Page 74 of Offsides

She grins. “You never can.”

That makes me grunt. “Oh, because you don’t like sex at all, huh? It’s all me?”

Turning in my arms, her grin grows wider. “I didn’t say that. You know it’s not all you. But I do like winning.”

Her arms loop around my neck, and my hands settle on her hips. I dip my head for a kiss, this one lasting longer than our usual public kisses.

This right here is the fantasy, though. The thing I’ve always wanted. Us. Together. With our friends.

She’s been my best friend for years. And I’ve finally managed to make her my girlfriend.

At last.

EPILOGUE

Charity

The girl with teal and pink streaked hair looks up from her clipboard and calls my name, giving me a big smile as I make my way to the game couch and try to suppress my groan.

Because I’m paired with Dylan.

This guy. He’s such an ass.

We went to the same high school, though we moved in vastly different social circles. And I never had any desire to change that. I figured he’d stick close to home. Imagine my surprise to discover that he’s not only here at Marycliff, but friends with the guy my friend wants to date.

He grins at me too. If he had a different personality, I’d find him attractive.

But he’s a complete douche. And while I know there are people who can be physically attracted to people they hate, I’m not one of them.

On him that grin—mocking and douchey—is just salt in the wound.

“Come on up here, Chastity,” he calls, holding out an arm.

The girl with the clipboard wrinkles her brows as she looks at her roster then back at me.

“Inside joke,” he tells her, his voice a stage whisper.

“Fuck off,” I tell him, giving him a shove when he tries to wrap his arm around me. “Let’s play the game and get this over with, and then I can return to my corner and you can return to yours.”

His douchey grin never falters. “Aw, Chastity. You know I love it when you’re feisty. I’ll even let you go first.”

God, I hate this guy.

When Isabelle begged me to come with her, I agreed, knowing how much she didn’t want to come alone. Her crush, the second-string tailback Andrew Maloney, invited her yesterday. And while they’ve been flirting and texting, he hasn’t actually asked her out.

And game night at his teammates’ apartment isn’t actually a date either.

“Please come with me,” she’d said. “Andrew is the only one I know for sure. I don’t want to be there following him around like a weirdo if he doesn’t actually want to spend time with me.”

With a laugh, I’d agreed. “Fine. If he’s inviting you and you really don’t know anyone else, I doubt he’d find it weird that you’re hanging out with him. But I’ll come as backup if you need it.”

She’d thrown her arms around me. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

What I hadn’t considered is that I’d have to encounter her crush’s asshole friend. And even worse, I’ve ended up on a couch with him taking turns playingSuper Mario Brothers.

I have no idea how I won the first round. We can either chalk it up to beginner’s luck or the girl I was playing against has even less experience with video games than I do. Maybe a combination of both. Neither of us made it past the second level. I only won because I managed to get a little bit farther than her.

I was Luigi last time, but due to Dylan’s magnanimous gesture, I’m now getting to be Mario.

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