COLBY

Fuck. I should have kissed her. Why didn't I make a move? I don't think she hates me anymore. The tension was almost unbearable. I haven't stopped thinking about it for the past few nights. I won't lie. I looked at her perfect, wet, pink pussy when I was helping her put her underwear on. She was wet for me, despite it being for unfortunate circumstances. I love that she trusted me to help her, and I was glad to help, even though I had to go home and fuck my fist as soon as I closed the door.

I'm headed to Bernie's house again tonight. I'm only going to see if she's there. I haven't stopped thinking about her, and I haven't seen her. I've only caught a glimpse of her shadow in her bedroom window.

I haven't told any of my friends about us or that I like the girl. Bryce is the only one who knows, well, only because he guessed it. It's not that I wouldn't tell Jayden; I just don't want him to be right. He's always fucking right. I don't want to upset Crawford; I know he's got a crush, but he hasn't acted on it. If he doesn't do anything by the end of this weekend, I'm making a move.

I should talk to her about our situation. We haven't spoken about that one night, ever. I think we still have unresolved issues. Maybe if we both drink, we will say our true feelings.

World War III had already broken out when Jayden, Crawford, and I entered the house. Miller and Bernie stand in the living room trying to break up a fight with two defensive linemen wrestling on the floor.

I spot Olivia standing by her roommates, watching it like a television show. She was dressed in a Wake Forest Cheerleading shirt and running shorts. She must be covering up her bruises.

She looks up at me and motions for us to come over to her, "Hey," I breathlessly say as we watch the two giant men fight.

"Hey! Sorry, they had unfinished beef on the field today. The guy on the bottom let Clemson have that last touchdown where we lost."

Jayden laughs beside me, "Shit yeah, that was a horrible block. Can I get in there for a punch?"

"I mean, were we really expecting to win? It's Clemson." Crawford says with a bored look on his face.

"I'll give you ten dollars if you go get in there," Sadie devilishly says, looking at Jayden.

Jayden looks wide-eyed at the two men on the floor, "Ask me again after I'm hammered."

"You guys wanna throw back some shots? We stole Bryce's tequila," Crawford says, pulling the bottle from his bag.

Olivia perked up, "Always. Lead the way, Crawford." I guess this is his way of flirting. You have to start somewhere.

We all walk to the kitchen, leaving the men wrestling on the floor. Olivia grabs a handful of shot glasses, lining them up across the island table.

Crawford pours the liquor into the cups, letting half the bottle spill on the counter, "Jesus, Crawford. Do we need to take this job away from you?" I say, on the verge of laughing.

"No, damn it, just give me a second." Olivia laughs, hurrying over to him and touching Crawford's hands. My blood almost boils at the sight. Why the fuck am I getting jealous right now? She's just a girl.

I immediately pound the shot, pouring it down my throat, antsy for the next round to be poured. I needed way more to drink if I was going to have to watch guys flirt with her all night.

We take one more shot before the group thinned out. I take the chance and head out to the patio to smoke the blunt I rolled before coming here. I shut the door behind me, and I'm almost thankful when I realize I'm the only one out here. No sharing. I take the whiskey bottle from my bag and take a swig of it before I light the blunt.

The door swings open, and the blonde I can't stop thinking about walks out the door. She's by herself. "Hey, you," she says, drink in hand, and flops beside me on the lawn chair. She smells like oranges and cherries and suddenly I want to bathe in them. She smelled like heaven.

I blow out the smoke from my lungs, "Hey," I offer the blunt to her.

She shakes her head, "No, I'm good. I don't want to pass out again. Not the best idea for me to get crossed."

I chuckle, taking another hit. The air was getting cooler day by day, and I hated we would have to wear pants and long sleeves soon. When I blow out the smoke, I turn and look at her, "How's your back?"

"It's a little better. It's super sore but changing colors, so it's healing. However, I had to sit out the game; it almost made me cry." She leans forward and raises the back of her shirt. I stopped breathing when I saw her underwear choice for today: black lace. Fuck. Is she even wearing a bra? I don't see one.

"I'm sorry," I say as I run my finger over the bruise. She flinches, and I pull away.

She pushes her shirt back down, "Honestly, it was nice actually to watch the game. Hopefully, it'll be gone by next week. I've been stretching and rolling it for hours a day."

I nod, taking another hit of the blunt. "So, are your roomies helping you put your undies on now?" Damn, this weed. It always makes me speak before I think.

She laughs, pushing my shoulder as her cheeks redden, "Actually, no. I found a system that works for me. Squatting to pick them off the floor, but I can't move my back an inch, or else I'll scream in pain." Fuck. I'm going to get hard. Why did I bring this up?

"That's a bummer. Thinking about chicks helping you put your underwear on is fuckin' hot." I shut my mouth, taking a long hit so I would stop talking. I can feel my dick twitch in my sweatpants, and Olivia just crossed her legs. Fuuuuck.

She laughs again, and I don't think I could ever get over her laugh. It's perfect. "You're a trip, Jonesy."

The door flings open, and I blow the smoke out of my lungs, letting out a cough for holding it in for so long, "There you are. Jesus. I've been looking for you everywhere. Gimme that shit," Jayden says, yanking the blunt out of my hand and putting it against his lips.

"This would have been the first place I checked for you," I tell him.

He rolls his eyes, blowing out the smoke, and looks to Olivia, "The fights over. I'm pretty sure the guy on the bottom has a broken nose. It was gushing blood."

"I should go check on them," Olivia says, standing up and walking back inside the house, leaving Jayden and me outside alone.

He just looks at me with his eyebrows raised, "What the fuck is going on with you two?"

I sip from my whiskey bottle, "Nothing."

"Are you sure? It didn't look like nothing."

I furrow my eyebrows together, "You literally saw nothing. We were just talking. We are civil now."

"Did you fuck her?"

"What? No. Fuck, dude. We are just working on a play together. Nothing else is happening.

"But you want to."

"Jesus. I'm so damn sick of having this conversation. Fuck. I'm not doing anything without her initiating it. I have no clue what her opinion is of me."

"Hmm, let's figure that out first. Crawford is going to be heartbroken."

"The girl doesn't sleep around. She probably won't fuck either of us." He says nothing and takes another hit from the blunt. I yank it from his hands when he pulls it from his lips, "stop hogging, dick."

The door bursts open, and everyone missing, along with Olivia, has arrived. She, Bella, Bernie, and Crawford all sit, Bella on top of Bernie. "Fuck, you guys were smoking without me?" Bernie whines, and I hand him the blunt, which has disintegrated by this point.

"Where's Miller?"

"Taking D-Bag to the emergency room to see if his nose is broken," Bernie says, letting the smoke drain from his lungs.

Bernie hands the blunt to Crawford, who claims the seat next to Olivia on the other side. Fucker. Jayden eyes me like he knows exactly what I'm thinking.

I take a swig of the whiskey, the liquid feeling nice down my throat.

"Hey, can you two recite some of the play you're working on?" Bernie asks innocently.

I look at Olivia wide-eyed, "No."

She bites her lip and fuck, it's hot. "Sure," she says, making me groan.

"Come on, Jonesy. Just one line. I'll go first." She turns the dramatics on, "What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?"

I roll my eyes and clear my throat, "Th' exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine."

"I gave thee mine before thou didn't request it, and yet I would it were to give again."

Bernie blinks at me and looks to Olivia, "God, that felt similar to watching a porno."

"Liv, you should be an actress," Bella exclaims in Bernie's lap, "Romeo, oh Romeo. Come fuck me, Romeo!"

We all laugh as Olivia's face reddens. If Olivia had said those words, my pants would be around my ankles by now. "Remind me not to give you a ticket to our show," Olivia scowls, sipping her red solo cup. "What about the play you're working on?"

"I'm doing Oedipus Rex. Definitely not as interesting as yours."

Bernie lights a new blunt, and we begin to pass it around the circle.