Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 137433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 550(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 550(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Running back to Lev now would be like running to a different kind of drug. I would slow him down, and he has enough people in his life doing that to him. Not to mention, I’m addicted to taking care of him. Obsessed with making him need me.
So even though there’s nothing I want more than to be with him too, I have to turn my back on this thing. On us.
He deserves a clean slate. A fair chance at a healthy relationship. Not damaged goods with a side of bad habits.
They say if you love someone, let them go. If they don’t return, they were never yours.
Lev took a semester and some change to find a girlfriend. He seemed happy before I arrived.
Pushing him into Thalia’s arms will be doing him a favor, and I’ve always been the charitable kind.
He’ll thank me later, and I’ll smile through the pain. After all, that’s what good ballerinas do.
CHAPTER 7
Lev
Miserable Fact #357: More than 7,000 people die annually due to their doctor’s bad handwriting.
Thalia: I forgot to mention, I spoke to Bailey yesterday and accidently told her we’re a couple lol.
Lev: ?!
Lev: 1. Why did you speak to Bailey? 2. How did it come up? 3. We aren’t.
Thalia: 1. I wanted to check on her. You don’t OWN her, Lev. 2. We talked about ASH. 3. Just bc we’re not official doesn’t mean it’s not a thing.
It’s the beginning of football practice, and as captain, I’m leading the stretching and conditioning portion of the warm-up. Everyone is on the grass, watching me texting my girl-something instead of getting ready before Coach shows up to rip us a new one.
“Can we work on our hamstrings, not our fingers?” Mac drawls from his position in a deep 90/90 stretch.
“Yeah. He already jerks off three times a day. Those fingers get their workout.” Finn throws a thumb Mac’s way.
“Nah. Just from fingering your ma.”
“Hey, Ballsy, when you doggystyle someone and your balls hit the back of her pussy, is it considered BDSM?” Mac snorts. Everybody laughs.
Ballsy pounds his chest. “My balls may be big, but so is my heart. Besides, what’s the alternative? Finn’s yogurt-covered raisins?” More laughter. I wonder if the Air Force Academy is also full of idiots who think Emily Dickinson is a porn star. Probably not. But since I’m going to a legacy football college, I’ll never find out.
“Remember when he shaved them before hooking up with that chick from Las Juntas? It looked like his dick was sandwiched between Korean buns.” Ballsy cackles.
“Hey, hey!” Finn rips a wad of grass, tossing it at Ballsy. “Even Michelangelo’s David was a grower. My dick is perfect-sized.”
“For a hamster, maybe.”
“’Kay, assholes. Time to snap into shape.” I clap once. “Follow my lead.” I start duck-walking across the field. Everyone joins me, grumbling that I’m a buzzkill. The less eye contact I have with these fuckers, the more I can concentrate on the epic shit show Thalia has stirred up especially for me.
Lev: She’s going through big changes. She doesn’t need updates about my sex life.
Notice how I didn’t call it my love life. Because there’s only one person in it—Bailey.
Lev: Besides, you know the drill. You and I are just having fun together.
I’m such a jackass, but right now I’m more concerned about Bailey’s feelings than Thalia’s. I told Thalia what was up before we hooked up. Never lied about what we were.
Thalia: She took it fine. You’re freaking out.
Thalia: She said she’s happy for us.
Thalia: Besides you said we were exclusive. WTF???????????????
As if on cue, Grim joins me. You’d think duck-walking would make him look ridiculous like the rest of us. Nope. Assfuck is as graceful as a swan.
“Thalia getting tired of being a placeholder yet?” My best friend tuts.
I swing my gaze back to my phone, ignoring his ass.
Lev: We are. Exclusive, not serious. Stop overreacting.
Thalia: Stop gasliting.
Lev: Stop misspelling gaslighting.
Thalia: LOL you’re lucky you’re cute.
As soon as I reach the end of the field, I turn around and bear-crawl. Everyone groans in frustration but follows suit.
Lev: I hate to be this asshole, but I’m going to be this asshole to avoid being an even BIGGER asshole down the line. I thought we had an agreement this would be casual. Chill. If this doesn’t work out anymore, maybe it’s time we go our separate ways.
She answers after a few minutes, when Coach emerges from the locker room to the field, his assistants in tow.
Thalia: Trust me, Lev, I’m not sending out wedding invitations or anything like that. I like Bailey and I want to be her friend. That’s all.
Guess Bailey could use some company here to keep her mind off things. Though it still pisses me off to hear Bailey was happy I’m in a relationship. What the fuck? If she was hooking up with someone else, the only thing to make me happy would be drowning the dipshit’s head in a toilet.