"Yes! Pay up!"

Startled, I leaped backwards at the abrupt proclamation. Holden's hard chest connected with the back of my head while my hand shot to my drumming heart. I watched in confusion as the semi familiar African american guy handed Archer a bill, grumbling under his breath as he shoved the bill at Archer.

"What the hell?" Holden voiced my confusion from behind me.

"Thank Savannah" Archer said as he stretched the thin note above his head, studding it.

"Did you fucking bet on her?" Holden suddenly sounded furious, his confusion suddenly vanishing

"Come on man, your back was practically screaming birthday sex" there other friend filled in. My heart exhilarated rapidly at his revelation, my fingers curling into my palms unconsciously. I was burning in embarrassment, digging myself deeper into Holden's chest as I tried to become invisible.

"I bet Fletch that you wouldn't hookup with anyone that wasn't Savannah. I won!" He gloated, flashing the bill proudly at Fletch's face. I should at least feel violated but I didn't. The banter seemed light and friendly. They interacted like they had known each other for along time and frankly, I was still hangup on Archers statement.

"What happened Steel? I thought you were celibate" Fletch said in faux outrage, amusement lighting up his coffee brown eyes.

Holden flipped him off, wrapping his muscular arm around my waist while steering me towards the front door. I could still hear bellowing laughter even when we walked down the few steps to the garage, Holden scoffing inaudibly.

"Sorry about them" he murmured once we had both climbed into his truck, his hand naturally scratching the nape of his neck.

"Its fine" I assured him while clipping on my seatbelt "you...seemed close"

"Yeah..." He puffed out a lungful of air "Fletch and I grew up as neighbors and I met Archer during eighth grade, I guess we're close" he shrugged.

"Fletch, is that his real name?" It sounded more like a nickname than an actual name and from the way Holden's slips stretched in humour I knew there was more to it.

"No. His name is Isaac but he hates it" I could tell there was something else to the name but respectfully choose to nod my head.

"You know, you never did tell me your middle name" I said, thinking back to the night at the stadium.

"You can't laugh though" his eyes fixed on mine steadily, coxing me to comply to his demand. My head spun as I tried to guess what his middle name could be, couldn't picture him with an embarrassing name. He was practically sex on legs, with his incredibly toned body and unwinding tattoos.

"I promise."

"Its Cedric" he supplied albeit hesitantly, colour spotting on his tan cheeks. I struggled to picture the name on him, my straight face fluttering at how unfitting it was "for some reason, my mother thought naming me after some British butler would be fun."

"It's not that bad" I failed at reconstructing my poker face.

"Oh yeah, why are you laughing then?" He said lightheartedly, his sharp features softening in mirth.

"I'm not" I quipped while folding my lips into my mouth, restraining the chuckle that dug up my throat.

"Do you still want your coffee?" He asked while strapping in the leather seatbelt. The old engine grumbled as he turned the key after my confirmation.

It was barely an hour after the revelation of my otherwise bleak past and I was still trying to collect the pieces of my shattered heart. Holden had offered to drive me to the cafe and later back to the doors, given how insistent my stomach was groaning.

The warmth of baked pastries wrapped around us, the healing aroma of brewing coffee undoing all my knots. Holden's hand in mine led me through the maze of unoccupied tables towards the counter.

My footing momentarily quivered at the freckled face behind the counter, his hand furiously wiping the glossy top. I might have chosen to evade his advances at me but I wasn't inhuman, I wouldn't flaunt Holden in front him. I painted on a smile, albeit a pained one as my toe hit the base of the barrier.

"Um...hi" I said, catching Dylan's attention.

"Savannah, hey" He quickly dried his hands on the apron, his face splitting into a grin "...soy latte?"

"Yes, please" I answered smilingly.

Holden's shoulder squared as he moved his arm around my waist, position my in front of him. He grumbled something under his breath, drawing me closer to his rigid chest possessively.

"So, how...?" Dylan began but was interrupted immediately by Holden loudly clearing his throat. Dylan's eyes grew in size while he took in Holden's large built, his smile dropping when they settled on the large shirt I had on. His lips scowled as if he had only just noticed Holden, his fingers visibly tightening on the plastic cup.

"My girlfriend would like her coffee" Holden's words held a daring tone, his chest pressing closer to mine. The bones in my chest curved into my lugs at crestfallen frown on Dylan's face. Feeling overwhelmed, I whispered a low 'thank you' before grabbing my coffee cup. I walked past Holden, leaving their ego battle in my wake.

"Who is he to you?" Holden asked once he spotted me by the passenger door. He seemed considerably calmer than before but his fists still clenched by his thighs.

"I'm your girlfriend?" I countered back. My hair slapped against my cheek as I squinted at him, the lock falling in my mouth before I brushed them away.

"Yes" he muttered simply.

"I don't recall you asking me" I said low enough for just his ears. A rather rare dimpled grin floated on his face as he strode even closer to me, caging me in-between him and the car.

"Savannah Poppy Raine, will you be my girlfriend?" His lips clamped over mine before I could nod properly, moulding meticulously with mine. I tilted my head to deepen the kiss, completely forgetting about Asher.

"What's wrong?" Holden asked in confusion after I averted my head to the side, denying him access.

"My back" my back was uncomfortably indented into the car, the metal digging into my spine.

"Sorry"

I sighed in relief once I was no longer flush against the truck, finally breathing comfortably. He helped me up my seat before climbing back to his. I sipped my coffee silently during the whole ride, savouring the rich caffeine.

The goodbye was rather anticlimactic as compered to the horrendous midnight ambush. I only heard him drive away once I had entered the dorm building. I suddenly felt like I hadn't walked up the stairs in a life time, even though I had only stayed a night away.

I opened the door to Avery staring heatedly at her phone, her thin brows frowning. She was too engrossed at the devise clenched in her frail hands to take note of my presence in the room.

"Are you okay?" I asked cautiously once I had made it to my bed as I pealed of my shoes.

"I hate kids!" She groaned, finally ripping her eyes from the screen. She further stood up, her golden locks tumbling haphazardly from the bun at the top of her head. She moved quickly along the space between our beds, pacing back and forth before groaning again.

"That two-faced, conniving asshole!"

"What happened?" I asked whilst observing her unusual show of outrage.

"Oh, nothing except for the fact that Jeremy is an goddamn father!" He huffed in annoyance, not necessarily aimed at me but at her disregarded phone lying on the bed "I hate Instagram" she proclaimed while flopping on the bed.

"It just had to be a baby. Why couldn't it be, I don't know...something that is not freaking breathing?! Ugh I hate guys!" Avery huffed, twisting her hair out of the bun before the retying it. I thought back to the ginger head she had been going out with recently, they had been progressing well and the bomb she had dropped surprised me. He didn't look like someone who would cheat, he was always sweet and friendly whenever he'd come to pick Avery up.

"How did you find out?"

"I was not stalking him, just so were clear. I just happened to find a picture of him and his long time girlfriend and their fucking daughter on my page!" I tried to be supportive but the best I could do was pat her back awkwardly as a forced smile settled on my lips.

"Your so bad at this" Avery said whilst moving my hand from her back, amusement dusting in her eyes "its fine, he wasn't that big anyway. At least on of us got laid"

"No" I tried to brush over the matter going as far as to stick my head in the dresser as I pretended to search for something.

"Okay, do you seriously want me to believe you sneaked out of the room past midnight to see Holden and didn't have sex with him?" She arched a delicate eyebrow, taunting me.

"Yes" I tried to say with certainty as I concealed my scorching read face from her.

"Oh my God! You so had sex" she clapped giddily, increasing the unattractive shade of red splayed on my skin.

"I'd don't want to talk about it" I murmured, my head still buried in my dresser.

"Fine, lets binge watch romcoms on Netflix while I cry over my failed love life" she proposed while dramatically sighing. She did cry, severally actually, but not at her love life. She had long forgotten about Jeremy even before we finished the second movie.