The Jock by J.L. Beck Page 0,15

name is. This isn’t permanent, and I don’t plan to spend the rest of the school year slumming it in student housing with the poor students.”

I roll my eyes so hard they almost stay to the back of my head. Of course, I would get a roommate that is stuck up, rude, and a huge bitch.

“Your dad will get you a new apartment, he just has to pull his head out of his ass first. He can’t keep you cut off forever,” Amanda’s friend comments from the doorway.

“I know,” she says, and I catch her smiling out of the corner of my eye. Her side of the bedroom is neat and tidy, new sheets, everything pink and sparkly and brand new.

“I’ll be back later, Ice Queen, don’t touch any of my stuff. I know it’s going to be tempting with how old your shit looks, but if you fuck with my stuff, I’ll make you regret it.”

“It’s not just her stuff that looks cheap,” her nameless friend taunts, and it feels a little like high school all over again. I guess the bullies just get bigger when you go to college.

I ignore both of them and almost sigh when I hear the door slam closed, signaling that they’ve left. I can feel tears welling in my eyes, and I blink them back.

I cannot and will not cry because of that ragged bitch. Breathing through my nose, I take a couple calming breaths and finish stacking my books back on the desk.

When I’m done, I climb onto my bed and look at the sandwich I bought myself. My appetite is gone now, and I don’t even feel like doing any of my homework. I know I shouldn’t let what she said bother me, but it’s harder than you would think. Part of me knows that her dislike of me has something to do with Cage while the other part knows she’s just a bitch.

Still, I can’t help but wonder if I hadn’t gotten involved with him if she might be a little nicer to me.

Probably not.

Feeling sorry for myself, I lie down on the bed. My phone goes off a moment later, letting me know I have a new text message. I reach into my pocket and pull my phone out and see a number that isn’t programmed into my phone flash across the screen.

Without looking at the message, I know it’s from Cage.

Against my better judgment, I open the message.

Cage: What does a nosy pepper do?

I stare at the screen, wondering what the hell he is talking about.

Cage: Gets jalapeño business.

My lips pull up at the sides, and I shake my head. A second later, my phone dings again, and it’s another message from him.

Cage: What do you call a fake noodle?

Again, I stare at my phone, waiting for him to tell me the answer.

Cage: An impasta.

This time I let out a snort and a short chuckle. Where the hell did he find these jokes?

I stare at the screen and consider texting him back, but I don’t have the energy. Ever since he came barreling into my life, nothing is the same. I went from being the invisible nerd to the girl that everyone sees and all because I turned down a football god.

Letting the screen go black, I drop my phone onto the mattress beside me and close my eyes. With a smile on my lips, I let thoughts of Cage run rampant in my mind.

6

Cage

I can’t even explain why it bothers me so much that she didn’t respond to my texts. Who doesn’t write anything back? Is she not getting my texts? Did she give me a fake number? Or is she actually ignoring me? Probably, ignoring me. I guess I’ll ask her tonight when I get to our session.

As if the universe is listening to my thoughts, I hear Blair’s name being mentioned somewhere close by, which pisses me off because I’m in the locker room, and none of these fuckers in here should be talking about her.

Turning around, I pinpoint exactly who the fucker is when Evan says, “Yeah, Amanda was a total bitch, basically running over Blair and knocking books out of her arms.”

“Amanda is always a bitch.” Murphy chuckles.

“Yeah, but a bitch with a great set of tits, who can suck a dick like a fucking vacuum,” Dale yells, and the rest of the locker room erupts in laughter.

“Damnit, now I’m going to have to get the image of you with your dick down