Tangled Thoughts (3 page)

“Is that why you keep staring at mine?”

I wasn't sure who punched who first.

But I knew I hit him harder.

Lainey

T
he other thing about college: it went
fast
. Faster even than high school. In the time it took me to blink, we were a few weeks into the semester. So far I'd turned in all my assignments on time, joined a volleyball team, and was actually starting to feel like I had half a clue what I was doing. Except for one little thing: the morning I woke up and my first boy-related thoughts were about Jack, not Carter, I knew I was in trouble.

But maybe it was the good kind of trouble, the kind I needed to get into.

Classes were over for the day, and I was enjoying the crisp air and the miracle that was the street on which I lived. It was a tiny haven, tucked between the main campus buildings and the Charles river, lined on both sides with trees and old brownstones and with an actual castle at one end. A small one, but still. Autumn was officially invading the city and it was invigorating, blowing out the heat of summer and
turning everyone's cheeks a fresh pink. I called Amy as I reached the steps of my dorm.

“I think I have a crush on my TA,” I blurted as soon as she answered. The truth was I didn't think it, I
knew
I did. The way my heart beat faster and my palms got hot when I saw him at discussion today was a clear giveaway.

“Hot! So
spill
. What's he like?”

“Hot,” I admitted, and she giggled.

“Obviously.”

I thought for a second. What
was
he like? “Different,” I finally said.

After a pause, during which I knew she was thinking about exactly the difference I'd left unspoken, she replied, “Different is good, Lane. Different is good…and so's hot. I mean, I
wish
I had a crushable TA. I'd even settle for a crushable lab partner, but noooo, I've got the vampire girl who never seems to sleep or see the sun. How about some details here? I've got some vicarious crushing to do.”

After my rundown and her noises of approval, I added, “Hey, you want to come slum it on my side of the river tonight?”

I heard her close her laptop with a snap, which told me the answer was already yes, like she'd just been waiting for me to ask. “Do I get to meet, Mr. H-O-T, aka Hot Older TA?”

“No,” I laughed, “but that band you told me about, with the bass player and no shirt, they've got an eighteen plus show and I've got passes.” I pulled the passes out of my pocket and slid them back and forth against each other. A kid doing promotions had handed them to me on the way through campus and I'd taken them automatically. When I'd set them on the table in discussion and read the name, I realized not only had I heard of them, they were supposed to be
good
. Amy had too much free time too, so her new hobby was discovering indie bands.

Her fingers made a metallic tapping on the computer's cover. “Interesting. You know we wouldn't be stuck with only eighteen plus shows if you'd just…”

I interrupted her with a well-practiced sigh. “Ame, I'm not going to do that.” I preferred the stress of her trying to convince me to get a fake ID to the stress it would cause me actually trying to use one.

“Lane, seriously, use some of your stacks of cash for fun. You could buy the best fake ever.”

“Not only would I not know where to get one, I buy fun things all the time.”

She laughed. “Your eighteenth century armoire is not fun.”

“Yeah, but new shoes are…” I dangled it there, knowing what would tempt her. It was still plenty early to go shopping before the show.

“Okay.” Her voice was serious, but I could tell she was grinning like she'd just won an argument. “Provided you wear new shoes that are
super
sexy
and
I get to crash at your apartment, I'll meet you at Copley in an hour. Bye.”

She hung up before I even had time to agree.

M
Y
NEW
SHOES
were definitely sexy. Except it was October and my toes were freezing, turning bluer and making me less sexy every minute we stood in line.

“Stop fidgeting,” Amy scolded.

“Says the girl in new boots.
Warm
, toe covering boots.” Not to mention the shot—or was it shots?—she'd done with my roommates before we left.

She stuck her tongue out at me. “We're almost in.”

One of the two guys in front of us stage-whispered, “That's what she said,” and his friend snickered. They glanced back at us again, and the one who'd been stealing looks at Amy's cleavage since we'd
stepped up behind them actually smiled. He wasn't bad looking, except his eyes couldn't find their way north of chin-level.

Amy smiled back and leaned forward enough to distract him again before deliberately buttoning her coat. “Those,” she told him, “are reserved.”

“Oh yeah?” He thought she was flirting with him, so he stepped away from his friend and closer to us. “How do I get on the list?”

Amy's grin grew wicked. “Be. Someone. Else,” she said, enunciating each word before she brushed past him up to the door. His friend had just gone in without him, leaving us next in line.

“Hey!” the kid said, but the two bouncers were already putting us through, slapping a drink bracelet on Amy's wrist and mine too. Obviously the guy had been too busy looking at Amy's boobs to actually look at my license.

“Nice show,” my bouncer said to Amy at the same time the other one said, “Enjoy the show.”

Amy winked at them and flounced down the entry hall.

Like the tunnel that led to it, the music hall was almost entirely black, except for the two giant pillars that flanked the stage, painted to resemble silver trees. It was a quirky place and I liked it; it felt intimate, as if you were in someone's basement with slightly better than average acoustics. An open floor led straight up to the stage, low enough that the band was right there. There was a mezzanine that ran around the room, with a second bar and a relaxed vibe away from the stage.

The lower level bar across from the stage was busy, but we stepped right up to it in a lucky opening.

“Ladies,” the bartender said with a practiced smile. “What can I get you?”

Before I even had the chance to open my mouth, Amy was ordering a beer for both of us.

“Ame…” I started, but the caps were already off and two bottles set on the bar. She paid for both and practically pushed mine into my hand.

“Re. Lax. One drink with me, Lane. That's all. Pretty please.” She batted her eyes and I laughed, taking an only partly reluctant sip. Amy's enthusiasm was, as always, infectious. “That's my girl!” She clinked her bottle with mine. “To new crushes and hot TAs.”

“Cheers,” I said and we turned to survey the room.

Naturally, leaning on the other end of the bar and talking to some friends was Jack Kensington.

Recognition lit up his eyes when he saw us, and he gave me a not entirely subtle glance up and down. “Lainey!” he called and started in our direction.

“No way,” I said under my breath. Of course he was here. I tried to hide the drink I hadn't even wanted behind my back, since Jack definitely knew how old I was.

Amy looked at my blushing face and back to Jack. Threading her arm through mine, she said, “Guess I know who that is. Nice, Heartbreaker. Very nice. And you thought I wouldn't get to meet him.”

“You do always seem to get what you want.”

“Truth.” She tilted her head, appraising. “You know, he kind of reminds me of—” but before she finished, Jack had reached us.

“Nice shoes,” he said, smiling like Prince Charming.

“They're new,” I replied stupidly. I could feel Amy's grin lighting up the space next to me. Before I had the chance to get my brain working well enough to make the introduction, my TA-slash-crush was doing it for me.

“Hi. I'm Jack.” He held out his hand.

Amy took it in her free one that was still looped through my arm, pulling us all closer together. “Amy, Lainey's best friend in the whole-wide world and, unfortunately,”—she paused here, giving Jack an even
less subtle once over than he'd given me—“not single. Unless…?” She raised her eyebrows suggestively and he laughed.

“Not single right now either,” he said, then added, “unfortunately.” He might have glanced at me when he said that last word and Amy definitely noticed.

“Too bad,” she pouted, nudging me another step closer, until Jack's arm was touching mine. “Who's the lucky…guy?” Her eyes scanned the group he'd been standing with. They were all guys, but none looked like a clear contender for a boyfriend. Wishful thinking had completely blocked the possibility that he might have any kind of significant other, girl
or
boy, from my mind. Disappointment was just settling in my stomach when Jack laughed.

“The lucky
girl
,” he said and, deliberately, put his arm around my shoulder, “is Lainey…” Amy beamed, and I stood there mute, stunned by his proclamation and his touch. Those disappointed feelings were being swarmed and devoured by an entirely different kind of butterflies, when he dropped his arm and continued, “…and about two hundred others in her Intro to Business that I TA for. Unfortunately, I'm dating my job right now.”

Amy's smile barely faltered. Though he'd taken his arm off my shoulders, it was still touching mine, and I knew she saw that. He could have, actually probably
should
have, moved away but didn't. “Two hundred girlfriends is a big commitment, a lot of papers to grade. Your stamina must be
excellent
,” Amy purred and Jack laughed again, finally taking a step away from me.

“I like you, Lainey's best friend in the whole wide world. Do you guys have a spot? Come watch with us upstairs.” Amy immediately agreed for both of us and I followed them up to the mezzanine, still in a bit of a daze.

Carter

D
id
winning
a fight qualify as trouble? That's what I was thinking when I—finally—heard Alexis's voice mixed with the rest of the shouting. Most of which was for me to kick his ass. Whoever this kid was, he was a known asshole.

“What the
hell?!
Carter! Shit. MOVE!” I stood, breathing heavily, more from adrenaline than exertion. Lex grabbed my arm. “What's going—” she started to say, before Asshole rocketed off the ground into me, taking Lex down with us.

We landed in a hard tumble as the onlookers stepped cleanly out of the way. Alexis shrieked when we hit, a noise of pain and outrage. I turned to see her cradling her wrist as two girls helped her up. Which is when the kid got in one lucky shot, catching me right in the eye. My head rocked back, stars blooming. I just got my arm up to block his next swing.

Lex was shouting and struggling, the same girls now holding her back.

I shoved the kid over, rolling to the side to get him underneath me. He pushed back, but I was bigger, more sober, and stronger than him. I slammed my fist into his face with a wet thud that echoed in the crowded room.

His head smacked the floor and stayed there, a nasally groan escaping him as blood spurted between his fingers. “I think you broke my fucking nose!”

“I think you're an asshole.” I stood and stepped back, trying not to flex my fingers and failing. It hurt punching someone in the face, even if he deserved it.

“What the actual
hell
, Afton?!” Hell hath no fury like Alexis Morrow. “
Carter
?!”

“Is his name seriously Afton?” I asked and at least one person in the crowd laughed. Not that my name wasn't ridiculous, but Afton? Pretty sure it meant Asshole in some Celtic language. “Want to repeat what you were saying,
Afton
?”

Dear old Afton had gotten himself to his knees, trying to stand without taking his hands from his face. No one seemed to want to help him. He inclined his head in Alexis's direction. His voice was muffled by his hands, but more than clear enough for everyone to understand. “That she's supremely accomplished at ‘negotiating' from this position? It's no secret, dude. I bet you know better than anyone, except maybe her senator.”

A collective gasp escaped the crowd, and Lex snapped straight to her full height. Before I could
really
break something, she leaned down and flicked the spot where his nose was hidden, bringing tears to his eyes. “You're a jealous idiot,” she pronounced, eyes flashing.

And then she kicked him in the balls.

“Y
OU
O
KAY,
B
ABE
?” It was two blocks up to a decent spot to catch a cab, but it would only take a minute the way Lex was striding.

“
You're
the one with a black eye,” she said. Her high heels made angry taps on the concrete.

“This?” I pointed to the swollen, darkening skin. It didn't hurt yet, probably wouldn't until tomorrow. “Don't you think it's sexy? I thought you would. I let him hit me on purpose.”

“Shut up.”

“I'm serious.”

“
You're
an idiot, too.” Her still stormy eyes flashed umber as her Sententia gift sparked to life, just like at the party.

“I've known
that
for years. You don't have to convince me.”

“Sorry. Sometimes it just happens.” Like now, when she was at a minimum buzzed, and because she'd been using her Herald's charm all the time in the employ of my uncle. Alexis was preternaturally convincing. If everyone hadn't believed her assessment of Afton before she'd made it, they did now. Fortunately, I was the only witness to her assessment of
me
. She gave me a tiny, sideways glance of apology. “But you
are
.”