Page 20 of Pucking Unhinged
We pass a group of guys in Castlebrook frat sweatshirts. I’ve never spoken to them, but I know who they are because of their reputation on campus. They make it obvious that they’re avoiding looking at me and that makes me feel giddy.
It’s because of Tristan, and the hands off mandate he put down on me the moment we stepped on this campus together.There’s no question anymore, no one’s willing to risk his wrath, and that’s just how I like it.
Everyone knows who I belong to. Even if he and I don’t say it out loud. Even if we can’t fully act on it.
Madi suddenly stops short, her hand snapping out to grab both of us by the wrists. Her eyes sparkle, excitement bubbling over as she digs into the tote slung over her shoulder.
“Okay, wait, you guys. Before we go in, I have a little surprise,” she says, practically bouncing as she pulls out three bright, pastel pink jerseys. The fabric catches under the hallway lights, soft and girly. This must be the new design she was working on, but wouldn’t let anyone see quite yet. Each one has our nicknames on the back, the numbers carefully sewn in a paler shade of pink.
Lilac gasps and coos over hers, running her neatly manicured nails over the sewn-on patches that spell Bambi across the back. I just stare for a second, my throat tightening because I really love these two girls so much. They’ve become the sisters I always wanted and the friends I didn’t think I would ever have.
Mine says dushen’ka. My fingers trace over it, and I hear it in my head exactly the way Tristan effortlessly pronounces it. Sometimes I swear it’s the only word that ever softens his voice. And the number beneath it, fifty-five. His number.
Something flutters hard in my chest, painful and sweet all at once. Madi didn’t have to include me in the way that she has because Tristan and I aren't in a relationship. She must know what I’m thinking when I look up at her to thank her because she says, “I could have put your last name on there and your birth year like the ones I sell on my website, but I had a sneaking suspicion this is how Tristan would want it.”
We all squeal like idiots, clutching at each other as we peel off our regular jerseys right there in the hallway, stripping down to the tank tops we have underneath and slip into the pink onesinstead. Lilac spins once, admiring hers. I can’t stop smoothing my hand over mine, over the letters that spell out Kings on the chest.
“Madi!” Lilac launches at her, wrapping her in a hug. I follow, tucking myself into the other side. “Thank you. These are perfect.”
“You’re going to be inundated with orders when people see these,” I add, pulling back to look at her.
“Someone tried to custom order a Lockwood jersey with his last name swapped for Princess,” Madi tells us, giggling.
“You can’t do that. He’ll go to their house and take it from them,” Lilac says with such seriousness that I actually snort. We all tiptoe around Hayden, and it’s the funniest thing to me because all he wants is for no one to ever speak or look at Madi, and he doesn’t think that’s too much to ask.
“I know, I had to shut down the custom order section,” Madi laughs, cheeks flushed. “I’m going to have to hire someone to help me with orders soon, because I swear Hayden’s going to buy every bolt of pink fabric in the tri-state area and set it on fire just so I’ll stop being so preoccupied.”
Lilac almost sounds like she’s defending Hayden when she says, “He’s really so proud of you. I swear, all he does is tell people,my girl made thatevery single time he sees someone on campus in one of your pieces.”
I nod, still smiling. “He really does. I walk with him sometimes, heading from the library to dance class, and every time he’s yelling at someone about your store or about you in general.”
“Must be when he’s heading to psych,” she says easily. “We both have it, but I usually get there later. He waits for me.”
Something warm spreads through me at the way her voice softens, the way she sayshe waits for me.
Lilac grins, eyes sparkling. “Actually, if you want a peak Hayden story, I’ve got one for you. He screamed at this poor freshman girl a few days ago and then bribed me with lavender lemonade from the coffee shop by the library not to tell you. He said he promised you he’d stop being mean to strangers.”
“Stop it right now,” I say. I mean, I fully believe everything she’s saying, but it’s just too funny to picture him.
“I was coming out of the library and this girl was approaching him. It was like a train wreck in slow motion. I knew exactly how it was going to end, but I couldn’t do anything to stop it.” Lilac chuckles and then continues, “I started walking over there to try to stop her, but then he was yelling at her,‘DON’T TALK TO ME, I HAVE A WIFE.’”
Madi’s face goes scarlet, like actually beet red. “Oh my God.”
“She was literally just lost looking for directions to her class,” Lilac says, laughing. “I meant to tell you, but he’s always around.”
Madi groans and covers her face with both hands. “He’s so?—”
“So in love?” I tease, bumping her hip before wrapping my arm around her waist. She’s taller than me, but I hang on anyway. “He doesn’t want attention from anyone else, and he’s very passionate about that, which isn’t the worst thing he could be doing.”
Lilac slips her arm around the other side of Madi, still grinning. “Imagine him with a daughter one day. He’s going to need to be sedated or put in federal prison when she’s old enough to date. There’s no universe where Hayden Lockwood handles that well.”
Madi tips her head back like she’s saying a silent prayer that she only has sons. We all know if she’s blessed with a daughter, she’s going to have exactly zero peace from her other half.
We’re almost at the end of the hall when I freeze.
Just off to the right, down the narrow corridor that leads to the admin offices, Coach Kav is standing with a girl. Not just any girl, it’s Eleanor Montrose.
I know her by reputation more than anything else. Pretty in that polished, effortless way old money girls always are. Pale blonde hair, delicate cheekbones, her blouse tucked perfectly into a skirt. She’s looking up at him like she doesn’t see anyone else in the world.
