was sitting at the bar with that bi girl. Shit, what's her name? Oh, never mind. Maggie and Leila are sitting with her, and I watched as they knocked back shot after shot of whatever it was Carl was throwing down their throats tonight. She shook out her auburn hair and the bi one dragged her up.My eyes swept her body, and I was vaguely aware Blondie was now sitting on my lap. Two hard globes pressed against my chest, and I knew instantly she's got fake tits. They were way too good to be true.Maggie took Sandra's hand, and she smiled, almost shyly. She
SANDRAI rolled over, wincing at the light coming in through the curtains. How much did I drink last night? Too much, clearly.“Good morning, sunshine!” Kayle shouted and kicked the dorm room door shut.“Nope, not over here.” I buried back under my covers.“I have coffee and muffins!” She pulled the covers down and I groaned, opening my eyes.“Why? Why?”“Why what?”“Why do I feel like I just got run over by a herd of wildebeest?”“One, I have no idea what a wilder beast is, and two, it's called a hangover.” Kayle held out a Starbucks take-out cup and my favorite blueberry muffin.I sat up and took them from her. “Thank you. Why are you not feeling this way?”“I'm one of the lucky ones.” She snickered and chucked herself on her bed. “I don't get hangovers. You, however, do, it seems. Maggie is the same. She'd usually be in bed all day.”“Sounds good to me.” I took a sip of the coffee.“But not today,” she sang. “Today we're getting down to business.”“Down to business?”She raised her
JACKI rubbed my face with the bottom of my shirt. The high fall temperatures weren't football-playing weather for most of the guys in the house, even I struggled sometimes and I've played it since I could throw the damn ball.“Break,” Tim called. “Please?”I shook my head. “You're a fuckin' wimp, Tim.”“Sorry, I'm from France and not used to these desert temperatures.”“We don't live in the desert, idiot.” Carl slapped the back of his head and we headed back to where all the girlfriends – and Sandra – were sitting.“Fuckin' may as well be,” Tim grumbled. I shook my head, grabbed a bottle of water and headed over to Maggie and the girls with Josh.''Ladies.'' I smiled at Sandra, and she smirked.“Turn down the charm, Casanova.” Maggie laughed and tugged me to sit. “No one here is interested.”“Except me.” I winked at Sandra.“Yes, Jack, we all know about your vested interest in yourself,” Leila said and rolled her eyes.“Josh, control your girl,” I joked.“Watch it, Clove,” Leila ret
SANDRAI detoured to the dorm room after my morning class. I shut the door behind me loudly and leaned against it, shaking my head.I was about to go on a date with Jack Clove, resident playboy, all because of a stupid dare. But is it the dare that's stupid, or me for agreeing to it?I think I'm voting for both.I ran my brush through my hair and touched up my make-up, glancing at the sheet on the wall. Stage One, Attachment. Today's goal was to leave him wanting a little more, to make him come back tomorrow. I sighed and left the room, running down the stairs and out into the sunshine. My floaty skirt swished as I walked towards the campus Starbucks, butterflies going crazy in my stomach. Why do I have butterflies? I hate this guy. It's not even a real date.That thought didn't stop the extra loud beat of my heart when I saw him. He was leaning against the wall outside, headphones in, and his head was bobbing to whatever he was listening to. His hands were in the pockets of his slim
I watched her all through class. Make me wait? I didn't do fucking waiting, but here I was.Waiting.I shook my head at my thoughts and tried to focus on the lesson but it was impossible. The girl Iwas supposed to be making fall in love with me was calling the shots. I guess that's what happens when you fuck up the first date, right?Fucking hell. This was a mess already, and it was only day two. And where the hell was I supposed to take her for a second date?Class ended, and I followed Sandra and Maggie out. I tugged on Maggie's hair as I passed her and brushed my fingers down Sandra's arm. She glanced up at me and smiled. I winked at her and walked in the opposite direction, back towards the sophmore house.Josh was sitting on the sofa with his feet up when I got there.“How'd it go?”“I fucked up, naturally.” I chucked myself next to him. “I have no fuckin' clue about this dating shit, man. I can't believe you're making me do this.”“I'm not making you do anything,” he replied. “Y
I knocked on Leila and Maggie's door before pushing it open. Both of them were stretched out on their beds doing schoolwork, and I dropped myself on the floor between them, letting the door shut itself.“Where's Kayle?” Leila asked, glancing at me.“She's, um, entertaining.”“Oh.” Her mouth dropped open slightly.“Yes. Oh.”“Who this time?” Maggie rolled over.“Darla somebody.” I shrugged. “I have no idea, and I'd rather not know to be honest. It's not like I'll see her again.”She nodded. “Mhmm. Heard from Jack?”“Why would I have? He doesn't have my cell number.”“Why not?” Leila smiled.“Because I'm holding out on him.”“Because he fucked up the first date, asked her for a second, and she hasn't answered him yet,” Maggie clarified.“You didn't?” Leila exclaimed. “Oh, nice one, Sandy. That's definitely gonna keep him coming back.”“It's not about that.” I picked at some lint on my jeans. “I see the way he walks all over girls, and it makes me sick. I won't be like that, running and
I was pretty sure dating wasn't supposed to be this fucking hard. A simple yes or no answer would do. All this waiting was driving me up a damn wall. So why was I waiting outside her dorm block for her?Because it was Wednesday, two days after our first “date” and two days before our second “date”. In which I would miss my own damn party for her.The door opened, and Kayle stepped in front of me.“Any reason you're stalkin' my dorm, Jack Cole?” She placed a hand on her hip and looked me over.“Sandra around?”“You could call and ask that, you know. Lurking outside girls' dorms isn't a good look for you.”I clenched my teeth. “Just answer the fucking question, Kayle.”“Yes.” She rolled her eyes. “She has class in half an hour.”“Any chance you could call her down, like now?”She sighed and pulled her cell out. She held a button and placed it to her ear. “You have a stalker down here.”She hung up and stormed past me.“Thanks, Kay!” I called after her and she flipped me off. Bitch.I ra
I stared at my phone in disbelief. I lefted New York six weeks ago and now, only now, has my brother, Patrick, remembered me. This text message was the first time we've spoken since I came to Berkeley. Well, the first time he's spoken. I sent a text message when I got here to let him know I was safe, and then that was it. Until today.I looked again at my phone. I didn't know why I expected any different from him. He would only get in contact if and when he wanted something. And like usual, it was money. I didn't want to know what he wanted it for, but judging by the fact he was asked for eight hundred dollars, I'd say it was rent. All because his arrogant, selfish ass couldn't hold down a job long enough to support our suicidal father.I rubbed my forehead and tried to block out the memories, telling Patrick I'll call up the bank and wire the money to Dad's account. Not that it made a difference. he will use it on what he wants anyway, thinking of Dad second.A wave of guilt crashed