Page 16 of The Fake Date Agreement

In our freshman year, the Lamont Wolverines were thirty out of thirty-two teams. Last year, we were fourth in the league and came in third during the championships. The year before that, we were fifth.

Along the way, we’ve collected sponsorships, fans, and more self-belief that we’re a force to be reckoned with.

“You think we should pay the ex a visit?” I suggest, envisioning knocking him out.

Javier stops scanning the campus to glance at me. “Going down that path will lead to nothing but trouble. It won’t matter if the guy deserves it. Coach will come down on you hard.”

“Yeah.” I’d known it was a bad idea as soon as I suggested it, but Tobie had been hurting. I barely know the girl, yet seeing herso upset and trying not to cry had made me want to pummel the ex.

A couple of cars are parked on the far side of the parking lot, but they must belong to security, or someone might have drunk a little too much and left their car here overnight. Most students walk through campus instead of driving to the arena and fighting for a parking spot.

Tobie Myers looked young enough to be a student. I kick myself for not asking more about her when I had the chance. If I hadn’t been gunning so hard for the ex, I might have taken the time to actually use my head.

“Do you think we should check out the dorms?” I ask. “She was carrying her shoes, so she has to live on campus, right? She’d have still been out here waiting for an Uber otherwise.”

Javier scratches his stubbled jaw. “We could.”

“But?”

His forehead creases. “Maybe she just wants to crawl into bed and forget all about tonight. After the thing with Daniela, all I wanted was to go someplace quiet and lick my wounds. Tracking her down and showing up at her door might not be what she wants.”

The breakup happened soon after Javier transferred to Lamont from Harvard. He’d been a first-year pre-med student and transferred to a major in biology.

Daniela, his ex, came to visit, breaking his heart to fucking pieces when she returned her engagement ring. He’d thrown himself into hookups to get over her.

I frown. “But she’s hurting.”

“That doesn’t mean she wants to talk to us,” he says.

We study each other.

When Javier’s lip twitches, he must be remembering what happened in the hallway.

“That was some scare she gave us,” I say with a smile.

“She made you scream.”

I shake my head. “No, my friend. That was not me screaming. Had to be Caleb.”

A door slams shut behind us.

“It was not me.” Caleb has his gym bag over his shoulder as he scans the parking lot. “Any sign of her?”

“What happened to practice?” A smile pulls on the corners of Javier’s mouth.

“Just here to make sure she gets home okay. That’s all.”

I raise my eyebrow. “You feeling okay? The last time you showed any interest in a woman was when your mom offered to come down and do your laundry.”

Javier laughs, and Caleb flips me off.

“She has to be a student here,” Caleb says. “I saw her face when you said it would be all over campus. If she weren’t a student, she wouldn’t have cared.”

I wince. Me and my big-fucking-mouth.

“We think so,” Javier says, glancing at me. “Quit feeling guilty.”

There are four dorms on campus.

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