He bursts out laughing as if I'm kidding, but I'm not. I’ve always liked Cara Matthews, but after seeing her blush and stumble with her words, it wasn't even the fact she was naked. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's banging as fuck, but she's also sweet and so smart. When I don't laugh along with him he calms down.
“Wait. You're serious?” I feel him come up from behind me so I'm not surprised when he grips my shoulder and spins me to face him. I won't meet his eyes, and he growls. “When did you see Cara naked? I haven't even seen her naked,” he finishes under his breath. I back away a bit and put my hands up. “Okay first off it wasn’t my fault, I was just minding my business, taking a shower before class and in comes this whirlwind of messy blonde hair and clothes flying everywhere. She almost ran right into me.” Glad she didn’t since she was topless and I was wet. I pause there, getting lost in a fantasy. Me and her going back into the shower, pushing her against the tile, kissing down her incredible body. My cock strains through my shorts and a smack pulls me back. “Seriously dude, what the fuck,” Connor snaps. I shake my head and slump on the couch. “Right well, yeah you guys both said you weren’t exclusive so would it really be a bad thing me and you sharing her?” Fuck, there goes my dick again. He plops on the seat next to me and groans, rubbing his hands over his eyes. “It’s bad enough I have to compete with East, I never thought you would be in the mix too. Plus you're a total manwhore dude. Cara may be open to dating multiple people, but she will never be okay with sharing you with someone else.” I think about that for a moment. Only being with one person has never worked for me in the past. Connor laughs, “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Don’t do anything with her until you can commit fully.” He smacks my leg and gets up before leaving the dorm completely.
Fuck. I am truly fucked.
e
“Hey man,” Nate says, coming up to me and giving me a fist bump. I give him a nod and he smirks. “So, I hear you totally dominated Ella the other night, then blew her off. You have balls man, I’ll give you that.”
I laugh, thinking back to the fiery redhead. “Yeah shit was hot, but I don’t like attachments. She got off,” I reply with a shrug. He bursts out in a laugh, and the girl walking past us jumps from the sudden noise. “Fuck dude, don’t be saying that shit around her. Bitch is crazy.” He laughs some more, and I’m about to make an excuse to leave when he finally calms down. Is he high? “Listen, there was a reason I came over here. We’re having people pledge for Hawthorne House and I think you should join. I brought you up to the guys and they were all for it.” I think it over for a few moments and nod. “Funny enough I was thinking about this before you mentioned it. I think I’d be a great fit for Hawthorne, but one question, can Connor come too?” His face lights up and he nods his head yes.
Fuck yes. This is going to be epic.
Connor
I continue down the hall towards my next class when Xavier comes barreling my way, almost knocking me over. “Dude. We have to talk,” he says and I groan. I hope this isn’t more shit about Cara. To say he blew me away yesterday is an understatement. “So I was talking with Nate, and he asked if we wanted to join the Hawthorne House?”
Okay I lied, now I’m blown away. I give him a once over and he’s practically vibrating with excitement. I start to laugh. His smile turns to a scowl. “Really? Nate asked us to join his fraternity?” I say and he nods enthusiastically. I can see Xav being in Hawthorne House, but I never imagined myself. Yeah I love football and the occasional party, but I prefer to be alone most of the time. Reading or doing something chill. “Please man. You know I’ve been wanting to join, and this way we'll be together and you can also keep an eye on the guys sniffing around Cara.” My eyebrows furrow at that.Guys?As in plural? “Who else besides East has been around Cara?” I ask and he stands up straight, avoiding my gaze. Does he mean himself? “Um well, I kinda saw her with Jase the other day, and Layton is always watching her,” he says. Three guys. I told her I was cool for non exclusivity, but three guys? I think I may be sick. How will I ever compete with three other people wanting her? “Hey, Con, you okay? You look like you might faint.” Xav grabs my arm and pulls me to a bench alongside some windows. I have to get to class, but now I don’t even want to. I’ve loved Carson Matthews for years now, and finally I have my shot to be with her. The more time we spend together I feel our connection grow. She’s enough for me, so why can’t I be enough for her?
Carson
“So class today wasn’t as crazy as last time,” Jase says to me as we leave psych. I laugh and take his hand as he offers to help me from my seat. “No, thank goodness, last class's lesson on family relationships was a little too ‘out there’ for my innocent mind to handle,” I reply with a blush. I still can’t believe the professor thought it a good topic to bring up. We walk to the elevator and I flush as the memories of last time swarm me. I wonder if he’ll try to kiss me again. A phone rings, and Jase grabs his out of his bag. He glances down at it and sighs, “I have to take this, I’ll see you later okay.” I give him a wave and walk into the lift. The doors close, but I hear a “Hey, babe,” before they do. I still can’t believe he has an open relationship with a man, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it intrigued me. I reach the first floor and walk outside towards my dorm. Maybe Sassy will want to watch a movie or something. I haven’t seen her in a few days besides the morning coffee greet before I rush out.
Something cold and wet is thrown over my head and I yelp. Oh my god. What now?
Laughter sounds all around and my eyes instantly fill with tears. Will this torment ever end?Why did I ever leave Kansas?
“Hey, are you okay, Cara?” Jase says, running my way. He rips his hoodie off and hands it to me. I wince seeing its bright white and I'm covered in a red smoothie.
“Thank you, but I don't want to ruin it,” I say quietly, handing it back to him. He chuckles, startling me.
“Babe. I have a million more, it's fine. Now if it was my favorite hoodie, then we’d be having a different discussion. I’d probably just rip off my shirt and hand it to you.” My eyes roam down his chest, and I internally moan. I wouldn't mind seeing his body. I shake my head of my lustful thoughts and slide his hoodie over my head, doing some odd maneuvering, and tug my shirt from the neck hole. “Thanks Jase,” I say and continue walking towards Jhonson Hall. He keeps in step with me and opens the door. “Hey, before you leave I just wanted to ask if you thought anymore about coming to my party? I know you probably just want to stay home, and I get that especially after seeing those girls treat you that way.”
I glance up at him and shrug, but he keeps talking. “What I don’t understand is why they are being so mean to you. Aren’t you joining Kippa Nu?”
I wince as a drop of ice cold slush runs from my hair down to the back of my neck. I really need to shower. I’m all sticky and cold. “I need to change, but do you want to come up for a few minutes?” I ask him, and his eyes drop to my chest, where my nipples are now showing—thanks to the cold smoothie and white material. He clears his throat and nods. I walk up the stairs and he follows at a fast pace. When we reach my dorm, I let him in and rush to my room for my shower things and a change of clothes. When I come back out he’s sitting on the couch, staring at the black TV screen with a look of confusion. “Hey, I’m going to shower super quick and then we can chat if you want. Help yourself to whatever you can find. I made some chicken pot pie last night.” I walk over to the door and open it, moving into the hall. He mutters something, but I’m too far away to hear him. I run to the showers and quickly rinse myself and wash my hair. The bottom tips of my naturally blonde hair has a red tint and I groan. Whatever they threw at me had dye mixed in. I rinse my hair out as best I can, then turn the shower off. I rush to get dry, changed and back to my room. I don’t know if he decided to stay, but I hope he did. I reach my door and I take a deep breath before opening it. Jase is in the kitchen with a mouthful of potpie and groaning. I laugh, and he gives me a sheepish look. “This is amazing,” he says with his hand over his mouth to hide the chewed food. I give him a big smile and walk over to the fridge. “Thank you. It was my mama's recipe.” Grabbing a yogurt and a string cheese, I sit down at the table. “Crap, I forgot a spoon, do you mind?” I ask him. He nods and gets one from the drawer then grabs his plate and follows me over. Handing it to me, he takes the seat beside mine. “Thanks,” I say, opening the lid and taking a bite of the peach cobbler yogurt. It’s one of my favorites, and I was happy to learn Sassy hates peaches.
We eat in comfortable silence for a few minutes sharing smiles every now and then. He takes his last bite and groans, patting his toned stomach. “I need you to make that again for Lay, he’d devour it. I’m not the best cook, but I can keep us from starving. East, on the other hand, is a wizard in the kitchen.”
I wince at his name and Jase gives me a look. “I’m sorry he’s being an asshole to you. If it makes you feel any better he’s an asshole to everyone,” he says with a laugh. I set my spoon down and turn to face him. “It’s not really that he’s being an asshole, it's the fact he’s my partner and he ditched me. I finished the song we did and wrote the paper. Grades are important to me and he could have hurt my average.”
He shakes his head and leans over to kiss me gently. I pull back and he gives me a smile. “For the record my brother is an idiot, and about your ‘sisters’, ignore them. I’ve been thinking about it and maybe they’re so cruel because it’s a Hell Week thing. They’re just starting early,” he says with a shrug. “Hell Week?” I ask and he laughs. “Yeah babe. Haven't you heard of Hell Week? The week where we put our pledges through a bunch of grueling tasks to prove they’re worthy of joining our houses. It’s tradition. We all have to do it.”
I push my seat back and grab my garbage. “Of course I’ve heard of it, I just thought I was already experiencing it,” I say then reach over and take his plate, but he stops me. “I’ve got it.” He stands from the table and brings it to our small sink, washing it, and setting it to dry. “Wow, a guy who cleans up after himself? I don’t see many like you these days,” I sass. He walks over to take my hand, lifting it and kissing my knuckles. “Chivalry is not dead, sweetheart.”
I think I might swoon. He glances at his watch. “I have to go. We have to go set up for the DJ, but please tell me you will make an appearance tonight. I like you, Cara, and I want to introduce you to Lay. I just know you guys will hit it off.”
The door opens, and Sassy sings, “Oh honey I’m home.” I bite my lip, hiding my smile and Jase looks her way. “Oh, what do we have here?” she says with a bit of sass—her nickname really does fit her. “Hey Sassy. I was just trying to convince Cara here to come to the party tonight. Please think about it,” he tells me, before placing a quick kiss to my temple. I nod yes and he leaves. The door shuts and Sassy is on me immediately. “Um, what the hell was that? Did I seriously just walk in here to Jase Hawthorne, brother to that douchenozzle Easton, asking you out and kissing you? Like, what the hell Cara?”
I let her go on her little tangent and wait till she’s done. Seriously, how can she talk so damn fast? “Yes you did and it doesn’t matter, because I’m not going,” I say, then walk to my room and shut the door. I think it's time for me to have a nap.
Twenty-Five
Carson
I wake from a short nap to tapping on my door. I ignore it and she goes away, so I roll over and grab my sketchpad, before propping myself up on some pillows. I haven’t drawn in so long, but I feel inspired.
I get lost in the sketch and my door swings open. “Come on girl. It's the first official party of the year. We have to go!” Sassy whines, while pouting at me from my bedroom door. I roll my eyes and continue the picture I'm sketching. I can't seem to get Jase's eyes out of my head. The way the light made his hazel eyes sparkle.