Friday afternoon, the day after whatever the fuck I'd done with Jake, I got surprising news from his sister.

Ellie: Talked with Jake, Logan and I are going to fly in Friday.

My eyebrows lifted at that change of plans, since earlier Ellie had mentioned she stayed in my room. Li still planned a visit home, but I had no idea what. Before I responded, my phone buzzed with another message from her.

Ellie: That okay? We can hang out at the hotel but wanted to grab dinner if you're up for it.

me: Of course.

While I hadn't looked forward to telling Ellie the truth, it was probably revealed sooner than later.

Especially if their Mom attends the game.

At the reminder of the game, I realized I had no idea where Ellie's seat was.

me: Where are you sitting at the game?

Ellie: Jake got extra seats but said I can have Mom's.

I frowned at that development.

me: She's not coming?

Ellie: Not anymore.

A twinge of guilt pinched my chest at that reveal because there was no way Mrs. Harrison's reaction wasn't related to the bomb her son dropped on her during dinner. I texted him for verification.

me: Your mom's not coming anymore!?

dickhead: nope.

My eyes rolled at his lack of context or how he felt about that. I definitely had my own strong opinions on the subject, particularly if I'd contributed to that situation.

That's not right.

I fail to believe, after years of unwavered support, Jake doesn't want her there either.

With that in mind, I dialed a predictable source of feasible solutions.

"Hey Harps," Dad answered on the third ring.

"Hey, sorry to bug you but quick question." My finger tapped absently on my desk from where I sat in my 'how have I not shredded this awful thing yet' chair. "How many airline rewards do you have?"

"Too many that I'll ever use myself," he admitted. "Why? Coming to visit me already?"

"Not a chance." My shoulders bobbed a little as I laughed. "Can you give any to Gianna Harrison? Driving down here for Jake's games is taking a toll on her."

"As long as she's okay with it, I won't use them," he replied.

"Great, thanks."

I held the impression that our conversation was over, but Dad had other intentions. "While we're on the phone, how are you?"

"Fine, great. Same." I gritted out and drummed my fingernails on the top of my desk. "You?"

"Fine, great, same," he shot back in a flat voice. After a few seconds of silence, he admitted softly, "It's quieter here."

"I think you've earned a little silence by now," I laughed as Mrs. Harrison's praise of his single father efforts were actually pretty accurate.

He did a pretty damn good job, if you ask me.

"So listen... Your family day event," he started in a hesitant voice and my eyes closed. My mouth parted in a gasp as I crossed one leg over the other and angered my sensitive lady bits.

Ouch, Jake actually did a number on me there.

"You're busy," I auto-filled in for Dad.

"No, I'm still planning to come. It's just... Would you mind if Grace also came? She's never been to LA, so I was thinking of making a weekend trip."

Woah, excuse me!?

I realize they're adults but... damn. Go Dad.

"Dad, you sly silver fox." My head tipped back and a hearty laugh shook my shoulders. "Of course it's fine. Sure you want to still come here though? You should try Malibu, a lot quieter, less pollution."

At least I've heard.

Like I figured, Dad backpedaled faster than a Tour de France racer. "We'll figure out the details later, just wanted to run the possibility by you."

"Right." Since Dad's voice now sounded a bit strained, I offered, "I'll talk to you later?"

"You'd better," he deadpanned. "Take care, Harps."

After we said our goodbyes, mixed emotions spun through me the longer I stared down at my phone screen. While I was happy for Dad, beyond happy, a small amount of guilt sat in my stomach since he had no idea what socially happened with me lately. Jake might have been overly honest and blunt with his Mom but I couldn't have dropped that info bomb on Dad.

Probably should make sure he won't find out from a certain childhood friend either.

With that in mind, I dialed Mrs. Harrison's number. Jake had given it to me in case she needed a ride to the game but one of the players had driven her over after she unloaded food at their house.

"Hello?" she answered on the fourth ring.

"Mrs. H?" I squeaked out in a voice tighter than I'd expected. "It's Harper."

"Yes, Harper?" If I'd surprised her with the call, then she masked it with an even voice.

My lips rolled inward for a moment, then I released them with a soft pop. "I was just calling because I thought about what Jake told you and... I'm sorry for that. I pushed him into telling you."

She sat silent for a few moments, then just replied, "I see."

The hard silence that followed indicated she waited for my response. My heart thumped harder in my chest because fuck, I had no idea what kind of response she expected.

Pretty sure she doesn't want the bathroom blowjob details.

"Look..." my voice faded as I ran my fingers through my hair. "I don't know if this has anything to do with you not coming to Jake's future games but if it does then I'm sorry."

"Not entirely," was her passive comment, which rolled my eyes since essentially I took it as a 'yes,' and proposed an olive branch solution.

"Look, there's only three home games left." My hand paused on the top of my head, where I flattened my palm and grimaced at Jake's posters. "I spoke with my dad, he has more free airline miles than either of us will ever use from his corporate account. He's willing to give them to you, so you don't have to take the long drive..."

Mrs. Harrison paused for what felt like eons. During her silence, I wondered if I'd overstepped my bounds here.

Painful reminder of why I'm never nice. This is too stressful.

"That's very kind, Harper but..." she replied finally quietly. "I don't want to be an... interference."

"Says the woman who pushed out his giant watermelon head," I snorted softly. "Please Mrs. H, we both know Jake's probably too stubborn to admit how much it means to him that you're there. I know you want to be there, so here's a solution. Less driving and I promise on Jake's blue balls that we can behave ourselves around you for three more games."

Okay, that last part might've been a bit too much.

At her silence that followed, I offered with a kindness that surprised me, "I can pick you up from LAX. I checked his schedule, two of the three home games are one pm. It's a short enough direct flight that you can fly down Saturday morning, fly back after the games, or stay overnight, whatever works. That gives you Fridays and Sundays for... yourself."

She stayed silent for a few moments, with the exception of a few raspy breaths.

Oh fuck, is she crying? That wasn't part of the plan.

This is awkward and again, why I don't do nice gestures.

"Mrs. H?" I prompted after sniffles were added into the static.

"Oh Harper," her voice cracked and croaked. "This is so kind, thank you. I'll think about it but really, thank you."

"Just don't make it weird... er." My nose cringed at the sudden outpour of emotions. "Next home game is next Saturday. That one starts at seven but Ellie's coming with Adonis, so... Just uhh, check with my Dad."

"Right will do..." Her voice relaxed for a moment, before she asked uncertainly, "I'll just text you?"

"Sure." I sincerely hoped I'd done the right thing here. By the lack of red flags raised inside my brain, I assumed it was.

At least, I hope so.

At the risk I came off like a pissed off bitch, I ignored Jake for the remainder of the weekend. Normally I wouldn't have cared what anyone thought of me, but I was slightly bothered by the way his text messages sat on read in my inbox like normal. Their subject content left me more than slightly bothered.

dickhead: When can I see you again?

dickhead: I'd like a do-over for our date.

While I'd been nice to Jake's mom, I wasn't a fucking charity case. And frankly, with Ellie's upcoming arrival and confession time, I needed a break from the Harrison family. So I turned to what I hoped wasn't a fractured relationship with Li after Kieran's mantrum.

That's a man-sized temper tantrum, for the record.

Both UCLA and USC had away games on Saturday, so our weekend was completely football free. I wished I could've said we tore up the UCLA party scene, but Li went home on Saturday, visited her parents in Santa Barbara, and returned early Sunday afternoon. She invited me with the dangled promise that she showed me the beach and Stearns Wharf, but I declined and stayed behind.

Not like I did anything worth mentioning but I've done enough family meddling for one week.

All I'd done was cleaned our room, conquered mountains of dirty laundry, and studied for my class's upcoming practice exam on Friday that served as our midterm. Even though my professor hadn't covered all the material, he wanted a measuring stick for how much progress we had or hadn't made.

I'm so domesticated now... It's pathetic.

What Li and I hadn't done though, was talked about whatever our pre-date run-in was. She was asleep by the time I got back from my not-date with Jake. Since then, frankly, neither of us found a good way to bring it up.

"How was your date yesterday?" I asked Li while we headed downstairs for breakfast Monday morning before class. Li's first class wasn't until ten, so only my backpack joined us at the table in Feast.

Look at me, up early enough to eat like a civilized person.

I had sent Jake a congrats text after USC pulled out a win over Utah despite the beatdown they got out of it. UCLA, however, had lost to, of all schools, UW. A grumpy-faced Kieran knocked on our dorm room Sunday afternoon, his backpack slung over his shoulder for what Li had told me was a library study date.

No part of me bought that excuse. Li showed up, four hours later, and I inspected her carefully over the steam that rose from my Korean barbeque bowl. From her wrinkled clothes, tousled hair, puffy lips, and very, very pink cheeks, her disheveled state closely resembled how she looked when I'd walked in on their makeout session. The one exception for a gigantic smile across her lips instead of a look of panic, so...

Guess it was a good date.

Well into the month of October, I'd sampled a few of the other dining hall options at UCLA. Most were pretty good, even though a lot reminded me of grass-fed cows intended for tree-hugging hippies, but my favorite stayed Feast in Reiber Hall. I normally skipped breakfast and loaded up on whatever rotation they served at lunch, but my favorites were the Korean chili sauced chicken, kimchi fried rice, pork baos, and stir-fried glass noodles.

Now I see why there's a freshman fifteen.

"It got better, eventually," she replied quietly, then shook her head a few times. "Kieran was very mad Thursday, then grumpy yesterday about the game loss."

My lips pulled into a wide smile. "Why do I have the feeling you pulled him out of his mantrum?"

"Mantrum? Harper," she groaned quietly as her cheeks, face, and neck flushed pink. After a few now-familiar Mandarin curse words, she asked, "But seriously, are football players always so... I don't know. Moody?"

I thought for a moment because while they certainly swarmed annoyingly around my life, I really didn't personally know many football players.

Honestly, Jake's a teddy bear compared to his high school days.

And don't get me started on that giant pile of goo who's dating Ellie.

"They can be..." I helped myself to a bowl of rice cereal and a banana while my sugar-toothed roommate grabbed some vanilla yogurt and a cup of green tea. "There's a lot of pressure on their shoulders, I guess."

Adorably, Li was obsessed with the whipped soft serve ice cream Feast served. Nearly every afternoon, she showed up with a half-licked cone of green tea, ginger, or her favorite pineapple clutched in her hand. A sharp exhale passed out my nose at the almost sad look on her face that the machine wasn't on for breakfast.

At the frown she gave me when we sat at a table, I added, "But they don't have to be anger-driven..."

With one gulp, I swallowed a bite of cereal. My full mouth refrained me from sharing how Jake's behavior was actually subdued, for him.

Not sure what it says about me that I'm glad he hadn't punched Kieran's lights out, but thankfully he has mellowed out.

In the past, Jake's anger issues hadn't bothered me as much as they probably should have. I knew their source, displaced guilt that he hadn't protected his sister, even if it backfired on him. As far as I knew, he'd gotten help and whatever USC counselors he'd seen must have been helpful.

I certainly wasn't complaining when he lightly smacked my clit into a body-wrenching orgasm.

Her eyebrows stayed scrunched together, so I just casually lifted my shoulders. "In my limited experience, they have big egos and too much testosterone that's allowed to freely flow. Kieran's probably pretty mellow, who knows if he even goes on to play pro."

She surprised me with her casual response, "He doesn't want to."

"Really?" My spoon paused right outside my mouth and my mouth hung open. When she nodded, my eyebrows lifted high. "He said that?"

"Yeah, he wants to go to medical school... His parents are a lot like mine." Her shoulders slumped and she rested her elbows on the table.

"And how are they?" I hesitated with my question since her eyes filled with a heavy, unreadable emotion.

"Fine," she replied flatly with her eyes cast down. "They weren't happy when I told them about Kieran."

"Wow, you told them!?" My eyebrows nearly shot off my face.

Apparently Jake's not the only one making bold statements to their parents.

"Yeah..." Li cupped her chin in both palms and grounded her elbows into the table. A thread of sympathy pinched in my chest as her eyes filled with a completely unnecessary sadness. "They were not happy. Told me not to get distracted and disappoint them."

"Let me guess," I sat back and studied her expression for a reaction. "You didn't tell them he's not Asian?"

Her fine, black hair flicked into the sides of her cheeks as she shook her head, but by the time she stopped, an adorable smile tugged across her lips. "But he... asked if I wanted to be exclusive."

Fuck, I swear if it he did with a promise ring -

Unusual for me, I was at a loss for words and just sat back in my seat with my eyebrows lifted up to the ceiling and jaw dropped onto the floor. "That's... What did you say?"

"I said yes," she replied in a flat voice.

My eyebrows shifted back down at her lack of enthusiasm. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Yeah, just the way he asked was..." her voice remained flat. "I don't know. He said despite you being my roommate, he wants me to be his girlfriend."

Oh. Yeah that's weird.

No, it's fucked up.

I must've worn my thoughts on my face because she added, "Weird, I know."

"Well, it was a... weird encounter Thursday night..." I mumbled lamely. "I get his point but, for the record, whatever shit those two have between them doesn't really involve us. At least, I still feel the same way about you."

"Me too," she offered with a faint smile.

Even her small gesture, a tension I hadn't realized I'd carried in my neck and shoulders relaxed.

Instead of my fangirl-like visits to USC after Jake's practices ended, after class this week, I filled up on lunch, did my homework - yes, seriously - and de-stressed with an hour's worth of laps in the pool. The daily workouts left my skin dried out and scented with chlorine. My vagina was also less fulfilled than if I'd done another particular physical exertion activity, but I was satisfied enough for the moment that I even avoided my own personal happy time.

All of the contentment from this week dissolved Friday a few minutes after noon, when the sea of students who exited the School of Law parted around a few guys who stood at the base of the steps. EJ had grabbed my elbow after class, then he walked me out and talked about stupid random shit like what my answers were on particular quiz questions.

Like that helps either of us after the quiz.

"I'm sure we did fine," EJ's voice faded out when my eyes shifted to the bottlenecked sidewalk traffic at the bottom of the School of Law's stairs.

Once I saw one particular tall, muscular guy, my face contorted into a scowl.

The midday sun glistened on his brown hair, highlighted his chiseled cheeks, and the toned muscles in his arms as he crossed them over his cheeks. His tapered chin jutted upwards in my direction and I frowned as EJ's broad form stepped around me and offered his quarterback a fist bump.

So much for a barely tolerable week.

After some stupid bro handshake and chest bump hug, both of them turned their heads in my direction and glued their gaze on me.

With zero patience for fuckery today, I squinted my eyes into narrow slits. "What the fuck do you want, Ethan?"

"Is she always this pleasant?" His brown eyes shifted towards EJ, who tipped his head back with a laugh that creased lines around the corners of his mouth.

"Burke..." EJ's broad chest bounced between laughs and he clamped a palm on Ethan's shoulder like he braced himself. "This is pleasant for Harper."

Fair point. Still, whatever these dicks are dangling, not interested.

My eyes shifted past the bromance and narrowed when I took in at least four other UCLA football players, by their athletic physique and jutted up chins. A possible flash of dirty-blonde hair shifted out of view behind another guy who looked the size of an ice cream truck.

Friendzone, don't make me put you on my dick target list.

Less than amused by whatever the fuck this meathead social gathering was, I crossed my arms over my chest. With a hard glare that strained my eyes, I groaned at Ethan, "Don't bother comparing, EJ's dick has your beat in length, girth, and execution."

As I marched away, EJ's roared laughter followed behind me. I wasn't entirely sure where I headed but 'away from here' seemed like the best option. Unfortunately, Ethan froze my retreated steps with just three words.

"Hold up, firecracker."