I grumbled and walked into the bathroom. I stripped down and hopped into the shower, letting the warm water wash away the sweat and grime.
Hours of football and then tutoring in the evening. This was my life, day after day, working up toward game time. I had class during the morning, practice during the afternoon, and then tutoring at night. I’d get home around nine o’clock and pass out, too tired to do anything but sleep and wake up the next morning.
But that number was bugging me for some reason. I got out of the shower and cursed when I saw what time it was. I threw on some clothes and headed out the door, hustling to make it to tutoring on time.
As I walked across campus, I kept thinking about the number. Curious, I got out my phone and typed in the last four digits.
I paused, staring at the name that popped up on my screen.
It was Avery, the girl from that night, the last girl I touched, the last girl I tasted. The only girl I wanted another night with.
“Fuck,” I said out loud, spooking some freshman walking nearby. I didn’t need this, knew I should ignore it, but I had already hit the call button and was holding the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” she answered after two rings.
“Didn’t get enough that night?” I asked her.
She paused. “Hi, Gibson.”
“I thought you’d call eventually,” I said, finding myself grinning as I talked. “You’ve been thinking about that night. Can’t get the way my cock felt sliding deep inside you out of your head, can you?”
There was a short pause. “Listen, we need to talk.”
“Go ahead, girl. Talk dirty all you want.”
“No. I’m being serious. I stopped by your place earlier.”
“I know. Hynes told me.”
“Can we meet? I need to talk to you.”
I sighed, noticing the serious edge to her voice. I’d heard that edge before, but it’d been a long time. It was the way my mom sounded when she had bad news, which was basically all she ever had for me back then.
“Fine,” I said. “I get done tutoring at eight thirty. Meet me by the statue of Arnold Chains around eight forty-five. Okay?”
“Who?” she asked.
I laughed. “Arnold Chains. Fat football guy. It’s a big statue right outside the stadium.”
“Oh, right,” she said. “Okay. I’ll be there.”
“See you soon.” I hung the phone up and slipped it into my pocket.
My life wasn’t simple. I had the enormous expectations of a first-rate football school hanging on my shoulders, plus the hype of the entire country. I had to keep my grades up and work hard to exceed everyone’s expectations if I really wanted to make a career of this.
Meeting pretty girls outside the stadium at night was definitely not part of the plan right now. I knew I should just go home and go to sleep since I had to do this all over again the next day.
But there was something in her voice. Besides, I’d take any excuse to see that girl again.
Avery’s lips pressed against mine came back to me as I hustled off across campus, heading toward my tutoring session.
2
Avery
One Day Earlier
Nobody wanted to start a new semester off by peeing on a stick.
I nervously held the plastic applicator down underneath my stream, making a face. I slowly peed, letting it trickle down over the stick.
“Well?” Harper called from outside the door.
“Hold on,” I said. “Don’t make me nervous.”
“You’re not already nervous?”
“You know what I mean. Don’t talk to me or else I can’t go.”
“Are you kidding me, Avery?”
“I’m not joking! Hold on!”
I quickly finished up and then put the pregnancy test down on the bathroom sink. I flushed and then opened the door. Harper came inside and frowned at the test.
“That’s it?” she asked. “You got it?”
“I didn’t miss, if that’s what you mean.”
She just shook her head. “It’s such a small thing for such an important moment.”
“Tell me about it,” I mumbled.
I didn’t know how this was happening.
Gibson was the last guy I’d been with, a bit over a month ago. We were into the very beginning of the first semester, and I had missed my period. I was never late, never ever late. I knew something was wrong the day I realized I was late, but I couldn’t be pregnant. I had watched Gibson put the condom on.
But condoms could break. It didn’t happen often, but it was possible. I never thought it could happen to me, but I also never thought I’d end up in a football star’s truck feeling his thick cock between my legs.