Blow Read online

  “Are you comfortable now?” He whispered in my ear, as his palm traced patterns along the side of my upper thigh.

  I nodded and felt my hand raise to lean on his chest. “How was the banquet tonight?”

  He sighed and kissed the top of my head. “Unbearable, but I'm just glad I get to finally unwind.”

  I didn't want to ask, but I knew the curiosity would never leave. “You ended up taking Jasmine as your date?”

  He shook his head. “No, but she was there.” That was all he said, and I felt it was too late at night to bother him for anything related to her. Enjoying his company was nice enough.

  “Well, I started packing,” I told him, finding his eyes in the dark. His eyebrows furrowed, and I answered his unasked question. “I'm going home for the weekend. Did you forget it's thanksgiving?”

  “Shit, I never remember when that is,” he admitted, unconsciously rubbing his hands up and down my back—which felt amazing, might I add. “We play the entire weekend through.”

  “Damn,” I murmured. “So you never have dinner with your family?”

  He paused for a moment, and I almost though he fell asleep until I felt the vibration of his voice against my chest. “Well, not really. Jasmine usually invites me to her family's house, or vice versa. I think it'll be the same, since my parents don't even know we broke up yet.”

  “Oh,” I said quietly before closing my eyes. I didn't want to be hurt by that information, but I was. I know he's known her longer, so I had to give him the benefit of the doubt. But that didn’t mean I had to like it.

  Zeus tilted my chin up, so that I could look into his eyes. “I can see your head running in circles. Even if I have to go to the stupid dinner, I promise you nothing will happen. I don't want Jasmine. I want you, Cash.”

  He slid his hand around my neck and kissed me deeply, erasing my doubts for the most part.

  “I hate you,” I had the will to utter when he separated from me.

  “Why?” I could hear the laugh in his voice.

  I shoved his shoulder, which made him laugh loudly. “You always know how to confuse the most rational thoughts in my head.”

  “Then stop thinking and kiss me.”

  Instead of loud banging this time to wake me up, the sound of my cell phone ringing took me out of the most blissful sleep of my life. I chose to ignore it, but when it started ringing again, I almost screamed like a banshee out of frustration. Zeus' arms were still wound tightly around my waist, and he was sound asleep. I reached over him for my phone and answered it.

  “It's seven in the morning, Levi,” I growled lowly into the phone. “What the fuck could you possibly want?!”

  “Actually, it’s 1:15 in the afternoon,” he said, matter-of-factly. “Is Z there with you? Coach wants his ass here after the mess he caused yesterday.”

  “What mess?” I inquired, now awake and curious. “And yeah, he's here sleeping.”

  I heard Levi sigh, before speaking. “He almost beat up the assistant coach yesterday, and he broke a table defending you.”

  Instantly, I shot out of bed and ran to the bathroom. I filled up a basin of ice cold water, and brought it to bed, where I dumped it over Zeus' unsuspecting body.

  He yelled loudly in shock and rolled off the bed, hitting the floor with a loud thud. “What the fuck, Cash?!”

  I threw the basin onto the floor, causing a loud clamping noise to sound in the room. “Why is Levi calling me to say that you almost got into a fight and destroyed property defending me?”

  He sighed, before slicking back his wet hair. I had to admit, he looked extremely good like this, so even though my sheets were soaking wet, it was really a win-win situation here. “Look, they were saying—”

  “I don't give a shit what they were saying, Zeus,” I interrupted, rolling my eyes. “I'm a big girl, I can handle whatever comes my way, and I don't need a few ignorant comments to make you throw away your career.”

  “Oh, that's rich,” he muttered lowly, probably thinking I wouldn't catch it while he stood up.

  “What's rich?” I urged him to respond, inching closer to him. “You throwing your career away because of me? God, it's like you want me to be the demise of another team at this school—”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” He snapped, finally getting frustrated to the point where he couldn't listen to me anymore. “Stop making this about you for five fucking seconds and listen to me!”

  His stern yelling made whatever words I was about to say dissipate. All I could do was glare back at him, awaiting his response.

  “Thank you,” he said with relief, before explaining. “Last night, we were all talking when I overheard the assistant coach—Daryl Walters— discussing me to Gallagher, Jasmine's dad. Daryl was talking shit about you and how you’re throwing off my game. So I marched over to him, fists balled up, ready to fight but Diego and Levi held me back. I hit a table out of anger outside the hall and broke it in two.”

  I shook my head and held the side of Zeus' cheek. “Z, look at me.” When he refused to look at me, I turned his face to mine. “I can handle myself. You don't need to flush your career down the toilet to defend my honor. You could've been suspended if your friends weren't there.”

  “I know, I know,” he agreed, before leaning into my hand. “Besides, even I know that the easiest way out for my career is to just be with Jasmine until draft day. But I told you I was going to work for this, and I meant it. Good things don't come cheap.”

  I smiled before wrapping my arms around his neck. “You just keep saying all the things I wanna hear, and I hate that.”

  He chuckled before kissing my forehead. “No, you don't.”

  “True.” I then remembered that Levi said Zeus was needed in practice. “You have practice today.”

  “Fuck that, I'd rather spend time with you now and make it up later,” he said, pecking me on the lips. “I'll put in extra hours.”

  “Well in that case…” I trailed off, moving backwards into the bathroom. “I'm going to take a shower.”

  He nodded and sat down on the bed. I rolled my eyes and took off my nightshirt, leaving me topless in front of Zeus. “Come in with me, idiot.”

  He rushed forward instantly, almost knocking me over in the process. “Whoa, there tiger. You almost made me slip.”

  Zeus shut the door behind me, and I was grateful Isra left early for her flight so she didn’t witness the sounds that were emitted from the shower stall. The words hot and steamy couldn’t even begin to describe what I felt within those four walls of the bathroom.

  I slid down to the floor of the shower after he finally let my legs, panting and my wet hair curling up against my forehead. I probably looked horrifying, but I really didn't care. I was too spent.

  “You know you sang Journey lyrics, right?” Zeus told me, grabbing my loofah off the shower basket and squeezing soap onto it.

  “W-what?” I stammered out; shock clear on my face. How did he hear me say that, I thought I was just thinking that! “I said it out loud?”

  “Yeah,” he said, chuckling before helping me up to my feet and starting to sponge my back. “I thought I was hearing you wrong but I guess you just confirmed it.”

  “Shut up,” I muttered, while relishing happily in the soapy circular motions he was rubbing into my back. “The song was on my mind.”

  He continued to scrub us both down before rinsing off. The water has since turned cold, but the blood boiling in my veins didn't let me register it.

  “C'mon,” he said, shutting off the water and wrapping a towel around his waist. “I have to get to practice, and as much as I'd rather be here with you, I don't want Coach to kill me.”

  “Okay,” I agreed before jumped out the shower and grabbed a t-shirt from the cabinet to dry my hair.

  “By the way, please stop straightening your hair,” he suggested, fingering one of the tight spirals by my cheek. “I like it better when it's curly.”

  I sat in my room
, trying to finish my last research paper before I had to leave for my train back home. My eyes were beginning to strain, because of how dark it was in the room.

  The door opened, and I was surprised to see a snow covered Isra with her suitcases lagging behind her.

  “I thought your flight was hours ago?” I questioned, closing my laptop to give her my attention.

  She sniffled and switched on the light, where I could see her nose and cheeks were bright red from the cold. “Because of the heavy snow, they cancelled all international flights. I literally wasted $50 on cab fare to and from Logan!”

  “Oh shit, are you gonna rebook your flight?”

  “No. I got refunded my money, but I'm not spending thanksgiving with my family,” Isra told me, despair clear in her voice as she threw her hat and mittens onto her desk. I know she wanted to go back to England for the weekend. We've been talking about her trip since last month, and she was genuinely excited.

  “Well…how about you spend thanksgiving with me instead?” I offered, shrugging my shoulders. “We always have room.”

  Her eyes widened, as if she couldn't believe my proposal. “Seriously? Are you shitting me or what?”

  “I'm serious, all we have to do is hop on an Amtrak and we'll be there in, like, three hours.” I slid my laptop into the sleeve and placed it inside my bag. “Since you're all dressed up already, we can head off to the station. Just give me a second, okay?”

  “I have to use the bathroom anyway,” she told me before disappearing behind the door. Seconds later, I heard a scream. “Cash, why the fuck is there a damn condom in the shower?!”

  My eyes widened, and I stifled a giggle. “Oh, sorry about that.”

  “Who the bloody hell are you having hot shower sex with?” She questioned, poking her head out the door to glare menacingly at me. “Zeus or Diego?”

  “Why would you think it's Diego?” I asked, eyes wide. “We're just friends.”

  “Not according to what you told me last week…” she chided, shaking her head at me.

  “Oh shut up,” I cried, before going into the bathroom and picking up the condom with a napkin, “before I put this on your head.”

  She screamed and ran to the other side of the room. “You're fucking gross, stupid bitch!”

  I let out a laugh before I tossed it in the bin and quickly washed my hands. “C'mon, our train leaves at eight, and we still have to buy your ticket.”

  She took a deep breath, before looking at me. “I can't believe I'm going to New York City.”

  “Believe it, boo. And by the time my city's done with you, you'll be a brand new person.” I gathered up my bags and zipped up my fur lined winter coat, ready to go.

  “How are we getting to the station?” Isra asked out of curiosity, before we made it out the door. “If I have to call another cab, I’m gonna kill myself.”

  Shit. I was so used to being driven around by Zeus, I almost forgot I didn't actually have a car.

  “I'll call someone,” I told her, already scrolling down to Z to find the contact I called the most.

  He picked up on the second ring. “Hey, babe.”

  My heart fluttered at his choice of words and I would've swooned if Isra weren't in the room, since I wasn't a mushy person. “Hi, do you mind dropping my roommate and I off at the Amtrak station? I know it's short notice, but I hope you don't mind.”

  He sighed. “I wish you would've asked me earlier. Remember how I told you Coach was gonna be on my ass for playing hooky with you this morning? Well, I'm stuck in the gym till 10 tonight.”

  “Bummer,” I said dejectedly, because apart from him giving us a ride, I wanted to see him before I left for the weekend.

  “Levi could take you guys though,” he offered in a strained voice, and I could hear weights clanking in the background. “He's got nothing better to do.”

  “I'll give him a call,” I said, ready to hang up but I heard his voice say something again.

  “Don't worry, when you get back,” the tone of his voice was husky and my eyes widened at sound of his low and raspy voice, “you can show me how thankful you are on your knees, and I'm not talking about prayer.”

  thirteen: drive

  Levi stood outside my building, leaning against his Jeep as he waited for us.

  “About fucking time,” he said, when he saw us leaving the building. He walked over to grab our bags from the door. “It's cold as hell and I had to save my gas.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Always a pleasure, Levi.”

  He ignored me and directed his attention to Isra with a charming smile. “You must be her roommate, Isra. Your rude friend over here couldn't introduce me. I'm Levi.”

  Isra stared at him before scoffing and getting in the backseat of the car. “My makeup is in that bag, don't drop it unless you can pay for all of it.”

  He raised his eyebrows at her before turning to me. “Wow, I've actually found someone with a worse attitude than you.”

  “Are you gonna tell me to control my bitch too?” I heckled before walking to the other side of the car to get in shotgun.

  Honestly, I knew that Levi and Isra would eventually get along. Even though they both had the worst attitude and almost no redeeming qualities, I saw something blossoming.

  “I apologized for that, let it go,” he cried, before starting up the car and pulling out the parking lot.

  We were driving for a while before Levi cleared his throat. “So, that guy you work with at the bookstore is cute.”

  My head snapped towards him. “What?”

  Levi glanced over at me while keeping his eyes on the road. “Yeah. Not usually my type of guy, but I'll make an exception.”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked incredulously, staring at him.

  “Cash, I think he's gay,” she stage-whispered, and I turned to glare at her just as she rolled her eyes. “I thought it was obvious the way he told you Travis was cute.”

  I slowly turned back to Levi and raised an eyebrow. Just before, he flirted with that freshman named Davina in the bookstore, where he told me about his explicit fantasies about her legs, so I found this strange. “You're gay? No, wait. You're bi?”

  “Thought I made it obvious with the way I just asked about your friend,” he affirmed, shrugging his shoulders.

  I nodded and kept silent, not really knowing what to say to that. I felt as if I was looking at Levi through a new set of eyes, and I instantly felt sorry that I ever called him a “cliché archetype of a dumb jock”, because maybe there was more to him that meets the eye.

  “I hope you're not homophobic or weird,” Levi warned while glaring at me, “because I'll have no problem kicking your ass just like I did when I came out.”

  “Oh please, lay a hand on me,” I challenged, with another eye roll. If I kept this up, my eyes would get stuck. “You'd never. I'd fuck your ass up, and then my brother and Zeus would come and fuck your ass up too.”

  “Bloody hell,” Isra complained from the backseat. “If you weren't already bagging Zeus, I'd say you guys should have a go at it.”

  “Shut up, Isra,” I spat before directing my attention to Levi again. “Speaking of Zeus—”

  “Don't worry your pretty little head, cupcake,” he interrupted me and patted my head with his large hand, just as I saw we were entering the train station. “I thought I had a crush on him freshman year, but I got over that once I kissed him.”

  “You kissed him?” Isra and I yelled in unison. Now, that was surprising as hell.

  “Believe it or not, I have understanding friends and family.” He pulled up to the terminal drop off area and put the car in park. “Although I'm pretty sure Coach G is a latent homophobe, he knows the minute I'm uncomfortable, Zeus, Diego, and I would be on his ass in 2.5 seconds.”

  “I'm glad you have friends that support you through thick and thin,” I admitted. “I didn't really have that until this year.”

  “Don't give me that sentimental bullshit, Rawlings,” he tol
d me, rolling his eyes. “I didn't tell you all that so you could pity me.”

  Wow. Every time I felt as if I was making some sort of progress with one of the “Golden Boys”, it was like one step forward and two steps back. It was hard to get even Diego to open up to me as a friend, and even worse for Zeus.

  I sighed before shaking my head. “Thanks for the ride, dickhead. See you on Monday.”

  Climbing out the Jeep, I grabbed my duffle from the trunk and stepped onto the platform. When I didn't hear Isra get out the car, I peered around the car to see Levi and her speaking in low tones but despite the noise from the platform, I could hear him giving her his phone number.

  I shook my head with a smirk. “Quit your flirting and hurry up. We've got a train in twenty minutes to catch.”

  “See you around, Izzy,” he drawled as she walked over to me. Out of her sight, he glared at me and stuck his middle finger at me. I smiled and returned the gesture.

  Once his car pulled away, I directed my attention to Isra, who just started to walk towards the doors instead of waiting for me. What the hell?

  “Hey!” I called, which finally made her stop walking.

  She turned to me and furrowed her eyebrows. “What? The train leaves in 15 minutes.”

  “So, you're not gonna tell me what happened between y'all back there?” I asked, following her through the sliding doors into the train station.

  “Did something happen?” She feigned innocence. “I wasn't aware.”

  I narrowed my eyes at her before sucking my teeth and pushing her forward. “I have no time for this. Let's go.”

  Soon enough, we got our tickets and situated ourselves in the train, and it wasn’t long before Isra started to dose off. Some travel buddy she was.

  Sighing, I then unlocked my phone and texted a couple of my friends back home to let them know I was on my way to the city.

  Just when I was mid-text, Zeus' name popped up onto my screen. I picked up with a smile.

  “Hey,” I answered, biting the edge of my thumbnail to contain my wide, goofy smile that always seemed to appear when he called. “I just got on the train, and we're about to leave in a few. What's up?”