“Do you want to hang out with us at the party? Colton said the cheer squad is invited.”
“Nah, I’m good. Probably going to visit my parents first and will be by later.”
“I’ll wait up for you. It’s no problem,” she says in a sultry voice.
Gloria just wants to be seen with me and after a couple of drinks, wants to fuck. I’m not into her and don’t feel like having meaningless sex with anyone. After getting tested, I haven’t had sex in three months and it's usually someone no one knows.
In my peripheral, I notice Khalani, Lucy, and Linda stepping down the bleachers and walking this way. Lucy is wearing tight jeans that mold to her body flawlessly with a crop top and designer sneakers. Her curves are on display, making my cock hard. Gloria’s eyes widen when she sees Linda in her khakis and tattoos, just like Khalani. Linda smirks and tilts her head in a challenge, sizing up Gloria and her friend.
“Khalani, I know you’re married to Aiden, but did you have to bring the trash from the east with you?” Gloria snips.
“Who the fuck are you calling trash, bitch?” Linda hisses.
Lucy chuckles when Gloria’s face hardens. “Don’t worry, Linda,” she says. “Gloria and her friend Josie are just the school skanks, hoping to get on their knees like they always do.” Her gaze snaps to mine. “Isn’t that right, Mason?”
She looks down at Gloria’s knees, like she is inspecting them. The warm wind picks up, whipping Lucy’s hair, and I can smell her strawberry scent.
I shrug. “I wouldn’t know.”
“That’s not what you said the last time you pulled my hair,” Gloria says with a wink.
Lying bitch. I never pulled her hair.
Colton walks up after running around and acting foolish, cheering that we won. “What’s up, ladies?”
“Hi, Colton,” Josie purrs.
Linda rolls her eyes and I notice she is bothered. Hmm, interesting.
“Hey,” he says dryly, the laughter in his expression dwindling. He swallows and pushes me playfully. “Ready, Mase?”
“You want me to drive you, Mason?” Gloria takes a step sideways to get close to me and I move a step back. “So what will it be, Mason? Do you want me to give you a ride?”
Linda and Khalani raise their brows at her brazenness and the fact she is making it obvious she wants to fuck me. My eyes flick to Lucy and her expression is blank.
“I’m going to head out,” Lucy says.
I chuckle sarcastically because Gloria has serious balls, but I’m going to make it known that I’d rather be with Lucy. If I have to choose, it will always be Lucy.
“I think I’m going to catch a ride with Lucy,” I tell her.
Gloria’s mouth falls open and I turn away, walking toward the locker room for a quick shower. “I’ll be right out, Lucy,” I throw over my shoulder. “Wait for me in your car.”
* * *
Colton catches up with me in the locker room and lowers his voice to ask, “What the fuck was that, Mase?”
We take off our gear. Leo and Aiden already left with Khalani to get to our house off campus for the party. My parents showed up and left like always before the end of the game once I was off the field. My parents do not like football or want to encourage me to go pro for obvious reasons. They just show up so no one questions Senator Vincent Montgomery.
Colton turns on the shower. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Washing myself, I close my eyes and let the hot water rinse me off. When I open them, I place my hands against the tile, because I know what it looked and sounded like, but I can’t let Lucy keep hating me and I know she despises Gloria with every part of her being because of that day.
“Come on, Mase. Something is going on between you two because right before senior year, she started avoiding you. She won’t even look at you, and you threaten every guy that looks at her. She used to always smile and be happy around you. You guys don’t hang out like before—”
I interrupt him because he keeps rambling about shit I already know. “I hurt her, alright!” I roar.
He turns the water off and dries off, wrapping the towel around his waist. “What? How?”