Graham (Scandalous Boys Book 2) (23 page)

I feel another set of hands on my shoulders. I try to whirl around to see who the fuck is grabbing me as the person shouts, “Hey, Mizner! Do you need me to kick your ass again?”

“Go suck cock, Issac!”

Kyle laughs. “I would, buddy, but I hear that’s your department. You know, since the ladies aren’t down for peanut-size dicks.”

The guy named Mizner glares at Kyle. “Fuck you, Issac. This ain’t over, freshdouche.”

Kyle follows me past the student union. “Please tell me you’re staying the hell away from the frat houses?”

I raise a brow at Kyle. “I’ve been here for a week. I haven’t gone anywhere but to class and the dorm. But thanks for looking out for me, Dad.”

“Don’t be a dick! I mean it, man. I don’t know what’s going on, but something big is being planned. I have a feeling you’re involved in it. And since I’m more scared of Madison than I am of you or her boyfriend, I told her I’d keep you out of trouble.”

I glower. “Madison needs to realize being my friend doesn’t make her my mother.”

“Oh, she knows. But it’s Maddy. When has she ever not mothered us? Besides, she actually may have a valid reason in your case.” He follows me to my dorm.

I glare at the sidewalk. “Well, I appreciate this, but I have things handled.”

“Looked like it.”

A gleam of red hair catches my attention. My heart pounds fiercely in my chest. Then the girl’s face comes into view, and my heart aches as if it’s being ripped to shreds. It’s not her. I know it never will be.

“Graham!” Kyle shouts.

I blink at him. “What?”

“Jesus, man! See? This is why getting tied down by anyone is just stupid as shit. First you had to go get hung up on my cousin. Then my sister had to go and fall for that dipshit friend of yours. Then you and my cousin broke up. I thought you would have had some sense then. In fact, when you came here it looked like you had a lot of sense. Now look at you! You’re pathetic.” He shakes his head and sneers at me. “I love my cousin, but she’s just a girl. Snap the hell out of it. Go hook up with someone else. And sooner rather than later, so you can forget her faster.”

That’s the problem, though. I already did this. Hooked up with so many girls I can’t even give you a real number. But none of them helped me forget Sarah. If anything, they only made her presence stronger.

I’m so fucked it’s not funny. Worst part is I can’t tell any of my friends. They’d laugh their asses off and call me a pussy. Then they’d rag on me for months and probably buy me stupid gag gifts like dildos for my ass or something.

“Got it.” I reach my dorm hoping Kyle doesn’t think I’m inviting him in or something. Because I’m really done with this conversation.

“This you then?” Kyle asks.

“Yeah.”

“Cool. See you later.” He turns and walks off toward the other set of dorms near mine.

I head inside and up to my room. It’s not as nice as the one I was in last semester, but there is a plus side. No roommate. Not unless you count the quad rooms sharing the living area, kitchenette, and the two bathrooms. Don’t get too excited—the two bathrooms are shared by five guys. And the bathrooms happen to be located in the living-room area. So if one of us takes a healthy dump, the whole living room smells like ass for about twenty to thirty minutes.

I don’t get how some people can bask in their own shit smells, let alone others’, but this dude Tony does it. I thought maybe he was blessed—and possibly cursed—with no sense of smell. Wrong. He just pulls out some cheap air freshener and sprays it. Like that’s going to help the lingering stench of shit in the room.

If anything, it makes it worse. Nothing says “home sweet home” like some pineapple covering up some ass.

I walk into my quad and weave through the living room. Alex and his girlfriend are dry-humping on the couch. I also hear moans coming from the room right beside mine. That can only mean Tony is getting it on with someone. So that’s why Alex is servicing his girl on the couch.

I enter my room and shut the door. Slumping into the chair at my desk, I pull out my phone and glare at it. Why won’t she call? I know she got my note. Damn, girl is infuriating. I spin the cell on my desk. I should call. No. Damn it!

Why do I even care so much? I refrain from calling and do my homework instead. In fact, this is all I seem to be doing lately. Class, homework, thinking about Sarah, and sleep. Somewhere in the middle of all that, I eat.

I place my things on my desk and open up my political science book. As I read about forms of autarky, a knock on my door pulls at my attention. “Yo, Graham. You in there?” It’s Reed, the other guy rooming in my quad.

“Yeah. It’s open.”

My door swings open and shuts behind him. “It’s a fucking orgy fest out there.”

I nod. “Yup. What did you need?”

He takes a seat on my bed. “What are you up to?”

“Homework.”

He nods. “Oh. I was going to ask if you wanted to hit up this mixer with me. Guess a bunch of frats and sorority sisters are hosting some kind of dance off. Wanna come with? My girl is going to be up there. She told me to bring everyone I know. I’d invite the others, but I’m not one to interrupt fucking.”

I rub the back of my neck. I should really stay the hell away from anything dealing with Greek Row. But I don’t want to tell him that and look like a complete lame-ass. “Eh. Sure.”

“Sweet! We’ll head over in about ten. Cool?”

“Sounds good.”

He steps out of the room and groans. “Aw, Jesus! Y’all have fucking rooms. Use ’em. I don’t want to see any of y’alls naked asses! I see enough of them in the locker room, fuckers!”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Sarah

I hate that he’s gone. I hate myself even more for ignoring his texts and his calls. I reread the letter he wrote for, I don’t know, the thirtieth time today, while waiting in the library for Logan and Crystal to show up to study group. Yeah, I should probably read over the material instead, but I don’t care. I swipe away the tears.

Oh, I’m a mess.

Crystal nudges me and smiles. “You okay?”

I shake my head and hand over the sweetest letter I’ve ever received in my entire life. I didn’t think a boy like him could write something so wonderful.

She starts muttering his words aloud. “‘My dearest Sarah’—aww, that’s adorable.” She smiles and continues reading. “‘You’re everything to me. I’d tell you this to your beautiful face every day for as long as you’d let me, but you won’t see me. I don’t say it in the voice messages or text it to you because I don’t think you’ll believe it.’”

Crystal nods. “So true. It’s always better when you can see the person saying it.”

I swipe away more tears. Crystal hands me a pack of tissues and asks, “You sure you want me to keep reading this aloud? I can do it silently.”

I shake my head and blot the tissue under my eyes. “Please keep reading.”

“Okay. ‘From the moment you walked into my life, things have changed. That first day, you took the breath out of me. And you continue doing it. No girl has ever made my heart pound like you do. Even when we ended things last year, you still had this hold on me. It only grew when you reentered my life. I can’t lose you again, Sarah. You’re mine. Near. Far. It doesn’t matter. You own me. I only want and will always only want you.’” Crystal sets the letter down and starts fanning her face. “Oh, man. Wow. This is so good.”

“I know. I don’t deserve him.”

“Shhh. None of that shit. I want to read the rest of this man’s words. Okay, where was I … Oh, okay. ‘I love you. So if you need space to figure things out, I’m giving it to you. I can’t promise I won’t call. I miss your sweet voice. So please don’t change your voicemail, it will kill me if you do. I’ll try not to text, but I’ll need to remind you I’m here. Not going anywhere, babe. And if you ever need someone, you got me. Just call, and I’ll be wherever you need me.’” Crystal hands me the letter. “Bloody hell! That was wonderful.” She sniffles.

“What’s going on here?” Logan asks as he stares at us girls sobbing like crazy fools.

Crystal scowls at him. “How come you never write me love letters?”

He runs a hand through his hair while looking completely uncomfortable. “Um. Well. I. Uh … yeah. So, um … how was your break, Red?”

“Don’t change the subject,” Crystal says as she dries her eyes with tissues.

Logan slumps down in a seat and sighs. “Why do I have to write you a letter when I can tell you how special you are to your face?”

I sob even harder. “Awww, that was a good save.”

“I know. He’s so sweet,” Crystal cries.

Logan stares at us and then says, “You two are okay, right? I mean, you all weren’t having a Ryan Reynolds moment, were you?”

“It’s Gosling, and no. We were just having a girl moment,” Crystal explains.

“Okay. Should I give you another minute or two? Or are we ready to start on some biology?”

“Biology,” I blurt out. I dry my eyes and shove the letter that is tormenting my heart into my book bag.

***

I pull into the driveway two hours later. I slowly make my way to my room and toss my bag into a corner, as well as kick off my shoes and shrug my coat onto the same pile. I make my way to the bathroom for a much-needed shower.

Catching a reflection of myself in the mirror, I observe my tired eyes, pale skin, and blond roots appearing through the bright red. God, I look awful. I hit the shower then call up the salon. Probably shouldn’t be spending my savings on my hair, but sometimes you just need to do something to make yourself feel good.

After I set an appointment, I call Madison.

“Hey, you,” she says. “Can you Skype right now? I kind of need all my hands.”

“Um … yeah, but does it have to be video?”

“No. But why can’t I see you? Hiding something in our room or something?”

“No. I just look like shit.”

She laughs. “That’s not a biggie. I’m covered in paint.”

I groan. “Fine, whatever, I’ll call.” I hang up the phone and pull her up on the computer.

She was not lying when she said she was covered in paint. She has splotches of white, green, blue, orange, and I think purple all over her face, down her arms, and all over her shirt. “Uh … I can talk to you later,” I say.

She turns the computer toward what looks like a giant mural. “What do you think so far? There’s a showcase for the best historical design. So I did like a whole piece by piece of history.”

“It looks amazing. How did you get that thing in there?”

“Bryce of course.”

I nod.

“Yeah, that thing was a bitch to get through the door,” Bryce complains. “This one here wouldn’t listen when I said turn this way and that way. She just wanted to be stubborn as usual.”

I laugh the first hard, good laugh I’ve had in a while.

“Hey. You aren’t supposed to crack up,” Madison says. “He’s just mad because he had to carry two of these up here.”

“That’s some real love,” I say, still chuckling.

“Damn straight it is!” Bryce kisses Maddy and smiles.

I hate how sickly perfect they are. The ache in my heart returns.

“Sarah, how is everything? Have things calmed down some?” Maddy asks.

I shrug. “A little.”

“You haven’t called him, have you?” Madison asks. She knows the answer, though, before I say it. Her frown is a deep indication of it. Maybe I’m being stupid. Maybe I should just get it over with. One call. I’ll feel better, won’t I?

Chapter Forty

Graham

Twenty minutes into the party, nothing has gone wrong. Guess that’s a good thing. Of course I probably should have knocked on wood because Kyle is already storming toward me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he growls.

“Hanging out with my roommate and his chick. Why?”

He glares at me. “You’ve got to be kidding me, right? Nichols, you can’t be here. Your homeboys are here. They’re looking to finish what they started. My advice is to stay the hell away from them.”

“Why?”

“Dude, I don’t need this shit right now. I promised Sarah I’d keep you out of trouble. I told Mads I’d make sure you didn’t wind up in another mess. But here you are doing every fucking thing I tell you not to do. Must be all those years hanging out with your boy Matthews.”

I roll my eyes. “Fuck off, Kyle. I don’t need a fucking babysitter.”

“No. You need someone who has your back, and your boy isn’t here. And no offense, man, I love my sister and my cousin, but if you fuck up again, don’t you dare think I’m following you down the rabbit hole. I need my scholarship. And I’m this close to going pro. If you can’t listen to me, that’s not my problem.”

He shoves me hard and walks off.

“What’s the deal with you and Issac?” Reed asks. “He looked super pissed, like he was going to beat the shit out of you.”

“Nothing.”

Reed gives me a light shove in the main room of the Delta Sigma house. “You bagged his sister, didn’t you?”

I spray beer from my mouth and choke. “Madison? Hell no. That’s my buddy’s girl. He just wants me to stay out of trouble.”

“That’s cool, I guess. So what did you do exactly? I mean, we kind of heard a snippet of what went down here and there. But nothing’s like from the horse’s mouth, you know what I mean?”

God. I don’t want to talk about this. Not with him. Not with anyone really. Especially when I spot one of the beer pong jackasses who I beat at the far end of the room.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now, man.”

He nods. “That’s cool. I’m going to go get another beer then talk to my girl. By the way, if you want me to introduce you to any of her sisters, let me know.”

“Nah. I’m good.”

I make my way to a different section of the house. Not really paying attention as I’m walking, I feel something slam straight into my chest. I glance down at a startled, petite blond with large green eyes. “Oh my God! I’m sorry. I just … Oh shit! It’s you. Oh shit! Listen, I’m really, really sorry.”