Page 29 of Tag

“Yeah, that was wrong.” Meghan agreed, then sighed dreamily. “Too bad Cade’s strictly a one-night stand guy. Nobody’s come close to being that skilled since. And his… well, his dick is huge. Thick and girthy.” She made a wide gesture with her hands.

Cloe visibly cringed. “Today, on things I never needed to know. Ever.”

“Same here,” I mumbled. “Those two are like brothers to me.”

Olivia’s grin returned immediately.

“Ooooh, that changes everything. Siblings-to-lovers? I love me a dirty a taboo novel.”

“Oh my God, please stop.”

I briefly considered yeeting myself over the balcony. There’d be a quick splat, a few traumatized gasps, and poof: all my problems solved. No awkward chats, no spiraling over Ryder, no faking things that weren’t fine. I wouldn’t have to worry about some masked creep following me around. Can’t overthink if you’re dead, right? I sighed, rubbing my face. “Man, I really need a nap.”

Cloe shot me a look. "Should I start booking your counseling sessions in my office?"

"I'm fine, just pondering the sweet relief of concrete."

"Ah. So, a typical Tuesday?" she replied, deadpan.

I adored her even more in moments like these.

I spotted Ashton posted up near the bottom of the stairwell. His posture was casual, but his eyes were calculating, trying to figure out if it was safe to approach or if he was about to get metaphorically smacked. I wasn’t mad at him. Not really. Things were far from perfect between us, but I didn’t have the energy to hold onto any animosity from this morning.

"Hey," I said, approaching him with a genuine smile.

His shoulders visibly relaxed. A familiar grin appeared, giving him a boyish look. "Hey," he replied warmly, his eyes focused solely on me, briefly shifting to Olivia and Meghan. "What's up?"

"Hi!" Meghan chirped.

I had to have imagined her upbeat tone.

"Don't do that," Cloe warned, her words as precise and sharp as a scalpel. "That's not very ‘girl code’ of you."

Ashton glanced between them, confused. "Girl code?"

"Don’t worry about it," I said quickly, slipping my hand through the crook of his arm. "Come on. I'm starving."

We arrived at the dining hall shortly after. It was bustling with activity, the noise bouncing off the sleek walls and soaring ceilings. It felt more like an upscale food court than a typical cafeteria, with various stations offering something for everyone, from fitness enthusiasts to hungover liberal arts students. The place had been renovated to align with the university's modern updates, featuring dark wood, lots of decorative glass, and green spaces nestled between tables.

Roxxi had already secured our usual spot at the back with the rest of our crew. I could see Cade devouring his meal like he had sampled every station. He was unapologetic, resembling a scene from a National Geographic documentary, a predator at the top of the food chain. I could almost hear the faint strains ofCircle of Lifeplaying in the background.

“What do you feel like eating?” Ashton asked, his hand resting on my lower back.

“BLT chicken wrap and fries. A cookie if I’m still feeling it afterward.”

He smiled. “The Sanjana Special.”

“The very one.”

Cloe and Olivia headed over to the sushi station, as was their routine, while Meghan drifted towards the pasta without so much as a goodbye. Ashton and I made our way over to the wraps station and got in line.

I decided then to tell him about the second incident, deliberately ignoring Meghan's obvious fascination with him. I didn't think her interest was worth discussing. I would’ve had to be living under a rock not to know Ashton had a decent number of girls interested in him.

He was nice to look at, genuinely kind, and had gained popularity from being on the football team. The fact that he came from a wealthy family was his least notable quality, as did half the student body. I wasn’t sure how they would feel about his sexual prowess, or lack thereof, but that was not my problem and the last thing for me to be worried about at the moment.

“I noticed another person in a mask,” I murmured, my eyes drifting over the menu board out of habit rather than necessity.

“Another one?”

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