PARKER

"Took you long enough, get your ass in here I want to start drinking," I hear Connor say, pulling me out of my conversation with Brooks. Looking over, I see Ellie walk in the front door, Dakota just behind her.

Holy fuck.

Dakota's shorts make her tan legs appear to go on forever, and her cropped tank top shows off her toned stomach. Her long, wavy brown hair falls is pushed behind her ears, allowing me to have an unobstructed view of her delicate facial features.

As Connor and Brooks step forward to hug the girls, I stay back, opting to stick with a friendly wave instead. Before we can even move away from the entryway, another guy steps between Ellie and Brooks, shooting him a nasty look.

"Josh?" Ellie gives the guy a questioning look, "I thought you were hanging with the tennis guys tonight."

Josh looks back at us once more before turning back to Ellie, "I'm not sitting at home while my girlfriend is hanging around horny assholes."

Dakota speaks up, "Josh do you find joy in ruining our nights, or are you just feeling extra dickish today?"

"Guys, please," Ellie looks between the two of them, slightly frazzled. "Josh, can we go talk somewhere please?" Her words sound pointed, almost as if there's a hidden meaning behind it. He gives a rough nod. "Dakota, I'll probably just see you at home tomorrow."

Josh tightly grips Ellie's hand, not giving Dakota time to respond before pulling her away.

"I need a shot," Dakota groans, rubbing her temples as she heads towards the kitchen. Connor, Brooks, and I look to each other before following closely behind her.

In the next five minutes, Dakota convinces us to take two shots with her, before Brooks says he has a beer pong table saved for us downstairs.

I walk closely behind Dakota, making sure she doesn't get separated from us. When we reach the table, Brooks slings an arm around my shoulder and pulls me to one side with him.

"I hope you're ready to lose Parker, I haven't lost a game in 3 years," Dakota says, flashing me a bright smile, now loosened up a bit.

"Sorry to break it to you, princess, but you're looking at last year's Wisconsin University beer pong champion," I say smirking as I throw my first ball, landing perfectly in the cup directly in front of her.

"I'll respect it, but if I win, you're getting me another drink," she responds, shooting and landing her ball into one of our cups.

"Game on, then," I laugh.

~

Thirty minutes later, Dakota and Connor turn to each other, high-fiving after their second straight win.

"Let's go pretty boy," she says, waving me over, "you owe me a drink."

As I go to follow her, Connor sets a hand on my shoulder. "Brooks and I are gonna stay back and play a few more with those girls over there," he points at the two blondes watching us from the corner, "just keep an eye on Kota for me, will you?"

Nodding at him, I rush to an impatient-looking Dakota, who grabs my tattooed arm and starts pushing us through the crowd. Once we reach the bar, I whip her up a Blue Lagoon while pours us both two more shots each. I quickly drink them, realizing I'm a little past tipsy now.

"Wanna go out back?" Dakota asks with glassy eyes.

"Yeah let's do it. It's getting a little intense in here."

Grabbing her hand, I guide us through the mass of people in the kitchen, and outside to the small bench at the edge of the yard. Dakota and I sit close together, our thighs lightly brushing.

"So, Wisconsin?" She breaks the silence, turning her head to face me.

"Oh um yeah," I start, "I played there for three years before our hockey team lost funding, and not playing the last season before I went into the draft wasn't an option. Long story short, I made a few calls, and Coach Cooper agreed to a last-minute tryout."

Dakota nods thoughtfully before smirking, "brave of you to move in with Brooks, though. You're in for a treat."

I laugh at her statement, "I woke up to him singing Picture To Burn in the kitchen at 7:30 this morning."

She gasps, "that asshole told me he doesn't know any Taylor Swift, what a dirty liar."

"I'll send you a video next time."

"You know, Parker, I think we're gonna make a great team," she giggles, looking at me happily.

The smile on her face makes me curse myself for hiding away up until now. When I first got to Michigan, I turned down every invitation to go out with Connor and Brooks. When I wasn't on the ice, I was in the weight room or hidden away in my room watching game tapes. The last thing I wanted was for Coach to regret bringing me onto the team if I didn't show up to the first game fully prepared.

"What about you," I lightly nudge her foot with mine. "I'm assuming you're also from Florida, like Connor. What made you pick Michigan?"

"UMich has a great marketing program, and I'd love to own a bakery in the future. Connor was also coming here, obviously, and I knew I'd do better leaving home if I had him around."

"You bake?"

"Where do you think all of the deserts in your kitchen come from?" She laughs.

"That was you?" My eyes are wide, "Can you please teach me how to make those chocolate chip cookies, they almost had me in tears."

"Only if you teach me how to skate. Connor and Brooks have both given up on me."

Her statement makes me laugh, "it's a date."

Dakota's eyebrows raise, and I realize what just came out of my mouth.

"I mean, not a date. Just like, a date on the calendar, a friendly hangout. Wow, it's hot out here," I pull my shirt away from my now sticky chest, "are you hot? I mean you are hot, but like, are you the sweating kind of hot? Fuck." The two shots and beer I had are starting to hit me, causing me to ramble even more.

Dakota just looks at me, humor in her eyes.

"I think I hear Brooks calling for us, let's go inside," I rush out, walking towards the house with a giggling Dakota trailing behind me.

~

The house is now almost empty, the parting having died down a little while ago. Connor and Brooks stand by the door, making sure nobody is trying to steal the extra bottles of booze.

"Oh, Kota there you are," Connor shouts, "Josh and Ellie left for his place like ten minutes ago. Do you want to crash here or call an Uber?"

"I think I'm just gonna head home tonight since you all are leaving for that road trip Sunday. How many days are you gonna be gone anyways?"

"Only three days this time," Brooks answers, "so we'll be back Wednesday night."

Dakota only nods in response, pulling out her phone to call for a car before hugging Brooks and Connor goodbye.

"Text me when you get home, okay?" Connor looks at Dakota sincerely, "I'll send you Parker's number later just in case something happens and you can't get ahold of Brooks or me."

"Sounds good," Dakota turns to face me. "Have fun on your first road trip!"

Dakota tentatively wraps her arms around my torso, enveloping me in a hug. I lightly drape my arms around her shoulders, placing my cheek on top of her head. The hug ends all too quickly, as her phone alerts her that a driver is here.

"Bye boys, don't even think about coming back if you lose," Dakota calls out as she rushes out the door. We all laugh at her before heading upstairs to our rooms.

I quickly change before jumping into bed and turning on Spider-Man, although my brain keeps flashing back to my captain's best friend.

______

Parker's first chapter!

I feel like I've read so many slow burns, that I wanted to make Parker and Dakota's story a bit different. After all, not every relationship starts off as 'just friends' or enemies to lovers.

POVs won't change every other chapter, right now I have three Dakota POVs in a row coming up. Don't worry, though, both characters will get to tell the parts important to them ;)

Thank you for reading!!