walk into the house to see the guys posted up on the couch playing Mario Kart. Each one is in the exact same spot as they were when I left for my exam three hours ago. Everyone is shouting at Anderson, his giant hands swallowing the controller as he frantically presses buttons. He didn't grow up with video games in his house and it shows. He spasms against the keys over and over again, but somehow makes it work. The yelling only gets louder as the game comes to an end. Lowell gets up and makes a tally next to Anderson's name on the chalk leaderboard we keep next to the TV.

They start arguing and begging me to join in, claiming that I need to be the one to finally beat Anderson today. I oblige by sinking into the very worn cushions of the couch, sandwiching myself between my roommates.

Seven games and only one victory on my part later, an hour and a half has passed. I didn't mean to, but now I'm not going to have time to fully prepare Camryn for tonight's challenge. I shoot off a quick text to assign it to Alyssa instead. She responds right away like always, letting me know it was already done, as if she knew I would mess up. The fact that Camryn hasn't texted me yet scares me. I really didn't know how she would feel about the first, well second choice, from the list. I don't ask Alyssa exactly what she told her, but I find it hard to believe that Camryn is calm after learning the extra preparation that would be needed for her to be fully accepted into the group.

At first, I wasn't so sure about inviting Alyssa in on our secret, but she's been at my house more than I have. I would take her over any of the usual girls my roommates parade around here. She isn't so bad, and has actually been important in helping me infiltrate Camryn's life deeper for the sake of the mission.

Our house resembles a bomb shelter, limited furniture and appliances, and no regimented cleaning schedule, but girls strut around here in their underwear likes it's the fucking playboy mansion. The only really safe spaces in the house are my room and bathroom, but that's because I shared everything but my room with my mom and sister. My mom would actually ground me if I left the toilet seat up. Now muscle memory won't let me forget it, ever. Alyssa brings me food every time she comes over in exchange for me letting her use my bathroom whenever she wants.

So when Camryn told me she finally told Alyssa what we were doing, I didn't mind. If anything I was proud of Camryn for actually opening up to her. I know it's not easy for her to be vulnerable. The way her tears flowed the night she told me her story in Harry's was proof enough. But it was in the way I held her rigid body against me as she cried that was the damning evidence. It wasn't easy on her, none of what she's been through has been easy on her.

That's why each piece of information was a cut to my skin. Each new wound brought a piece of regret within me making me question if I'm part of her problem. Who takes advantage of someone who's walls have crumbled? Camryn's life has been a series of ripple effects. One event leading to another, and another, and another until she crashed at her rock bottom. At one point she pulled back and I swore I saw Nora crying the first time a boy broke her heart. Nora wore devastation like makeup as I tried to make her go to school. She swore she couldn't face him, or the bystanders waiting to poke and probe for information. The same look of devastation flashed across Camryn's face, a look I now know has been etched far too often in her features.

But it's the way I saw Nora in her that keeps me going, that reminds me what I'm doing has purpose. I'm making sure Nora doesn't have to be Camryn. Because of me she can still have a mom to look up to, to help her when a boy breaks her heart a second and third, and probably a hundred times.

Now I just have more purpose. Camryn has found her rock bottom, and has been buried underneath the bricks of her walls. I can scoop her up and set her on her feet. I have the chance to show her what she can and will do. At least that's what I keep telling myself. That if I stand her up, help dust her off, I'm not just another asshole who did her wrong.

🏈🏈🏈

The house is alive by the time our group rolls in. The thudding base could be heard from the end of the street as we walked up. We were immediately greeted by some of the guys from the team and introduced to several friends of friends. The too packed house has left many of the guests spilling out onto the lawn and sidewalk out front. I don't attempt to push my way inside because Alyssa texted Anderson to let him know she and Camryn are on their way. Alyssa gave no indication as to what state Camryn would be arriving in, so I brace myself anyways as I wait with Andesron on the porch.

I can see her face pop around the corner before I see her body. Like magnets, our eyes lock instantaneously. If the street lights were just a little lighter, her blue eyes would be shining against the dirty blonde curls framing her face. As she gets a little closer I can finally see her body, and Alyssa at her side. I have to bite my lip to choke back the laughter begging to rip from my chest. Camryn's body is completely fashioned into a super short dress. It hugs her frame perfectly, showing off the curves she usually hides in oversized t-shirts and leggings. The green duct tape hits about three inches down her thighs. I can see her instinctively tug at the makeshift fabric that doesn't budge. As she approaches I shoot her a wink hoping to lighten whatever shit she's about to spew at me.

"ABC? Really?" She asks as she reaches the lawn. I only raise my eyebrows towards her, I need more from her before I can speak. "When Alyssa told me this morning I just assumed it meant that all the beer provided would all start with an A, B or C, you know? A-Ale, B- Bud Light, C-Coors Light...but then she showed up with enough duct tape to construct a house." Alyssa and I exchange a look. She too, looks like she's in pain from holding back her laughter for too long. "And then she had the audacity to tell me to 'hold still' while she measured my body and proceeded to rip off strips and paste them on to me like she's a redneck and there was a leak on my body she was trying to fix." Camryn exhales deeply as she finishes.

"It was either duct tape or a trash bag, Capt." I shrug, unable to contain my smile for any longer.

"Well thank Christ she didn't try to turn me into walking trash," she pauses and points towards me, "or a walking pool float. Are you actually naked under there?" Her rant kept her from noticing that except for skin colored boxers and the two inflated green inner tubes around my middle, I'm completely naked. She moves closer to me, cupping a hand around her eyes in an attempt to see through the tube.

"Woah, Capt. if you want to see my penis, at least ask for my permission," I say, acting as if I'm offended by holding my hands over where my penis is under the tubes.

"Fuck off," she says with a smile. She obviously just needed to bitch about the idea of the party because as soon as I gesture for her to do a little spin to let me see the back of the dress, she indulges me. She visibly loosens up as she does the three sixty. Even going so far as to show me how she can't bend and has no idea how she's supposed to pee in the dress.

I take her hand to lead her into the house, giving Alyssa a fist bump for her handy work this afternoon behind Camryn's back. She quickly runs ahead of us and into Anderson's arms where he waits on the edge of the steps. As soon as we enter the house the beat of one song fades into the opening of the next. Camryn glares at me as Taylor Swift's voice fills the room, as if I had anything to do with it. I throw my hands up in surrender and move my mouth close to her ears to let her know the universe just knows Taylor fits all moods, including a half naked house party.

I push our way through the crowd, never once letting go of Camryn's hand. Not because I want to, but because I can't lose her here. It's so packed I wouldn't find her for hours. I only stop when I spot the group I met up with outside, which now includes Cal. He eyes his sister before leaning in and saying something that only she can hear. It makes her roll her eyes immediately. I almost ask her what it was, but she's pulling my hand before I can even inhale and form the sentence. She pulls me straight into a group of bodies in various states of coverage all moving in time with the beat of the song. Camryn turns to face me, her eyes never leaving mine as she begins to sway her body too. She's timid, unsure, but persistent.

I take the bait and begin to move my body the beat I can with two pool floats around me. The chorus begins taking the beat faster, but she still doesn't stop. I up the stakes by reaching my hand out to her, challenging her to take it, to dance even bigger, even crazier with me. Pretty soon we're both jumping and moving to "I Knew You Were Trouble" as I sing every word and Camryn laughs. With each word I sing and each laugh she releases, she becomes more and more unhitched to any stiffness she came in here with. I would sing and dance all night if it meant she would keep surprising me by doing things I never thought she would, if it meant she would keep looking at me like that.

Alyssa and Anderson join us at one point, grinding up and down on each other as if they were the only two in the room. The closest thing to a lap dance Camryn and I ever get is interlacing both our hands and then pulling her stomach flush with my tubes before pushing away a second later. It's a ridiculous dance routine we repeat over and over until her skin is covered in small puddles of sweat. She calls it quits when her dress threatens to unstick from her thighs and ride up, revealing much more than she signed up for. Fingers still interlaced, I pull her back outside to find fresh air. We find the back of the house which doubles as a parking lot. Except for a few people coming out to pee on the side of the house, we're completely alone. I follow Camryn's lead as she slowly lowers herself onto a concrete parking block. We're far enough away from the house that the music is background noise. I'm relieved at the partially muted sound. It finally gives us a chance to talk.

"You're pretty good, Capt." I say, knocking my shoulder into hers.

"Go ahead and mark it down. The day you got me to dance and sing along to Taylor Swift and Beyonce in the same night. It will never happen again, ever." She smiles it off. She rests her cheek on her shoulder as she does. I watch as her lashes flutter against her cheek as she blinks.

"Glad to see you're taking this serious, I didn't even have to pull out my best tricks," I begin. "I was prepared to up the stakes."

"Oh I'm having my attorney look over the contract. Be expecting my amendments in the mail soon. I do believe the first one is that you have to buy me a puppy and let it live at your house." She shoves me back in my shoulder. A shiver moves down her spine from the chill in the air. I wrap my arm around her. She leans in as far as she can, resting her head between my shoulder and jaw.

"What did Cal say to you in there? You pulled me faster than Coach after a dropped pass." I've been fighting the urge to ask her all night. Camryn begins picking at a piece of peeling green plastic.

"He was just being an ass about the two of us being together again," she says.

"So just being Cal," I finish for her. I play it off, but I want to ask her more. I need to know if he said anything else to her about why we're together so frequently. I need to know if he's going to rescind his offer. Camryn doesn't continue, but I can feel her head nod against my jaw.

"What are the chances that I get to go home and change out of this ridiculous dress anytime soon?" she asks.

I'll walk her home soon, but I ignore the question for now. Instead, I let her in on the next item on our list. Tonight was just a warm up. She'll need her dance moves and a willingness to remain open minded.

"But do I at least get to wear actual clothes? Or are you about to tell me about a campus affiliated nudist colony accepting new members?"

I laugh as I tell her she can wear whatever the fuck she wants as long as she can move in it. The only mistake I make is not recording the squeal she let out afterwards.