A Different Side (University Park #4) (19 page)

I quickly tapped out a message.

Me: Hey, do you want to come to the game? It’s sold out but I can probably get you a ticket. Let me know ASAP.

I sent the message and got on the bus. The drive back to campus took a little longer than usual due to a wreck on the freeway. Out of desperation, I glanced at my phone every few minutes, but she didn’t respond. I refused to message her again. If she wanted to come to the game, she’d tell me. I put on my headphones and selected my workout playlist. I had to concentrate on winning the game and not worry about Lexi. I’d message her after the game and remind her about the party.

The game was tough, but we won fifteen to fourteen. I stifled our opponent’s defense by throwing two-hundred and forty-three yards and making one touchdown. The entire stadium went crazy when Josh scored a two-point conversion in the last fifteen seconds of the game. It was exciting and thrilling. I only wished Lexi would’ve been there to see it. The win put the team that much closer to a good bowl game after the season.

“You’re sure spending a lot of time getting dressed,” Shawn teased as I stood in front of the mirror, buttoning my dress shirt.

“Look who’s talking.” I smirked. “You’ve been combing your hair for the past ten minutes.”

Shawn tossed his brush to the counter. “No I haven’t.”

I laughed. “Yeah, you have.”

He smoothed back the sides of his hair. “I can’t help it if I want to look good.” He leaned closer to me. “The Tri Delta’s will be there.”

I cocked a brow. “Oh really?”

“Yeah, man. And you know what that means.” Shawn doused himself in cologne.

Fanning the air, I said, “No, what?” I played dumb. I knew what he meant.

He leaned closer to me. “Lots of pussy, man.”

“No doubt, there will be lots of hot girls tonight, but are you man enough to act on it?” I buttoned my jeans, grabbed his cologne, and gave myself a quick spray.

Shawn held a hand to his chest, feigning pain. “Aw, man, that’s not how you treat a brother.”

I shook my head. “Dude, you talk so much shit, but how many girls have you actually bagged?”

“Enough that I can’t remember their names.” He grabbed his cologne from my hand.

With a shrug, I said, “If you say so.”

“So I guess you’re going to the party?” Shawn asked as he continued primping himself.

“I am.” I slipped on my blazer and fixed my collar.

He eyed me. “Are you taking Lexi?”

A smile spread across my face. “That’s the plan.”

“Cool. So, I get to meet her?” Shawn tossed his items in his duffle bag and zipped it up.

“Yeah.” I picked up the strap of my bag and strung it on my shoulder. “As long as you don’t talk any shit.”

“What are you talking about?” Shawn held up his hands. “I’ve never said anything to one of your girls.” His eyes darted up and he pressed a finger to his lips. “Not that I remember.”

I turned him to face me. “Look man, Lexi isn’t like Macy, the Silicone Triplets, or any of those girls. She’s a
really
good girl.”

His face twisted. “What the hell is she doing with you?”

Releasing his shoulders, I took a step back. I wasn’t a good match for Lexi, but for once, I wanted to do something right. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Sorry.” Shawn’s faced dropped. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

Readjusting my bag, I walked off.

“Aw c’mon, man. Don’t be pissed.”

I held up a hand and waved as I pushed out the door. “See you later.”

Shawn continued to mumble something, but I didn’t turn around. I placed my bag in my locker and went straight to the conference room. Coach Anderson was already at the podium, talking to reporters. When I got the signal, I approached the front. After a quick statement and answering a few questions, I left. I signed some autographs and then thanked my family for coming.

Once I got in my car, I turned on my phone, smiling when my message alert sounded.

Lexi: Good luck! I hope you make them eat shit!

A loud laugh escaped from deep within my chest. She had a cute sense of humor when the occasion called for it. I noticed the time of the message: seven forty-three. Had she watched the game? Why didn’t she want to see it in person? Something told me it probably had to do with what had happened the day before, but there was only one way to find out.

Me: Thanks. Not only did I make them eat their own shit, but roll in it too!

I pushed send and waited. After a minute or so, I tapped out another message to her.

Me: You want to go to the party with me?

The words glared at me and I erased them, retyping another message.

Me: There’s a party tonight, remember the one I told you about? Would you like to go with me?

I reread it several times. It sounded too formal, not like me. I pressed the delete button and watched the letters disappear one by one. My fingers quickly prepared another message.

Me: I coming to pick you and take you to that party so get dressed. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.

Without hesitating, I hit send and laid my phone next to me. That sounded more like me. If her fiancé had cheated on her, I definitely wasn’t giving up. Starting the car, I reversed and drove to the store to pick up a six-pack of beer. The same kind we had the day before at the suite. It would be a good way to get the night started.

Glancing at my phone, I noticed Lexi hadn’t replied. My shoulders dropped and even though I couldn’t lift them, I cranked up the radio and headed straight for her dorm. I wasn’t giving up. Not yet.

I drove around campus waiting for someone to leave so I could park right by her dorm. After wasting ten minutes, I finally drove to the visitors parking across from the student union and parked there. I slipped on my blazer and wondered if I looked overdressed for a frat party. I hoped the jeans gave my outfit a more casual look. Maybe I should have consulted with Shawn, the fashion expert. My plan was to prove to Lexi I was capable of cleaning up my act. Hopefully, that showed. If she were keeping count of reasons not to be with me, I didn’t need to give her any more.

As I walked toward her dorm, I called her number. I held the phone to my ear and listened as it rang and rang.

“Hi, you’ve reached Lexi. Sorry I missed your call. Please leave a message and I’ll call you back.”

I thought about hanging up as her message played, but decided, what the hell?

“Hey, Lexi, it’s Raven. I’m almost at your dorm so I hope you’re ready to go.” I hung up and glanced at the time. It was ten forty-five. Surely, she wasn’t asleep. A few girls passed by me, giggling and waving. To be nice, I waved back, even though I didn’t know them. I tried to open the door to Charter Hall and frowned when I realized it was locked. I pulled out my phone and dialed Lexi again.

It rang and rang, and then the front door opened. I hung up and stepped aside when a couple shuffled through the doorway.

“Excuse us,” the guy said.

“Yeah, no problem.” I caught the door with my hand and started to walk in when the girl spoke up.

“Hey, you can’t go in without authorization.”

I stopped and turned around, using my foot to keep the door open. “It’s okay. I’m picking someone up.”

She eyed me suspiciously and the guy tugged on her arm, trying to get her to leave. “I guess,” she huffed before trotting off with him.

These dorms didn’t play around when they said
authorized residents only
. It was like a damn virgin vault or something. Shit. With my thumb, I typed out another text to Lexi.

Me: I’m downstairs waiting for you.

Before I hit send, I pressed a smiley face. Maybe I shouldn’t have told her I’d stalk her. What I was doing was starting to sound just like that. I paced the foyer area, phone in hand, waiting for her to respond. My heart tapped a rapid beat and my shirt felt snug. I pulled at the collar and unbuttoned the next-to-top button as beads of sweat collected along my brow.

I circled the room a few times and then sat at the piano. The ivory was shiny and sleek as I ran my fingers along the keys. Had Lexi touched them recently? I pressed a few keys, trying to sound out the chords to
Lean On Me.
What I wouldn’t do to hear Lexi play again. I unlocked my phone once more and typed another message.

Me: Hello? Lexi? I’m sitting at the piano waiting to take you to the party.

The screen stayed fixed on my last message and then faded to black. She wasn’t coming downstairs.
The one time I actually tell a girl I’ll pick her up and she ditches me. Go figure.
I laughed internally and walked out of Charter Hall alone, even though I wanted to cry.

I unlocked my car and opened the door. Before getting in, I stopped. What the hell was I going to do now? Shawn would give me a hard time and half the team was expecting me to show up with Lexi. The party of the year suddenly didn’t sound that great. I pounded the top of the car with my fist and then rested my arms and head against it. This sucked.

Reaching in the back seat, I grabbed the paper sack and slammed the door shut. I trekked across the parking lot toward the stadium. The lights shone brightly against the dark sky and the smell of dry ice and fireworks lingered in the air. The victory was still fresh.

Several cars, including vendor trucks and security, lined the front area. I walked past cleaning crews and police officers, but no one stopped me. Following the main walkway, I headed toward the clubhouse. I took the elevator to the fifth floor and got off. A few workers noticed me, but again, no one said anything. Maybe it was because of how I was dressed, or maybe they recognized me. Whatever the reason, I didn’t care.

I held my wallet up to the card reader and the door opened. I hoped the Marshalls weren’t still there. The door swung open and the lights came on, revealing an empty room. Crusted food trays and empty beer bottles remained on the bar and the trash was overflowing. No doubt, there was a party in here. Using my foot, I kicked the door shut and turned off the lights.

I pulled a beer from the sack and set the rest on the coffee table, just like last time. Except it wasn’t like last time. Lexi wasn’t there with me. My body collapsed on the leather chair, tired from the hits and blows I had endured for the past three hours. I twisted the cap off and tossed it on the floor. Lifting the bottle to my lips, I let the cold liquid fill my mouth as I took several swallows.

The more I tried not to think about Lexi, the more I did. I thought coming to the suite would be a good idea, but maybe it wasn’t. Images of us standing against the glass taunted me, reminding me she had refused to kiss me. That she wanted nothing more than to tutor me. Then again, could I blame her? I was dangerous for her and she knew it.

I glanced at my phone one more time. Nothing. Lexi had my mind spinning like a ball out of control. Her avoidance was like a two hundred and fifty pound linebacker taking me down at the goal line. Why didn’t she want to talk to me? The lights from the stadium blurred my vision and I squeezed my eyes tightly, trying to blink the moisture away. I was so damn pathetic. No girl like Lexi would ever want a loser like me. I was the biggest dumbass for thinking that.

No one wants to deal with someone who has heavy issues. But those were the cards I was dealt. I had no choice but to shuffle them and stuff them back in my pocket. I had to go on with my life and carrying them with me, because I honestly didn’t know how to get a new deck. From the looks of the way things were going, I’d be stuck with them for life.

***

The rest of the weekend dragged and I never heard from Lexi. I honestly didn’t know what to think. Had I pushed too hard at the stadium? Did I scare her off? Did she feel like I had stalked her? I did, but not in a bad way. Josh and Shawn wanted to know what happened and why I hadn’t show up to the party. I lied and told them Lexi wasn’t feeling well and I met up with my family instead. That resulted in being called
pussy whipped
and anything else they could conjure in their small minds.

By the time Tuesday rolled around, my outline was complete and I had even started on my paper. I really wanted to show Lexi I was serious about my grades. I arrived early to campus — a first for me — and stopped by the student union to grab a breakfast sandwich. The morning was cold and dew covered the grass. Halloween was at the end of the week and the entire campus buzzed with excitement. Flyers were pegged to boards, inviting students to various parties. Josh’s family was hosting their annual Halloween party at their ranch, but I didn’t care to go.

As I crossed the lawn, I kept a steady eye on Charter Hall, hoping I’d see Lexi before our tutoring session later that day. I walked slowly, taking my time watching students come in and out of the building, but none of them were her. Looking over my shoulder, I gave one more check before turning toward the business building. Was I crazy for wanting to see her? I wanted to know everything was okay between us, even though her earlier messages didn’t indicate otherwise. She had only ignored my last calls and texts about the party. Maybe she was still having fiancé issues.

Just as I opened the door to Reed Hall, my phone buzzed. I pulled it out and my breath hitched in my throat. It was Lexi. I quickly unlocked my phone and stared at the screen.

Lexi: Sorry about the other night. I wasn’t feeling well and I’m still not. I need to cancel our session today. I’m sorry.

“Excuse me.” A girl shuffled past me along with a few other students.

I stumbled to the side and reread the message, making sure I understood. She wasn’t mad at me after all.

Yeah!

Internally, I cringed, hoping I didn’t curse her by telling Josh and Shawn she was sick. My fingers worked rapidly, typing a message.

Me: Don’t worry about it. Sorry if I was being pushy. Do you need anything?

Three dots blinked on my screen and I waited for her message to show up. A few seconds later, she replied.