“And if I don’t want to?”

“Then I’ll make you.” I recoil like she punched me again, this time in the stomach. She spins around to the other side of the beam and hops down. Grabbing her shoes, she runs out of the gym as fast as her legs will carry her. But I don’t try to follow her this time.

I may not have taken her seriously when she kicked me out of her room, but I know now it’s a done deal. Anything I have left to say will fall on deaf ears.

She wins. And I hate to fucking lose.

THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS PASS by without having spoken to Sophie. Cara’s asked me to come by her room a couple times, but we always settle for meeting at the coffee shop instead. I can’t risk running into Sophie outside of class after the way things ended. I’ve been trying to erase her from my memory, even going as far as to make out with a few random chicks at last week’s party. It didn’t work. None of their mouths felt as incredible as hers. It’s effortless with Sophie when she decides to let go.

For the first two weeks after our sexual explosion, I was checking in with Cara on a daily basis about Sophie’s progress. Unfortunately, she was benched another week after admitting her dizziness hadn’t entirely subsided. Knowing how upset she must have been, I desperately wanted to contact her on my own. I tossed that thought aside the day she switched partners in astronomy. She wasn’t kidding when she said she would make me forget her. Little does she know her actions have the exact opposite effect on me, the distance only making me want her more.

Cara assures me Sophie’s been throwing all of her extra time into running and going to the gym, much like I have. She sees her in passing, but they haven’t spent much time together the past three weeks. Of course that earned me an I told you so of epic proportions and a reminder of why Cara had wanted me to keep my distance in the first place. Briefly I regret messing up their relationship, but not enough to take back the desire I still have for her. Because let’s face it, if Sophie came to her senses, I’d still want her.

There’s a party at the house tonight that I’m not sure I’m up for, but know I need to attend. If there’s one way to forget Sophie, it’s to get drunk and make a new memory with someone else. Although it’s the same damn thing every week, drink, get drunk, and wake up with a raging hangover, it beats staying up all night thinking of her. Not wanting to drink on an empty stomach, I decide to see if my sister wants to go to dinner beforehand. I’m also man enough to admit I’d like to find out what Sophie’s doing tonight.

The number committed to memory, I dial without scrolling through my contact list. “Hello?” It’s a dude.

“Drew?” I question

“No, man. This is Tyler. Who you looking for?”

“My sister, Cara. Is she there?”

“No, she’s at dinner with Drew. They left about twenty minutes ago. Want me to tell her you called?”

“No. I’ll call her tomorrow.” I should end it and hang up here, but I’m a glutton for punishment apparently. “Is Sophie there?”

“She is, but she can’t come to the phone right now.”

“Why not?”

“She’s in the shower. Can you call back a little later?”

I know what she looks like in that pink towel, and it pisses me the fuck off to know he will too. I don’t know who Tyler is, but I don’t like it. At all. “No thanks. I’ll pass.” Without another word, I hang up. Tonight’s party is looking better and better by the second. In fact, I know the perfect solution to my problems. Not bothering to waste another second, I dial Emily’s number. I need to have some fun because this whole not giving a shit thing isn’t working out.

“Hello.”

“Hey Emily. It’s Kipton.”

“Well it took you long enough. I assumed you weren’t interested.” I hear the teasing tone in her voice and can sense her smiling on the other end of the line.

“Exactly the opposite. In fact, I’m very interested in seeing you tonight.”

“You are? Well, I’m very interested in seeing you too,” she confesses.

Unfortunately, she knows she’s a hot piece and can get what she wants with little effort. I’ll play her game for now. “I’m glad to hear that. There’s a party at my place in a couple hours.”

“Okay. Do I need to bring someone with me or am I yours for the night?” She’s still direct and easy. Exactly as I planned.

“That’s up to you, but you may be occupied for a little while. Your friend’s free to join us if she’s into it.”

“I like the sound of that, Kipton.”

Holy shit. I was joking but hey, the more the merrier, right? I play it cool even though the only chick I really want in my bed is Sophie. But I’m a guy regardless and my dick is in full agreement that a threesome would be hot as hell. I’m human, not a saint.

You only live once, right?

I’VE BEEN DOING A DECENT job of avoiding Kipton. Astronomy is the hardest because he spends most of the class staring at me. I don’t even have to look at him to know he’s doing it. He wasn’t happy when I made up another lie to convince my professor to switch lab partners as well as my seat. Blaming it on a conflict of interest, I was able to build a case of how it was causing strain in my relationship with my roommate. As it turns out, getting caught making out in the planetarium actually worked in my favor. While it won’t be nearly as fun to map the sky with Oliver, the brainiac from England, at least I won’t be tempted to make out with him.

Along with angering Kipton, I also let down Coach Evans. My body finally passed inspection with the team doctor, but it only took one routine on the uneven bars to send my equilibrium into shock all over again, sidelining me for another week. Frustrated with my uncooperative balance, running has been my saving grace and the only thing my body seems to tolerate without an all out war. I still get headaches off and on, but nothing intense like the first week after my concussion.

Tyler, the captain of the men’s gymnastics team, has been sidelined with a nagging ankle injury. We’ve been training together in the weight room while everyone else is in the gym working on their routines. Understanding how important it is to get back to training, he’s been helping me come up with an awesome conditioning program that will impress Coach once I’m at full strength. I’ve already toned up more than I thought possible and have built a friendship in the process. Finally my body is beginning to work with me instead of against.

Tyler’s girlfriend goes to school about an hour from here, so they don’t get to see each other as often as they’d like. From the second I heard he was attached, I knew he was safe. Under normal circumstances, I’d be hesitant to open up to another guy, especially after the way things escalated with Kipton. But Tyler is more like the brother I’ve always wanted. In fact, he walked back to the dorm with me tonight after our workout to borrow my psychology notes. He’s lucky I’m the queen of note taking and have almost every word the professor spoke written down in my notebook. He’s busy scanning through each page, picking out the most important topics, while I shower.

With it being Thirsty Thursday on campus, Cara’s been trying to get me to go to a party with her all week. I told her I’d consider it. The last thing I want to do is risk running into Kipton, but I can’t keep pushing her away. Eventually, I’ll have to see him again in a social setting. While a month of not speaking has been helpful to keep my training on track and my anxiety low, it’s been pure torture at the same time. A part of me is excited to catch a glimpse of Kipton.