She hopes I'm happy? I'm fucking furious! I don't hear a thing Benson is saying to me and by the minute, he is becoming angrier. I blink, and the volume finally returns. "What?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Drake rasps, burying his fingers in his hair. "What's wrong with you, Thompson? Did you even hear what I said?"

"No." I glance over his shoulder and realize that his sister and her roommate aren't here anymore. Did they leave to follow her? "What do you want?"

"Leave her the fuck alone." He takes a step closer and stares me in the eyes. "For whatever stupid reason you chose Ava as your target and I'm telling you to stop. I mean it."

"My target?" I frown, looking around the room. Not only Layla and Grace are absent, apparently. Only Clay is still in the room, standing near the door with his arms crossed. Did he send everyone away? I honestly feel lost, and don't understand what is going on around me. Time froze the moment she made a decision to proceed with my dare.

"Colton, stop acting like an imbecile." Benson heaves a sigh. "You figured out we had sex-"

"Figured? I freaking heard you fucking her in the bathroom!" I bark loudly, seeing him scowl at me. "I fucking knew it since the first party, where you gave all of us that bullshit about her being off-limits."

"How the hell does it concern you? It's between Ava and me. No one else." He points his finger at me, poking me in my chest. "Why do you care what she's doing?"

"I can't stand her." I hiss, balling my fists. "She lies too easily and then goes on about her loyalty to your sister. It's hypocrisy at its highest level because if you're loyal, you don't have secrets from your best friends."

"It was just sex, nothing else. Layla would have flipped, planning our wedding, and suggesting names for our kids. It's the only reason why neither of us wanted to share the news with her." Drake's voice drops an octave lower. "And you're the biggest hypocrite of all, Thompson."

I sweep my gaze over his face, shaking my head in disbelief. "How am I a hypocrite? Don't put your issues on me, Benson. You were fucking around with your friend, with your sister's bestie, while giving others this bullshit about her being your family. Just suck it up and own it."

Suddenly a grin forms on his face. He takes a step back, as if wants to have a better look at me. "Jesus, why didn't I notice it before?" Drake chortles loudly, running a palm over his face. "You heard me fuck Ava? Well, genius, I saw you dance with her. Throwing a hissy fit just because the girl you want chose another guy?"

I start laughing because his words are ridiculous. "I don't want that girl and I don't even like her. She has just annoyed the fuck out of me since the day I had met her. Nothing else."

"Keep telling yourself that, maybe you will start believing it." He exclaims, turning around and heading to the door. He stops near Clay, and they nod at one another. Then, Benson looks at me over his shoulder. "I hope I made myself clear. Leave her the fuck alone, Colton."

I roll my eyes and shake my head, finding this whole situation infuriating. How come this party turned into this shit? Where the hell is everyone? Why did they leave? Did I scare them all away revealing the truth about Benson and his chick? "Colt?"

I lock my eyes with my best friend, and he dips his chin in the direction of the exit. "Are we leaving?" I ask, grabbing my phone from the couch and shoving it in my pocket.

"Let's go for a walk. You need some fresh air." I arch my eyebrow at him with a pout. It's the stupidest reasoning ever! "Colt, just... let's go. I'm sure you don't want to stay here any more than I do."

Well, here's the thing. I want to stay. I haven't done anything wrong. At all. My teammates are here, and I honestly enjoyed my time until I saw... This thought sinks in and my shoulders slump. I growl in frustration and march to the door, walking past my best friend as if he's not even here. I need to clear my head and find a way to get rid of everything the girl awakens within me. I can't continue acting how I tend to act.

I have never been a friendly person, keeping my distance from almost everyone. A few times I have really hated everyone except the people closest to me and the guys I played hockey with in high school. My family drama has made it worse since I barely can stand people who I have just met. Clay, my teammates and a few guys and girls from my class are the only ones I get along with. From time to time. Now it totally looks like this girl's presence makes it impossible to be friendly to anyone. Even my teammates. Fucking disaster.

"How long did you know?" Clay joins me on the porch, and I sneak a glance at him, keeping silent. I shake my head, hide my hands in my pockets and go down the stairs. "Colton!"

"You said I need some fresh air." I retort, not looking back to see if he's coming or not.

"Why the hell am I friends with such an egocentric jerk?" I hear his steps, and a moment later he's by my side, walking down the street shoulder to shoulder. "How long did you know, Colt?"

"Since the first party."

"What? But why did you..." Clay grows quiet contemplating his next words. "How did you know?"

"I'm observant." I shrug, chewing on the inner side of my bottom lip.

"Nah man, you've been hiding this shit from me for almost two months. I want answers." He punches me in my shoulder, and I wince, cracking a smile, nonetheless. "How?"

"Dunno. Drake's behavior at this first party was suspicious. Like why the fuck is she off limits? She's just a friend, a neighbor kid as he said. I watched them together, how they acted around each other and from the first glance, I was wrong. Maybe, he was just an overprotective friend I thought. But then I saw how he looked at her when she was dancing alone, and it started to make more sense." These memories became vivid in my mind, the sounds and the smells came back to me, and I clenched my jaw, wishing to get them out of my system.

"But it was no more than suspicions." Clay mutters to himself. "Right?"

"Well, yes and no. When he stormed out of the house after I kicked her out, I asked him if Layla knew about them. He told me to fuck off, but it only made me believe that I guessed right about them even more... I spent that night with a girl, who lives in the same house with Drake and you... and I kinda stumbled on the freshman leaving the house at the same time as me. She gave me this bullshit about Benson being her family, pretty much the same as he gave you when you asked him about the girl." I look around, wondering how far my apartment is from here. I wouldn't mind going to bed. My head had started killing me.

"Colt?" A clap on my shoulder brings me back to reality. I glare at my best friend, but he only grins at me. "We're in the middle of a very intriguing story but you keep spacing out. You're no fun bro."

"I just think I'm ready to call it a night and go home." I press my fingers to my temples, massaging them.

"Let's go to your place." He doesn't even suggest or ask, he assumes he's welcome anytime. Asshole. "I'll crash on your couch."

"Whatever you want." I grunt hushed, as we trudge down the street.

"Thompson, I swear, you're making it really hard for me." Clay whines loudly, and a smile ghosts over my lips. "Don't make me feel like I'm pulling teeth, while all that I want is for you to tell me everything."

"There is not much to tell. They both were giving me mixed signals, like one second, I believed them, the other I was sure they are both liars... Last party was a reaching point." I swallow a lump in my throat, as an uneasy feeling settles in my chest. "I saw them walk into the bathroom, and then heard them fuck. The end of the story."

"I didn't expect that from Drake. He's our team captain. The guy everyone loves because he's a good guy." Clay shoves his hands in his pockets.

"He's a good guy. Fucking his sister's bestie doesn't make him a bad boy all of a sudden, or troublemaker." I point out and he gives me a look. "Dude, there is word consent for a reason. He didn't force himself on her, he didn't manipulate her into sex. She wanted it."

"How can you be so sure?" My best friend grimaces as if he has tooth pain.

"Did you see how she kissed him? If anything, those two trust each other."

"I think he likes her." He rumbles. Then he squints his eyes at me. "Do you think she likes him?"

Do I think she likes him? Hell, I hope she doesn't but who am I to say it aloud? I'm an ass she hates. "I don't know. She's not easy to read."

"Aw, come on, man! Give me something!" Clay drapes his hand over my shoulder. "I kinda still like the girl and if she has hots for Benson, I'd prefer to back off."

"I... I don't think she likes him in that way."

"Uh huh... do YOU like her in that way?" He stammers, and I halt in my tracks.

"I don't. The only reason I did what I did is because I hate liars."

"And yet you lie," Clay says, holding my gaze. "I have never ever seen you so riled up because of some chick."

"Exactly. I have never met someone who doesn't give a shit about me and isn't afraid to tell me to fuck off or slap me across my face. She's the first one, and I'm not handling this disrespect too well." I tell him, sounding so sure of myself. My best friend looks me over, and then smirks.

"Ava is confident, knows her worth, and keeps her chin up high most of the time. I think growing up with Drake taught her not to pee her pants when hockey players waltz into her life, and she looks at us like totally ordinary people."

"You sound like a real snob." I comment, feeling the tension disappear. He doesn't suspect anything. "We are ordinary people. We poop. We fart-"

"This ability of yours drives me up the wall." Clay cuts me off, making a face. "Sportsmen are elite: hockey, football, basketball, baseball, soccer and so on. College sportsmen are totally the same. How you don't notice it is beyond me."

"I just don't care what people think about me most of the time." I yawn, pressing a fist to my mouth.

"More like never." He snorts loudly, clapping on my back. "Though even if you're an asshole, I still love you man. You're like a brother I never had."

"Same." I smile at him, noticing my building not far. "I have no idea what you want to do once we're up in my apartment, but I'm going to bed."

"Going to bed? Well, okay, but only if you tell me about Grace on our way. How did that happen?" I grumble, raising my eyes to the sky. What the hell is wrong with him? I don't remember him wanting to become a policeman or a prosecutor. A nosey asshole.

"I needed sex, she needed sex. That's all."

"But it's Grace." Clay literally spells it out for me, his eyes round like saucers. "G-R-A-C-E."

"She's a girl, and a cute one." My lips stretch into a toothy grin. Sometimes you just need someone inexperienced or with lack of sex like Grace. She left my apartment smitten like a kitten, all relaxed and satisfied, and I honestly was very proud of myself. And my cock. She took care of it damn well.

"Weren't you the one to always say she's too much?" He breaks into laughter; a mischief scants all over his face.

"She's too loud..." Clay whoops, pretending to be all surprised. "And she's too shy sometimes. But she's a good girl and it was nice. Neither of us wants to repeat it, so I don't see any reason to make it something it is not. Besides, her new found confidence shows, and she was asked on a date by a guy from her class. She told me that today, trying to be discreet as hell so no one noticed."

"Magician Colton Thompson did his thing, and the girl found her Prince Charming." He mocks me, but I only shake my head. His goofiness is something I'm used to. Suddenly he stops, his jaw dropped down, and he gapes at me like a fish trying to get more oxygen. "You are fucking bastard..."

"Am I?" I frown, pinching my brows together.

"You also did it because of Layla! She has been avoiding you as if she's afraid you're going to bite her head off..." Clay looks astonished, but in a good way, as if he's proud of me. "I was wondering all night why she was so distant, especially after she spent most of the last party playing on your nerves... Man, you're a genius!"

"Ava suggested I fuck someone close to Layla to make her back off." Drake is right. I am an imbecile. Why did I tell Clay that? "When I danced with her... to make sure everyone knows she's not my enemy... Remember I told you about it..."

"I do..." My best friend blinks, then shrugs and goes forward as if it wasn't him just a moment ago playing the hoser. "By fucking Gracie, you kind of killed two birds with one stone. Layla and her bestie will never pursue you."

It's almost the same thing that Grace told me. If we fucked, I wouldn't have a chance with the freshman. Not that I needed one. If she affects me this way when we're nothing but strangers to each other, I'm afraid to even imagine what we would be if we ever become close. It would be a disaster, and I want to keep my disastrous record under control. It's already dangerously close to being full.

"Then it's a good thing that the freshman and I hate each other." I open the door of the building, and walk further, followed by Clay.

"After the stunt you pulled on her? You're damn well her least favorite person on campus."

"I don't fucking care." I laugh, hiding my uneasiness behind it. Liar, liar, pants on fire, Colton. You definitely care, and that's a huge problem.

🏒💥🏒💥🏒

I haven't seen her for the whole week, as if she disappeared and doesn't go to college here anymore. It's not the case at all, since I know Clay is hanging out with her any chance he gets: during lunch breaks, cornering her when she goes to the library, walking her to her dorm. She's friendly to him but makes clear she's not interested in anything else. He says he's okay with that, though I'm not entirely sure he is speaking the truth. Though he's calmer and more like his old self.

Layla on the other hand is always in my face. She's everywhere I go, and I don't like her glances in my direction. As if she's plotting something, or just thinks I am a dumbass who screwed up the possibility of her brother and her bestie ending up together. Or both. I'm honestly confused with everything going on around me, and just go with the flow most of the days. Just like today.

"So, do you think this movie is worth the hype it's getting?" Drake asks no one in particular as we stay in line to buy popcorn and drinks.

"Probably." Baker lazily answers, leaning his side against the counter.

"Good answer, dude." Benson laughs. "You have a gift for holding a conversation."

"I prefer to use my tongue for other things." Adam narrows his eyes slightly, his gaze drifts all around the place. "I'm sure you understand."

"What are you hinting at?" Drake becomes twice bigger; a sneer crosses his features.

"Saying your sister's best friend is off limits, so only you can have that little cunt? I didn't expect it from you, Benson." Baker has been trying to find his way to get into her panties, but so far, he was successful only in getting a middle finger once and awhile from her.

"Another word about Ava, and I promise you will regret it." He takes a step further, his cheeks bulge with anger. "I didn't do anything at the party, because you were drunk, and she told me not to deal with you there... but I might change my mind."

My gaze flickers between them both, and an awfully familiar feeling forms in my chest. Anger. And it's targeted solely at Baker. Did he try something on her at the party?! "What happened?" I ask before I even think what I'm doing. Drake looks at me as if he sees me for the first time.

"Nothing that concerns you, Thompson." He rasps and turns around to order his popcorn. I ball my fists, chewing on my inner cheek with annoyance. He is treating me as if I'm worse than motherfucking Baker and it's not freaking fair!

"What are you getting?" Clay's voice is so sudden, I almost jump away from him, biting my tongue in the process. Fuck! I feel salt in my mouth, and just know that I bit myself to blood.

"Ice cream with-"

"M&Ms." My best friend claps on my back, smiling from ear to ear. "You're such a predictable fucker..."

"I'm not even going to argue with that." I order an ice cream, while thoughts floating in my head at crazy speed. Did something happen at the party between Baker and the freshman? Was it the reason why Drake was holding her?

Just as we are about to enter the movie theater, my phone vibrates, and I stop in my tracks. Pulling it out of my back pocket, I stare at the phone screen. I have no desire to talk to him now, but I have known this man for my whole life, he will keep calling until he gets what he wants.

"Colt, you're coming?" Clay looks at me over his shoulder, as he waits for me.

"Two minutes." I shout back, spin around and go to the nearest corner.

"Hello Colton." My father's voice is firm and collected, just like he always is. A pretentious jerk.

"Hey."

"How have you been?" Oh God, just tell me what you want so I can go back to my friends. There is no fucking need for these pleasantries.

"Good. What do you want?" My ice cream starts melting from the warmth of my palm, and I stare at it as if it's the only source of stability in my life.

"Your next game will be the following week, on Friday, right?"

"Yes." He came prepared, and I already know I'm not going to like what he's about to say.

"I want you to come home for your grandma's birthday on Sunday. She asked me a few times about you, and I promised her you're going to visit." His fucking tone of voice means one thing. I don't have any say in it at all.

"I'll be with Mom."

"On Saturday." If you know, why do you never join me?! Just to talk to doctors, ask them if she's fine, if she's getting better?! "You can come home right after you visit her."

"I can... but don't be delusional." I hiss, gritting my teeth. "If I do come, I'll do it for grandma. Not you."

"Whatever you say, Colt. I'll be happy to have you home whether you want to see me or not." The bastard chuckles, knowing damn well I'm pissed. "Bye son."

I don't say anything in return and just end the call. I'm a mess. The fucking human trash affects me worse than any shit in my life. Always. I have never felt such anger even on the ice rink and it says a lot. I freaking hate the sperm donor more than anyone and can't wait to graduate and start living on my own. Without his patronage and his desire to rule my life the way he wants.