“When you were talking to Mom about Baylor,” he says, looking back at me. “She’s right. Don’t be a doormat.”

My brows come together as I look at him, confused. I don’t like that he heard me talking to my mom about a private situation. “Didn’t plan on it.”

“I don’t know. I think she’s got you all kinds of fucked up, and you still feel bad for what you said about her mom not wanting her, and now, with you beating her.”

Leaning my shoulder to the bar of my bed, I shrug. “Maybe so, but I’m not gonna beg her to be with me, if that’s what you’re worried about. I have my pride, Jace.”

He scoffs as he shakes his head. “I just think that maybe you should let it be, ya know? There are plenty of girls out there. The dance tryouts are coming up, and I bet you can bag one of those girls. You’re not ugly.”

Laughing, I say, “Well, thanks.”

He smirks as he shrugs. “I’m just saying that she’s not worth it, you know?”

I completely disagree, though.

Glaring at him, I ask, “Why does it matter to you?”

“Because you’re Mom with a dick, dude, and it kills me to watch her be sad over Dad,” he says softly. “I just can’t do you too. It’s hard enough watching Lucy and Mom be heartbroken. It makes me not even want to fool with being with anyone.”

“Don’t worry about me, Jace,” I say softly. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Does anyone know what they are doing when it comes to loving someone? I mean, really, look at Jude. Manwhore turned one-woman dude picking out curtains. Love is scary.”

“Yeah, it is,” I agree. “But believe me, I got a hold on this Baylor thing.”

“You don’t have a hold on anything. That chick is like a bear. She isn’t sure if she wants to cuddle or if she wants to rip your face off.”

Scoffing, I nod my head as I come off the bed to reach for my bag so I can put my clothes away. “While you are completely right, I got it.”

“I hope you’re right,” he says, and then he reaches for the beanie that’s on the dresser. I know at first glance it’s Jude’s, and I reach for it. “Hey!”

“Hey nothing, that’s Jude’s good luck beanie. He wore it the day we won the Cup last year. He left it for the next captain.”

“That’s not fair! I want it,” Jace complains, but I stick my tongue out at him.

“Don’t care,” I say back just as the door opens and Markus pops his head in.

“Yo, we’re going out, you guys down?”

“Where?” Jace asks as I pull the beanie down on my head. I already feel luckier. “And who’s going?”

“The Gilroy,” he says and then starts naming off names. When he says Baylor’s, I look up. I really didn’t feel like going anywhere, but I haven’t seen Baylor since she walked away from me earlier this morning.

“Baylor is going?” I ask, and he nods.

“Yeah, surprising, right?”

“I heard that, asshole,” she says then punches him in the arm.

“Hey, just saying. And also, it’s good she’s going. She can supply the booze.”

“’Cause I want to go to jail,” she says, rolling her eyes. She has her leather jacket hanging loosely over her arm. And I’m thanking the heavens because it makes it easy to see her low-cut tank that shows off the sides of her breasts and her black bra in a very punk-rock way. Her jeans hang low on her waist; her lips are red and glossy, and her hair’s up in a high bun. The smile on her face is forced, and when she looks at me, her eyes don’t meet mine but go above my head. Rolling my eyes, I look away as she asks, “You guys coming?”

“Yeah, I’m down,” Jace says, throwing his clothes on the bed. “I’ll put these away later.” He then looks back at me. “You wanna go, Jayden?”

Watching her, I wait to answer until finally she meets my gaze. Biting into her bottom lip, her cheeks redden as she shrugs and she says, “It’ll be fun, but I understand if you’re too tired from all the strenuous activity you did today.”

Scoffing, I shake my head. “Don’t worry, princess. I could go for way more strenuous activity.”

Heat fills her eyes as a slow grin curves her lips. Arching her back, she holds my gaze, and I don’t know how to read that. I want to take it as her telling me to come get some, but that would only apply to normal-girl body language. Baylor’s body language is completely different; she could be teasing me for all I know. In all reality, she probably is, and when I get close enough, she’ll punch me.

Violent one, that one is.

“Yeah, this is weird,” Jace says then, but I’m not looking away until she does.

“Yeah, are you sure they’re not doing it?” Markus asks.

“He told me no. I don’t know though,” Jace answers, and I can feel them staring at us. “If they are, they need to tone it down before other people find out.”

“True, do you think they’re listening?” Markus asks.

I scoff before running my tongue along my lips in the slowest and most sexual way. Her grin grows as her eyes darken to a brownish color, heat creeping down her throat.

“I think he’s doing the mating call of his people,” Jace observes.

“Yeah, she’ll be humping his leg soon. Even I’m turned on by that,” Markus says and I can’t help it, I burst out laughing.

“Fuck off, Markus. I don’t hump legs,” she snaps, smacking his arm again.

“Sure, you don’t,” he says, rubbing his arm as she turns.

But then she pauses, giving me one last look before walking down the hall.

“Y’all are dicks,” I say, grabbing my coat. “Let’s go.”

“We weren’t the ones having mental sex with each other!” Jace says to my back.

“Yeah, get a room next time,” Markus calls at me, and I just grin.

That’s my plan.

I’m having a blast.

I usually don’t go to bars like the Gilroy. Back in Arkansas, Delanie and I would go to frat parties since they didn’t have a place like this on campus. But I’ve decided that all campuses need a place like the Gilroy. It’s amazing, and I can’t wait to take Delanie and Mandie here when they come to visit. Which isn’t for another couple weeks, but until then, I’ve decided that I’m going to try to make friends with my teammates. It’s what’s best for me and will make me a better person, I feel. The guys are great too, well, except McCarthy, but as long as I ignore him, I’m good.