06️️

I jog up the steps of the science building two at a time, my heavy ass backpack beating against my back with every jump. Damn my back and quads hurt from practice yesterday, coach really drilling our asses since the first game of the season is this weekend.

On the second floor of the science building, I head towards one of the large lecture halls for my anatomy class. Finding the correct room number, I walk in and my eyes automatically scan the room for one person in particular.

Towards the center of the fifth row, I spot Olivia sitting next to Delilah, the two talking amongst themselves. I take the stairs to the fifth tier, sliding into the row and claiming the seat next to Olivia.

« Ladies, » I greet them, hooking my backpack onto the back of the chair before taking a seat.

« Hey, » Olivia greets me with a surprised smile.

I take a quick glance around the large lecture hall that’s already halfway full. « I swear, if we have to do introductions in this class… »

Olivia laughs, shaking her head. « Gosh, I hope not. »

« If we do, I still got your back if you got mine. » I grin.

« Deal, » she agrees. « Bronx Miller, exercise science, NFL, » she recites.

« Very good, » I praise, pleased she remembered everything I told her about myself from lab. « And Olivia McCausland, pre-med, cardiac surgeon, weirdo that can twist her fingers in an inhuman like way. »

She grins. « Nailed it. »

« You told him you’re a freak ? » Delilah chimes in teasingly.

« Actually, she told our whole English class, » I verify.

« Liv, you have got to stop using that as your fun fact, » Delilah groans.

« What else am I supposed to say ? » Olivia counters.

« I don’t know, anything but that ! And you especially don’t have to show everyone, either. »

During their banter, someone from the back of the room yells out my name. « Bronx ! »

I turn my head, looking over my shoulder at the rows behind me. It takes me only a few seconds to spot Adrianna with her hand raised above her head, waving to get my attention. Once our eyes lock she gestures with her hand for me to come sit with her and her friends a number of rows back.

Internally groaning, I flash her a meek smile and give a small wave before turning back around in my chair, clearly rejecting her offer.

« —tell everyone you have a third nipple. » I just catch the end of Delilah’s sentence.

« You what ? » I nearly choke.

« Delilah ! » Olivia scolds her friend, turning a deep shade of red. Her head quickly snaps in my direction. « I do not have a third nipple, by the way, » she strongly assures me.

« But see, it really grabs someone’s attention, » Delilah teasingly taunts.

« Just—ugh ! » Olivia covers her face, slumping back in her chair, causing both Delilah and I to chuckle.

Before I can comfort Olivia, I feel someone looming behind me, and I twist in my seat to see pale rat face boy—Quinton—standing behind me, scowling at me with hatred.

« You’re in my seat, » he says coldly.

I make a show of scanning the desktop, and even the back of the chair. « I don’t see your name on it. »

His jaw clinches, and his beady little eyes stare a hole right through me. Sizing me up, he realizes I’d knock him on his ass in point two seconds, and his eyes shift to Olivia, waiting for her to say something.

Olivia sits next to me, her body tense as she refuses to turn around and get in the middle of our discussion. Her pencil is in her hand, anxiously coloring in the corner of her notebook paper as she desperately tries to ignore everything going on.

Realizing Olivia isn’t going to come to his defense, rat boy shoots me a death glare before stomping past us to take the empty chair next to Delilah.

« Jeez, what’s up with me and sitting in people’s unassigned seats ? This is college, not elementary school. Professors don’t give a rat’s ass about where you sit, » I mutter lowly, so only Olivia can hear me, trying to make a joke to clear the air.

I watch as her lips press together, suppressing a smile.

Our professor walks in and stets up the projector. We spend the next hour jotting down notes from the power point presentation.

« Man, I don’t miss taking notes, » I complain, flexing my fingers as we finish the class, students gathering their belongings and filing out of the room to flee to their next class.

« It only gets worse from here, » Delilah says, shoving her binder into her backpack. « Oh hey, Liv, I may be a few minutes late meeting you to the car. I have to meet Josie after class to grab a few things from her, and you know how she likes to blab. »

« No problem, I have some reading to do for our English class, anyway. It’s hot out there today so I’ll just wait for you in the library and read while I wait. Text me when you’re finished and I’ll meet you, » Olivia says.

« Shit, I forgot about that, » I mumble, referring to the assigned reading for our English class.

I stand from my chair and grab my backpack, slinging it over my shoulder, waiting for Olivia to finish packing up her things. While waiting I feel someone sneak up behind me, a hand landing on my shoulder as a body presses up against my side.

« You’re going to the party tonight, right, Bronx ? » Adrianna purrs in my ear, her hand on my shoulder sliding down my back and slipping into the back pocket of my jeans, squeezing.

I jump, awkwardly clearing my throat. I feel uncomfortable with Adrianna being this assertive while Olivia’s eyes are on me. And I can sense the rising tension radiating off Olivia from witnessing Adrianna’s bold actions.

« Uh, yeah, I might swing by for a bit, » I reply, recoiling.

Adrianna grins triumphantly. « Perfect, I’ll see you there, » she says before standing on her tippy toes, planting a kiss to the corner of my mouth, taking me by surprise.

Anger and embarrassment bubble inside my chest as I watch her walk away, clearly please with herself, like an animal that’s just marked its territory.

« Awkward, » Delilah sings in a hushed tone as she, Olivia, and rat boy stand from their seats and shrug on their backpacks.

Olivia flashes her friend a warning look before we all file out of the room. We walk down the halls of the science building, and my mind goes haywire trying to think of something to say to clear the obvious tension still lingering.

Do I apologize ?

But what do I apologize for ? I did nothing wrong.

Do I not say anything at all ?

« See you guys later, » Delilah says as we descend the stairs to the first floor, rat boy following her down the hallway towards more classrooms as Olivia and I both head for the exit. I make sure to grab the door for her.

« Thank you, » she says softly, and we both walk in silence, some awkward tension still lingering.

« You sure you don’t want to come tonight ? » I ask, stuffing my hands in the front pockets of my jeans.

She shakes her head. « No, thanks. »

« Okay, well, I’ll see you tomorrow in class ? » I confirm, and I detect the uncharacteristic tone of insecurity in my voice.

She gives me a soft smile, any lingering tension dissipating. « I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t forget to read those poems. »

« Yes, ma’am. »

The wall vibrates against my back as I post up against it, the bass rattling the entire house. I press a red solo cup to my lips, taking a swig of the cheap, lukewarm beer inside. I’m surrounded by some of my teammates, talk of our first game this weekend fading in and out over the music.

Ciara sashays up to our group, her shoulder length blonde hair tousled from being out on the dance floor all night. She wedges herself between Taylor and me, taking a seat on the arm of the couch. Taylor wraps his arm around her waist as he chats with Brennen who’s sitting to his left. It’s been rumored for the past week that Taylor and Ciara have been hooking up. Nothing serious, though.

« Where’s your girlfriend ? » I ask Ciara, bending at the waist to chat with her more privately.

She shrugs. « Dunno. We broke up just before the end of last semester. »

« Oh shit. I’m sorry, » I apologize, not knowing they broke things off.

She waves her hand dismissively, unaffected. « Don’t be. I think you and I both know she wasn’t quite up to my speed. » She smirks.

Ciara is another one of my frequent reoccurrences, after Adrianna. We started casually hooking up freshman year and slowed down last year when she started having a couple of exclusive relationships. She had a boyfriend for a handful of weeks and then she was with her girlfriend for about three months. During that time I kept my distance, respecting her relationships, but when Ciara approached me at a party last semester with her girlfriend, asking me if I wanted to have some fun with the both of them, I couldn’t say no.