* * *
The second the bus pulled off, Greg asked Kye to switch seats. The guy had balls, I’d give him that. He was a junior. Not too cocky or full of himself. But he wasn’t a friend. No one was outside of Nix and Kye.
“Hey, can I talk to you?” he said.
“Doesn’t look like I have a choice. Thanks for that, traitorous asshole,” I spat at Kye.
He grinned. “You’re welcome.”
“So… you and Celeste, what’s going on there?” Greg kept his voice low since some of the guys were already sleeping.
“Nothing.” I huffed, kicking up my foot against the seat in front.
“For real? Because I sensed some tension.”
“You really want to go there?” I asked. “With a girl like her?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“She’s not like us, Selcott. She’s rich and spoiled and when she’s had her fun, she’ll settle down with a pretentious asshole from across the res.”
“I’m not looking to marry the girl. But she’s cool and funny and she—”
I cut him with a hard look.
“You want her,” he said.
“That’s not—”
“Yeah, I think it is. You want her and you hate yourself for it.”
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
A knowing smile tugged at his mouth. “Then you won’t mind if I get her number off of Harleigh.”
Irritation rolled through me. Irritation and something I refused to acknowledge. Because I wasn’t jealous, I wasn’t.
“Harleigh doesn’t want her getting tangled up with anyone on the team,” I said.
His smug expression dropped. “Oh.”
“Yeah. So do yourself a favor and forget about her.”
Because fuck knows, it was what I planned to do.
“Yeah, okay.” He got up and walked away and I should have felt relieved. Should have felt a small kernel of smug satisfaction that I wouldn’t have to witness them together.
But the only thing I felt was confusion. Because he was right—I did want her.
And I did fucking hate myself for it.
“So, what did moon eyes want?” Kye slid back into his seat beside me.
“Moon eyes?” I balked.
“Yeah, you saw the way he was looking at Celeste, with those big ol’ moon eyes. The guy is in love.”
“Fuck off.” I folded my arms over my chest and closed my eyes. “I’m going to sleep.”