I know he’s looking for me to hold my control, but his words piss me off. Quickly, my feet move, landing punch after punch, knocking him into a corner. Taking my frustration out on him, it throws my attention to detail off. Before I know it, Shane makes a move sending me back, giving him the upper hand. One strong punch has me sailing back, landing on my ass. Trying to get my bearings, Shane comes into view standing over me, applying pressure with his foot over my throat.
“This is why I won’t give him to you. You’re not ready.”
He removes his foot and says, “One way or another, Gunner, I’m going to find out about you and why you’re here.”
All clarity has left me, and I spew back as he walks off, “You forget. I didn’t ask to be here. Catherine sent for me.”
Stopping, he turns his head. “More reason.” He gets out through the ropes and jumps down.
“I can’t trust you, Gunner. Not fully. It’s why you aren’t getting through me.”
Out of breath, I hit the mat knowing I fucked up. I let my rage get the better of me and I gave him too much.
7
Chloe
It’s been a week of me cramming the books. Staying away from all friends and activities until I feel like I have a handle on the situation. Nothing is going to stop me this semester. Not when graduation is within sight.
Today though, I feel good. Things are under control, and I miss my friends. They invited me out to eat with them, and I’m going.
We all pile up in another Uber, including Jean Paul, and make our way to a local sports bistro, for their famous wings and some beers. Well, they will have the beers; I’ve tried it, but I can’t say I took a liking to it.
The restaurant is at full capacity, but we still manage to find a high-top table and stools facing the T.V.’s lining the walls. The crowd goes crazy the minute the football game comes on. LSU is playing, it’s the reason we’re all here. Not a damn self-respecting person in south Louisiana would dare not watch the game. Including me.
An hour into the game, we’re rooting our asses off. LSU is up by seven points and we plan on it staying that way. Another round of wings comes out and we dive in like any other college student, bare hands, not caring where the sauce goes.
“Hey, mind if we join y’all?” Some guys from school ask our table. The girls are more than excited to share a table with them. Especially because one of them is Tristan, who sits directly next to me, causing me to scoot my stool over to give him room. He gives me a nice little smile and reaches out, stopping my stool.
“There should be enough room now.”
“Uh, yeah, okay.”
The next smile he gives me has me blushing. I know I must be red like a crawfish. Tristen is one of the best-looking guys around campus, with a six pack. Or so I’ve heard. I don’t really know much about him other than what I hear around campus. He’s a rich kid who used to play football for LSU. Used to because he tore his Achilles heel last year, ruining his chances of ever playing again.
He leans over, pretending to grab a napkin and asks, “You’re Chloe, right?”
Surprised he even has the slightest idea of who I am, my cheeks begin to hurt from the too toothy smile on my face.
“Yeah. How did you know?”
“Oh, I’ve seen you around.”
Before I come off looking like a total loser, I turn my face to watch the game again, but I catch the glances the girls are giving me. I know they’re just as shocked as I am. Except for Hannah, she’s looking straight at Tristen, same as Jean Paul. He’s doing it out of jealousy. He doesn’t hide liking me very much. Hannah though, I wonder, does she like Tristan?
“You want a beer?” Tristan asks me.
Scrunching my nose in disgust, I politely tell him, “No, thanks, I don’t care for the taste.”
“Something else? I can get you whatever you’d like.”
“No. I’m good. Thanks though.”
Turning my attention back to the screens, I feel Tristen getting closer to whisper,
“You’re going to make this hard for me, huh?”
“What?” When I turn, his face is right there. I can feel his breath. Clearing my throat, feeling like a twelve-year-old girl, I ask again with my voice shaking, “What?”
He laughs and sits up taller. “I just wanted to talk to you. You know?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Like I said, I’ve seen you around campus.”
“We’ve never met though or talked before.”
“My fault. I was kind of busy with the team and all.”
“Oh yeah, I’m sorry about your injury. It sucks.”
“Yeah, it does. But I’m lucky. I never needed to count on football. I’ll just go straight into my family’s business.”
“Still sucks.”
He laughs harder and says, “Yeah, it still sucks.”
“You’re in the nursing program, right?”
“I am. I’m starting my preceptorship this week at UMC.”
He looks confused, tilting his head, rubbing his hand over his leg. “UMC?”
“University Medical Center.”
“I know what it is, but why? Aren’t you going for pediatrics or something?”
“No, I’m actually going to be a surgical nurse. So, it makes sense. I need to be around all the trauma.”
“Wow. I’m impressed.”
“Why?”
“Hot, with brains. Deadly combination.”
Okay, now my skin feels like it’s melting off. Right then the place goes crazy, everyone begins screaming at the screens. The other team made a touchdown. It puts an end to Tristan flirting with me as he and his buddies all concentrate on the game, cursing until we score again.
However, Jean Paul sets his sights on me. “What’s that all about?” he asks, jerking his chin towards Tristan.
“I don’t know. It’s nothing, I’m sure.”
He looks Tristan up and down with a protective snarl then changes the subject while everyone is focused on the game. We talk about the classes we have together, and the hours we will be working at the hospital. I don’t know how much time has passed when Tristan wraps his arms around my shoulders excitedly over our team now being in the lead again.
Things change after that. Tristan is hovering over me like we’re together and Hannah notices. She’s changed her demeanor and is now giving me googly eyes.
Right before the game ends, I turn to Jean Paul and ask,
“You want to study tomorrow night?”
He looks back at Tristan before telling me, “Can’t. I have a date.”
What? A date?
“What’s that look for, Chloe? I told you I liked someone, and you told me I should ask her.”
“Yeah, okay but I thought you were…”
“I grew some balls, all right?”
Shit. “I’m sorry, Jean Paul. I didn’t mean like that.”
What I really meant was, how and who? Because I thought he was talking about me all this time, and that he was my secret…
“Damn, we won!” Tristen breaks my thoughts when he pulls me out of my chair and throws his arms around me, giving me a hard kiss.