"Jesus, this semester is going to be hard," Ella muses as we both pack up.
"At least we've got each other."
"I like the way you think. You done for the day?"
"Yep, I'm gonna head to the store, grab some supplies then get started on this assignment, I think."
"I've got a couple of hours. You want company?"
After dumping our stuff in our rooms, Ella takes me to her favorite store, and I stock up on everything I'm going to need before we head back so she can go to class.
I make myself some lunch before being brave and setting up my laptop at the kitchen table to get started on my assignments. My time for hiding is over, it's time to get back to life and once again become a fully immersed college student.
"Holy shit, she is alive. I thought Zayn was lying about his beautiful older sister," a deep rumbling voice says, dragging me from my research a few hours later.
I spin and look at the two guys who have joined me.
"Zayn would never have called me beautiful," I say as a greeting.
"That's true. I think his actual words were: messy, pain in the ass, and my personal favorite, I'm glad I don't have to live with her again," he says, mimicking my brother's voice.
"Now that is more like it. Hey, I'm Letty. Sorry about—"
"You're all good. We're just glad you emerged. I'm West, this ugly motherfucker is Braxton—"
"Brax, please," he begs. "Only my mother calls me by my full name and you are way too hot to be her."
My cheeks heat as he runs his eyes over my curves.
"T-thanks, I think."
"Ignore him. He hasn’t gotten laid for weeeeks."
"Okay, do we really need to go there right now?"
"Always, bro. Our girl here needs to know you get pissy when you don't get the pussy."
I laugh at their easy banter, closing down my laptop and resting forward on my elbows as they move toward the fridge.
"Ella says we're going out," Brax says, pulling out two bottles of water and throwing one to West.
"Apparently so."
"She'll be here in a bit. Violet and Micah too. They were all in the same class."
"So," West says, sliding into the chair next to me. "What do we need to know that your brother hasn’t already told us about you?"
My heart races at all the things that not even my brother would share about my life before I drag my thoughts away from my past.
"Uhhh…"
"How about the Dunns love her," Ella announces as she appears in the doorway flanked by two others. Violet and Micah, I assume.
"Um… how didn't we know this?" Brax asks.
"Because you're not cool enough to spend any time with them, asshole," Violet barks, walking around Ella. "Ignore these assholes, they think they're something special because they're on the team but what they don't tell you is that they have no chance of making first string or talking to the likes of the Dunns."
"Vi, girl. That stings," West says, holding his hand over his heart.