"You were a fucking thunderstorm!" Someone claps on my back, and I cough, my eyes full of tears. The fuck! I just choked on my beer.

"For real! One second I thought I saw fire under your skates." Another voice adds, following another clap on my back. Since when do they think they can be so familiar with me? "Thompson, you're MVP of our team!"

"Were you at the game?" Clay snarls, looking over his shoulder. "If it weren't for me, these fuckers would have lost!"

"Rodgers, you're the best goalie our team has. Do you really doubt it?" I sneak a glance at the guy behind my back. He's uncomfortable, and it makes me smile. It's his fault though. Why would you praise one player in front of another one if you don't want to be called out on your bullshit? Definitely one of the reasons why I don't really engage with anyone outside my closest circle. People are awkward as fuck and full of shit, and I don't need this farce in my life. It's already like circus with my stupid father making his sudden appearances whenever he thinks he wants to see me. Like today, at the fucking game. Who does that? Without any warning? Only assholes like him for sure.

"Me? Nah. I'm the best, but some of you really need a reminder. From time to time." My best friend adds, turns his head away from the guys, and gulps his drink, gripping his bottle with such ferocity so he can break it if he presses more. "Morons."

I chuckle, looking at him attentively. "You're so jumpy... and it's unusual."

"I'm just fucking tired." He mutters, setting an empty bottle aside.

"What happened?" I furrow my brow, taking a sip of my beer. I take it slow, as I don't have any plans to get drunk. The party isn't even in full swing, it's barely 9pm and the house is continuing to fill in with people.

"I don't like hearing no for an answer. Over and over. It's bad for my ego." Clay exclaims and I guffaw. He smacks the back of my head, and beer spills out of my mouth like a damn fountain. "You annoy the fuck out of me, Thompson. Seriously."

"Why are you even so fixated on her?" I ask, wiping away the beer off my face. Dammit! I will need to use the bathroom. "I mean, she's beautiful, but... why?"

Clay gives me a dirty look, which I don't really understand. Right until he opens his damn mouth. "If you think I don't see how you look at her, then you're delusional." I hide my disturbance behind the beer bottle. "You can hardly take your eyes off her, and you're asking me why I do the same?"

"It's different." I mumble. "I keep an eye on her."

"What?!" He snickers loudly, standing up and staring down at me. "That's bullshit, Colt. Drake is the one who looks after her."

I shake my head, following him. "Do you remember when I kicked her out?"

He nods his head, as we head to the kitchen. "So?"

"It's stupid, but... Some people decided it means I hate her... And my enemy is their enemy, so... they were bullying her." I lower my voice, and he leans in closer.

"WHAT?!" Clay yelps, and I whack him in the ribs to keep quiet. He looks agitated and angry, balling his fists. "Tell me more."

"Her roommate threw a slushy at her in the middle of the hallway when I was there. I saw it with my own eyes, Rodgers." I grit my teeth, as the memory is still raw in my mind. "It wasn't the first time, so... I want to make things right for her."

"How?" My best friend's gaze is intense. "What do you plan to do?"

"Well, I have already made it loud and clear that I hate bullies once I saw what they did to her." Loud and clear? More like yelled at her stupid roommate right in front of everyone once I walked out of the bathroom. No one tried anything with her this week, but I still wanted to proceed with my plan. I only hoped she would be here tonight. "I will make sure everyone knows there is no bad blood between us."

Clay's brow knit together, gawking at me with a serious expression on his face. He chews on his inner cheek, his hands are still balled. He finally sighs and strolls into the kitchen. "You should have told me about it."

"She didn't want anyone to know," I say, opening the fridge and taking two beer bottles out of it. "Layla has no idea about any of that, just like Drake. I didn't think I should be the one to tell them her secrets, so I just... dunno... I was keeping an eye on her."

Clay grabs the beer bottle I offer him, scowling at me. "You just basically said I couldn't be trusted."

I run my palm over my face, looking around. Baker offered to throw a party at his friend's house, and it happened to be a fucking mansion. If it weren't for guys from the team, I would have said no and wouldn't have gone there. I hate his guts, and not sure there is anything that can change how I think about this dude.

"That's not what I said." I clear my throat, noticing Benson and a few guys from the team reclining on the couch in the living room. What is more, Drake has a girl sitting on his lap, some blonde from third year. Interesting.

"But that's what your behavior says more than anything." Clay shrugs, hiding his hand in his pockets and taking a sip of his drink at the same time. "You need to learn how to trust people more, Colt. Sometimes I think you don't completely trust anyone, even me."

I keep silent because I don't know what I can say. He's right. I'm closed off, even with him. Though Clay is the only friend I have who knows almost everything about me. Almost everything.

"Let's go join the guys?" I ask, and he rolls his eyes.

"Whatever you want." He muses and heads to the living room.

I count to five and only then go after him. I need to keep my cool for longer than an hour or so. I need this house to be full of people when I make my move. I want everyone to see the freshman and I aren't enemies. We're just... nobodies to each other? Is that even a thing? I definitely just came up with the shittiest explanation ever, especially since my best friend is right. The way I look at her means one thing... I would have loved to see her body pressed up against mine, and to hear her beautiful mouth screaming my name... Fuck! Colt, say it with me, 'we are nobodies to each other'... We are, but it doesn't really help though.

Three hours later, I'm annoyed and as tense as a giant balloon which is ready to explode because it has too much air in it. Layla is just impossible and tries my patience with every damn minute! I hate clingy girls, and she's over the top clingy. The clingiest girl of all the girls I have ever met and it's no exaggeration. Even her brother starts snapping at her any time she advances towards our group as we chill near the pool. But her guy... damn, if he doesn't try to punch me in my face by the end of the party, I'd be extremely surprised and grateful. I love my face without black eyes, bleeding lips or broken noses. I definitely don't need him to come at me because Benson's sister has no idea when to stop.

I tell Clay I want to grab some food, and he just waves his hand at me. He's competing with Bailey who can put more peanuts into their mouth. Walking into the house, I stop by the door and just observe. It's packed with people, and I'm not entirely sure they are all from our college. If anything, it's not my place and not even my friend's place so I couldn't care less if something was broken. Having a friend like Baker is already a catastrophe so I wouldn't be surprised if his guests would turn this house upside down.

I take a step further and my lips curl into a smile. Involuntary. I don't have a damn control over my own face. What am I going to do if everyone notices it? What if she notices? I pinch the bridge of my nose, loudly exhale and saunter in her direction. She's dancing with Grace, Layla's roommate, and they look cheerful. Smiling and singing along with the song. I honestly start wondering what she has in common with Benson's sister. They are so different in their behavior, it's maddening. Though... I don't really know her, and I'd probably be happy if I could change that.

"Hey." I say, slipping an arm around Grace's shoulder. "What are you two up to?"

"Colt-oh-on..." Grace's cheeks blush and she stammers exhaling my name. She's too much, I often say, but she's kind of cute. More like she's too shy and has no idea how to deal with it. "We are just having fun... You? What about you?"

"Hanging out with the team and doing nothing." I laugh, focusing my gaze on the freshman. It's my mistake, as usual when it comes to her. As soon as I take her clothes into detail, my brain stops functioning properly, and I'm one big prepubescent dick.

She's wearing a short, ribbed top with long, narrow ties that wind around her waist, and with short sleeves and jeans hugging her legs like a second skin. These clothes are so simple, but so sexy at the same time, so I don't even know how to behave around her. Because I have almost no self-control, especially after three beers.

"Why did you decide to join us?" Grace asks in a shaky voice.

"Dunno. Just because..." Very convincing, Colt.

"Oh... I need to use the bathroom." She squeals and untangles herself from me. "Ava?"

The freshman opens her mouth, but I cut her off before she even says the word. "She can keep me company."

"I can?" She quirks an eyebrow at me, as I take a step forward to her. I don't know what she sees in my eyes, because all that I want at the moment is to bend her over the couch and fingerfuck her until she comes all over my fingers. The emotions she causes me are stronger than anything I ever experienced in my life, and it speaks volumes.

"Yeah," I murmur, taking another step in her direction and wrapping my arm around her waist. She gasps from the contact of my skin against hers. "Stay with me."

The freshman blinks but doesn't try to scoot away. She hesitates for a second, then licks her lips and looks over my shoulder at Grace. "I'll stay."

I hear Grace snort and mumble something really close to 'oh my God', but I'm not sure. Not that I care anyway. As the girl focuses her gaze on me, I know that we are alone. Alone in the middle of the crowd, exactly as I wanted but for some reason, it's not where I want to be with her. Fuck, this emotional shit is playing on my nerves like nothing else.

"What's the matter with you?" She demands, her hands dangling at her sides. "Why are you acting so nice to me?"

"Because I'm nice." I sway to the music a little, urging her to move with me.

"Nice? Not the word I would use to describe you." Her green eyes are dark and full of mischief.

"Handsome? Hot? Well-built?"

"Annoying." She corrects me, but with how the corners of her lips tremble I know she's finding this whole situation entertaining.

"If you don't like annoying, how come you are friends with Layla?" I press her a bit closer to me.

"She's not annoying." The girl shakes her head. "You just need to set the record straight with her. That's all."

"I do. She doesn't listen." I bend my head down a little, inhaling her scent and I have a feeling I have become drunk within a second. Like three beer bottles have turned into a bottle of something stronger.

"With Layla, you need to be a bit smarter." Music slows down and '' starts pouring louder, enveloping everyone on this improvised dancefloor. This song is old, but for whatever reason I utterly enjoy it... because she's with me. "You need to sleep with someone she's close to and make sure she knows. It will be a big fat no for her... I'm talking from experience."

"You slept with someone your best friend liked?" My eyebrows go up, but she smacks my shoulder with her tiny fist.

"Of course not! What kind of friend would I be in that case?" She frowns, her full lips form such an adorable pout so my eyes zero on it. "She had a classmate, Nicki, and they were friends. Layla had a crush on a guy from another school, but he liked Nicki... So, they hooked up, Layla found out and he instantly became off-limits for her."

"I'll think about it." I tilt my head to the side, roaming my eyes over her face. "Just to be clear, are you off limits?"

She blinks long and hard, her chest rises and falls rapidly. Then, she sighs and shakes her head. "I have no idea what's wrong with you tonight, but I need to remind you that you don't even like me."

"What makes you think you know anything about me?" I smirk, my hand travels north, incredibly close to the waistband of her jeans.

"I see right through you, Thompson." She inches her face closer, raising on her toes. "You and I are not going to happen. Ever. Even if you were the last guy on this planet, I would say no."

"Why?" The question leaves my mouth before I even think what I'm asking.

"You're not my type, you're Layla's type." She shrugs her shoulders. Layla's type? What the fuck does that mean? "Besides, you left a kind of lasting impression on me and not in a good way."

"I can easily change your mind." I wink at her, hearing her chuckle. "And I think you're lying."

"I'm not." She stomps her foot, a false scowl on her face. "I don't like you."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" I chortle, and I go for it, as my hand slides down and cups her butt. Spoiler alert, it's the biggest mistake ever because my dick instantly hardens. Her eyes go round, a fire dances behind her irises. She raises her hand, intending to slap me, but I grab it, and just turn her around, her back pressed to my chest. "I can be slow, as you said that day... but I'm not an idiot. You like me."

"I hate you." She hisses, but what is more important, she makes zero attempts to free herself. I look around the room, noticing curious gazes on us. If anything, my plan is working. After this, no one in their right mind will think she's my enemy.

"How many times have you dreamt about me?" I whisper in her ear, feeling her body tense up against me. God, she's so tiny in comparison to me and it ignites an unfamiliar desire within me. I want to keep her safe.

"Zero." The girl's answer is curt. "Unlike you. Your hard dick poking in my ass kinda says a lot."

"I appreciate beauty when I see it." My hand covers her belly and her skin contracts. She sucks in breath, and I know the answer without her telling me anything. Indeed, she likes me.

"Ha! Your words about me being plain and boring don't add up. Don't you think?"

"What did you really expect? Your roommate was giving me the laziest blowjob in the world, and then you came in and ruined even that little friction." I let my fingers play on her skin, and she presses herself closer to me. Instinctively. "I'm sorry for my words though. You didn't deserve them."

She stiffens, and then yet so slowly spins around. I let her and just look down at her face, as she gazes at me with a deep wrinkle between her eyebrows. "What are you playing at?"

"Nothing," I mumble, not really sure I understand her reaction. "I just apologized to you."

"I heard that." She puts her palm on my chest, and my heart starts pounding so hard, so I even hear it echo in my ears. She feels it too, as her eyes focused on my face go wide. "Why are you... Do you really like me?"

The girl sounds so surprised, and I feel uneasy. Does she think I'm such an ass so I can't have feelings for her like a normal person? Shit! I'm fucking idiot! She's just like everyone here! Thinks so highly of herself, while she's a self-centered and obnoxious little shit. I take a step back, and my hands fall to my sides. She gulps down nervously, as she tucks her hair behind her ears.

"You're welcome," I say, hiding my hands in my pockets, balling my fists.

"What?" Her confusion increases, just like her nervousness.

"I wanted to make things right for you, so no one would bother you because of me." I gesture around, and her eyes dart between me and people that surround us. "You're welcome."

"That's why you approached me?" Her voice lowers to whisper.

"Why else?" I smirk loudly. "You might be beautiful, but I don't like you. At all. I just hate bullies and don't like to be accused of things I never approved or wanted."

"Oh... Cool, thank you. Really. I appreciate it." She takes a step back, creating even more distance between us. "If you really want to get rid of Layla, do as I told you..."

"Uh huh." I turn around, my chest is heavy. So heavy so I can't wait to be out of this house.

"Bye Colton." I snuck a glance at her over my shoulder. Am I making a mistake now? My gut is always right about people, and it feels good when she's around. What if... No! I silently slap myself in my mind. She basically told me to fuck someone tonight. She doesn't care about me.

"Bye." I rasp and walk away from her. I can't even bring myself to call her name. Not aloud, not in my mind. I'm so fucked up because of my parents! Pathetic fucker!