Gambling Love

1. Jaiden

Fall of sophomore year in college.

I walk down the dark street "I j-just need more," Mom stutters, and my hand grips my phone tightly.

"Mom," I sigh pushing my hair back with my free hand, cigarette in hand.

"P-please," she begs. I stop and squeeze my eyes shut. I flex my hand before releasing it.

"Fine. I'll see what I can do," I tell her before hanging up. Utter bullshit, I just gave her money four days ago and she's already wasted it all. I pocket my phone and pull out my trusty deck of cards, my hands itching to feel the rundown plastic. I stand on the sidewalk smoking and letting the wind blow past me, it's cold as fuck.

"Jesus Christ," a voice says. I turn to see a girl coming out of what looks to be a small diner, she's wearing mom jeans that look like they've been loved and a black North Face jacket. "Can't you smoke somewhere else?" She snaps at me, my eyes gaze upwards.

Her brown hair is chopped to shoulder length but it's the random streaks of pink and light blue in her hair that catch my eyes "I think I kind of like it here."

"Smoking can kill you," she says shoving her hands into her jacket.

"Aren't we all dying anyway?" I pull the cigarette from my lips. "Might as well say fuck it," I shrug.

She shakes her head and stares at me "shouldn't you be at the nearest frat party?" She tilts her head. She must go to Penn as well, I've never seen her and if I had I definitely would remember her and her mouth.

"Frat parties aren't really my thing," I pocket my free hand. She scoffs into a small laugh, "clubs are more my thing," more like the poker tables but I won't tell her that, it's most likely she already knows if she goes to Penn.

Her face scrunches up "you're such a guy," she tells me shaking her head. She surprises me by turning around and walking down.

"A girl like you shouldn't be walking alone in the dark," I tell her, surprising myself and letting my feet move towards her. I'm following her like a lost puppy, grow a pair of balls Brown.

She laughs and the sound is so angelic despite the sarcasm dripping through "I can take care of myself, plus there's something called a taser and pepper spray."

With long strides I'm walking beside her now, she glances up and sighs dropping her hand from her chest. My eyes dip low and she was rubbing her chest, I don't question it but looked forward instead. "My grandma taught me to be a gentleman, I'll walk you home."

"So scandalous, one of the core four walking me," She grumbles.

"Core four?" I ask taking another hit of my cigarette before dropping it and stepping on it.

She scoffs "did you really think I don't know who you are, you're a part of the core four from Penn. You, Sebastian, Spencer, and Maverick."

I smirk, "I didn't know that's what they were calling us."

"I call you guys lovers with each other," She shrugs easily and I laugh. I can see the small hint of a smile on her lips. I spend another second staring at her lips seriously irresistible, naturally pink and I want my lips on hers, shoving my tongue past.

"If that gets out on the blogs, at least I know where it came from," I tell her and she chuckles and it goes straight to my cock, fuck. "I've never seen you at Penn," I say turning my body to her and pocketing my deck of cards, no matter my itch for them, the girl beside me intrigues me more.

"Of course, you wouldn't," She smiles, she tucks her hair behind her ears as the wind blows past us. Again, I'm surprising myself by reaching out and zipping up her jacket. We stop walking and stare at each other. "Don't eye fuck me," She blurts out.