Page 19 of Scoring the Player
As he says the last word, I turn my attention back to the door. This time, the girl I’m waiting for steps through it. “You’re right. Fucking wow.”
8
DAHLIA
“I don’t thinkI can do this,” I say as I pull on the hem of the short spandex dress that rides up with every step I take. “I haven’t worn this much makeup since prom my senior year and that night did not end well. Let’s just say, I shared a hotel suite with a group of people, and somehow, I’m the one that ended up sleeping in a bed with my crush and best friend while they had sex.”
“I thought I was your best friend,” Jane says, ignoring the rest of my rambling.
The four of us step out into the party at Phi Kappa Theta. It’s early and not crazy packed yet, and somehow that makes me feel more visible.
We’re running thirty minutes later than planned because I changed my outfit about a dozen times.
“Why didn’t you sleep somewhere else?” Daisy asks me and then Violet adds, “Or tell them to leave?”
“They thought I was asleep when they started making out. Then I felt weird about moving because they’d know I was awake. It was awful.” I stick out my tongue at the horrible memory.
Jane clears her throat.
“My former best friend,” I clarify for her.
“Much better.” Her smile makes the knot in my chest loosen a fraction.
“I’m freaking out.”
“We noticed.” Vi bites the corner of her lip to keep from grinning too big.
“You look incredible,” Daisy tries to reassure me, but it has the opposite effect.
It isn’t every day (or any day in the last twenty years of my life) that you get a chance to go to a party and hang out with the hottest guy on campus. I wanted to look the part for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, but now I’m afraid I overdid it. I look like I’m trying too hard. Iamtrying too hard. A Herculean-level effort is the only way I’m going to survive an entire night talking to Felix.
I really hope that this is what it takes to stop all the knowing looks and whispered comments around campus. If it isn’t, I don’t know what I’ll do.
I stop. “What am I going to say to him?”
My friends turn back to look at me. They’ve been so supportive. Jane and Violet spent hours picking out different dress and shoe options; Daisy helped me do my makeup and curl my hair. And when I thought I was going to puke, seconds before we walked out the door, the three of them lied and said everything was going to be fine. The thing is...I don’t feel fine.
“We’re not going anywhere.” Daisy steps back and takes my hand. “If you need anything, we’ve got your back.”
“Okay.” I let out a shaky breath. “But what do I say? Ineedto know what to say.”
She laughs lightly. “You’ll figure it out.”
“But say something,” Violet pipes in, taking my other hand. “Rambling is better than silence.”
“Are we sure about that?” Jane asks.
“Rambling is what got her this date.” Violet adjusts one strap of the bright orange dress. It’s some cheap brand that I’ve never heard of, but it hugs my curves in all the right places. One of Jane’s, obviously. The amount of confidence required to buy an orange dress is not something I possess.
“It isn’t a date.”
“It’s kind of a date, though.” Daisy pulls me toward the center of the party.
My nerves ramp up as the four of us weave through the backyard, where music pumps and people stand all around in small groups talking and drinking. I spot some of Felix’s teammates playing beer pong and I stop breathing while I look for his dark head. When I don’t see him, I relax.
“I see Gavin and Jordan.” Vi tips her head toward the far right.
“Is Felix with them?” I ask, suddenly afraid to look.
