Page 14 of The Penalty

“Puck bunnies, dude. Not rabbits.”

Well, this is awkward.

“Have fun I guess,” I mutter.

Blondie and Shredder both walk away, shaking their heads. Porter is still laughing so I walk away. I don’t want to stand here all night.

“Wait!” Porter shouts and grabs my arm, turning me back to facing him. It takes him a second, but he gets his shit together.“Seriously, what’s up with you? You didn’t even helicopter your dick on the bench after showers today.”

I shrug, not having an answer.

Porter lifts an eyebrow and waits.

I hate when he does that. Words tumble from my mouth with no direction from my brain.

“I saw an old hook up. It was awkward, but I dunno, I wanted to chat more, you know? Doesn’t even believe in snow people! You believe that?”

“I’m not going to ask what that means,” he says, but I keep going.

“Then my brother showed up and ruined it with a stupid Gods jersey. He doesn’t even look good in blue!”

“All right, all right.” Porter puts his hand on my shoulders. “Heading back is probably a good idea. You good to walk home alone?”

“I’m good. The sewer drain openings are small enough I can’t fit inside.”

He blinks and cocks his head. “What?”

“There’s gators in there. Everyone knows that.” I roll my eyes and pat his arm as I pass him.

“Riiiight.”

I got lucky and was able to snag a single so I don’t have a roommate this year. Not having to schedule jerk time is pretty sweet. I do have to share the bathrooms but whatever. I shower at the gym everyday so that’s one less thing I have to deal with in the building.

It takes a few minutes, but the walk isn’t bad to my building from the bar. There’s a bunch of dorm buildings all over, which confused the shit out of me at first.

The Walters building is old but renovated. It was built in the early nineteen hundreds, I think. All light stone and black wrought iron and arched windows on the bottom floor.

I jog up the steps and head inside. There’s people hanging out down here. There’s some tables and chairs set up for studying or chillin', a pool table and darts in another room. Since I’m up on the eleventh floor, I snag an elevator and wait.

Fucking Tobi.

I lean against the wall and sigh. I shouldn’t be surprised he’s wearing the stupid Gods’ jersey. He probably did it just to get a reaction out of me.

Or did he?

That thought has my spine straightening. Oh crap, nuggets.

Guilt and something like fear churns in my gut.

What if he’s into Rhys?

I try to think back to people Tobi has dated. There were a few girls in high school and I’m pretty sure there was a guy the summer after he graduated. I never got confirmation, though.

Does he know Rhys isn’t straight?

Was I the exception?

I scoff to myself. There’s no way I was the first guy he fucked around with. Not a speck of nerves or hesitation in the way he touched me. Kissed me. Talked to me…

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