His face is healing, having been almost a week since Greyston decked him, but shadows of the bruises still remain. This makes me smirk, and I carry on toward the main building, setting the alarm on Greyston’s car. Before I reach the doors, an arm loops through mine and walks with me.
“Nice wheels!” Daphne exclaims.
“Thanks. Greyston loaned me his car while he’s away.” The halls are crowded as we make our way through them to our first classes, and Daphne is asking all about the car, my new place and, naturally, Greyston. “You still coming over tonight?”
“You bet! I’m excited to prove that you’re wrong about him.”
I stop walking and glare down at her. “Daphne, you are not snooping.”
We round the corner, discussing our plans, and almost run down one of my classmates. “Erik!” I cry out, startled.
He looks adorably nervous, looking between Daphne and me. “Oh, hey, Juliette.”
I pick up on something in his voice, and look down at Daphne who’s looking between us amusedly. It isn’t until Erik stays put, focusing solely on me, that I realize he’s waiting for me.
“So, listen, Juliette. I was wondering if you were going to that party at the Psi Sigma Phi house? If you were, I thought it might be fun if we went together.”
While I still don’t really feel like jumping back into another relationship—well, except for the one I know can never happen—there’s something kind of endearing about being asked out by a guy who seems sweet and normal.
Though, I suppose Ben seemed that way in the beginning too, and look how that turned out.
I push those thoughts aside, because it’s really not fair to judge the entire male species based on the actions of a complete dog like Ben Connely. Even though I still have a bit of a crush on Greyston, I know that it can never go anywhere. It’s not sane or rational to sit around pining after someone who’s unavailable, so I make a split decision.
“I wasn’t going to,” I begin to tell Erik.
His hopeful smile falls, and he shakes his head. “That’s okay, I just figured I’d ask—”
“Erik!” I interrupt. “I wasn’t going to…but maybe it would be fun.”
Hope returns to his eyes, and his smile brightens again. “Yeah?”
“Yes. It’s Friday, right?” I ask, and he nods to clarify, reaching into his pocket for his phone and handing it to me. “Here’s my number. Call me and we’ll figure out the details so you can pick me up at seven?”
“Great. I’ll talk to you later then.”
I turn to Daphne the minute Erik’s out of sight. “Please tell me you’re going to that party.”
Daphne starts laughing. “You want me to be your third wheel? Juliette, if you didn’t want to go with him, why did you agree?”
I roll my eyes in exasperation. “It’s not that I didn’t want to go—I mean, sure, there are a million other things I can imagine doing at home on a Friday night—”
“My,” Daphne interrupts, “aren’t we ambitious. You sure Greyston would be open to doing those things with you?”
I shove, almost sending her into an oncoming wave of students, and snicker. “Shut up. Just tell me you’re going.”
Daphne’s eyes are filled with remorse. “I wish I could, but I have to go to my parents’ place this weekend. Sorry.”
“What if I can’t think of anything to say?” I whine.
“Has it been that long since you’ve been to a frat party, Juliette?” she asks, glomming back onto my arm so as not to get lost in the masses. “People rarely talk at those things. It’s all dancing and drinking and tongues down other peoples’ throats.”
“It’s a wonder you’re single,” I joke.
“Hey, I’m just playing the field until Mr. Right steps up to the plate.” We stop outside Daphne’s class, and she lets go of my arm. “I’ll see you later?”
“Definitely.”
After my last class, I gather my things, dig Greyston’s car keys out of the bottom of my bag, and head outside to meet up with Daphne. I open the trunk for her to put her bag inside, and she closes it.
I open my door and slide into my seat. “Did you bring your suit? We could maybe hang out by the pool for a bit tonight.”
“You bet I did.”
I smile. “Well then, what are we waiting for?”
When we arrive at the house, I turn off the alarm and lead Daphne up to my room so we can drop off our bags and change into our suits. I show her around upstairs, only allowing her to poke her head into Greyston’s well-kept room. We reach the stairs, and I begin to descend them when Daphne grabs my arm and tugs.