Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 73940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“Okay! I get it. There’s a lot of ways to call it.” I arched a brow. “And how do you know I won’t be doing all the topping?”
“Because we already talked about this that night we first met. We were drunk at Shenanigans, and you quickly made it known that you were a self-proclaimed dick-hungry bottom.”
Blurry flashes of that night started coming back to me. “Hm… yeah. I did say that, didn’t I?”
“You also said that you considered yourself a superhero at sucking dick. Like a mutant dick-sucking spider bit you and gave you the ability to deep-throat any size of man that wanted to shoot his web down your throat.” She shrugged. “Your words, not mine.”
I nearly tripped on myself. “Shit, okay, I need to be careful what I say when I drink, then.”
“Please, I live for all that messy shit,” Maddy said with a chuckle.
It made my heart warm. I smiled as I walked alongside her.
We decided to take the long way to the dorms today. We passed through Liberty Court, a beautiful courtyard sat between four residential houses reserved for students. Maddy pointed out Stormer House, affectionately called Stoner House since the smell of (incredibly strong) weed usually wafted out the open windows.
“I dated a guy who lived there once. Huuuuge… heart,” she said with a slick smile.
“I’m sure,” I said, chuckling as we crossed the grass, passing by hammocks strung up between tall palm trees.
“It’s how this courtyard became one of my favorite spots on campus. Also how I became a size queen.”
We continued talking about stupid shit until the conversation turned to family. “Hold up. I remember you telling me you have five brothers. Are you close to them?” I asked.
“Oh yeah. Well, almost all of my brothers. The oldest kind of self-destructed in his early thirties and never pulled himself back together. It’s hard to see. He’s pushed us all away, even though we try to help him.”
“Damn, I’m sorry, Maddy. That’s really shitty.”
“It is, but I’ve got hope he’ll stop drinking and get his priorities in order again.” She smiled bright and wide. “How ’bout you? Any siblings?”
“Just me and my mom,” I said.
“And your dad? Do you still talk to him?”
I shook my head. Her assumption about my parents divorcing was a common one, but it wasn’t the right one. We hadn’t talked about this yet. I usually avoided it. The topic always felt like salt water being poured into an open wound. “He died. Drowned in a boating accident when I was twelve.”
Maddy put a hand to her chest, her rainbow assortment of nails popping against the black shirt she wore. “Jay, Jesus, I’m so sorry.”
“It was hard. Really fucking hard. I… It’s okay,” I said, even though it actually wasn’t and likely never would be. But still, it wasn’t on Maddy to unpack all my childhood trauma and help me deal with it. There was a lot about that day that took years to process.
We were reaching our building anyway, and I didn’t want to bog down the rest of the evening with dark stories. I looked at my watch. It was still pretty early, and it was a Tuesday, which meant Ryan was likely at his rowing practice. Not that I memorized his schedule or anything; it was only observation.
Good. Maddy and I could have some chill time in the dorm. Maybe she could help me come up with a strategy to break this Ryan spell before it was too late.
“Come, let’s go to my dorm, and we can plot together on how we’re going to single-handedly take down the Redpine Empire.”
“Fuck yeah,” Maddy said, clapping her hands together. “God, I’m so glad I bought you a drink that night at Shenanigans.”
“Same here, Madds, same here.”
She looped an arm through mine. “Oh, and you also said that you can tell how big a guy is from a handshake.”
“Ooookay, that’s enough reminiscing for now.”
She shrugged and giggled. “I’m just saying. If that’s a skill you’re willing to teach, I’m a student eager to learn.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed. These were the kinds of moments I was scared I’d lose by leaving my last school, leaving behind the friends I made there. With Maddy by my side, though, I realized I wasn’t losing anything at all.
Another checkmark under the “Everything Happens for a Reason” column.
Now I just had to figure out what the reason was for me crossing paths with Ryan. The column was still blank for that one.
Chapter Six
Ryan
Coach Carter canceled rowing practice today.
Thank God. I had bought a newly released game this morning, one I’d been wanting to play from the moment it was announced years ago. I went to one class, skipped another, and bunkered down in the dorm with the new game. It was a fun multiplayer racing game with well-known cartoon characters driving the colorful carts, so I invited Colton over for a few rounds.