Bow Down To Your King

Chapter 25

ZEKE POV

Point Total: 0

The annual Dive-In theater was the product of our student entertainment council's utter lack of campus awareness. They lobbied to use the university's Olympic-sized pool for months before the Dean agreed to let a bunch of horny coeds grab their floaties and watch Jaws in their bikinis.

Which sounds like a good idea, at first.

Until you realize that everyone worth knowing was off doing better things.

Including me, until Julia came along, and after the bra nightmare, I couldn't afford to disappoint her again.

I couldn't figure it out, I had undone over a hundred clasps in the last year. Am I losing my touch?

I shook off the thought and stepped out of the bathroom in my bathing suit. It was in one of my mom's latest care packages and almost went past my knees.

Jared was busy rescheduling me, again, and had been griping about it nonstop, even through the bathroom door.

He really needs to get laid.

"I can't keep doing this, Zeke."

"I know," I said, not giving it much thought. He thought he had it bad, meanwhile, I was dealing with rogue boners, blue balls, and humiliating encounters left and right.

"I'm serious. The girls are getting annoyed."

"Aren't they always a little annoyed at something?"

Jared's lips were in a tight line, almost as tight as his-

"Is this a game to you?"

I stared at him, watching the corner of his eye twitch, wondering if that was a warning sign for a serious condition then said, "Yes."

His expression shifted, and I worried he'd throw his girlfriend (the laptop) against the wall and riot.

Instead, he threw his hands up, "That's it. We're going to lose to a lesbian. I can't believe this is happening." He pinched the bridge of his nose as if the idea alone was giving him the spins.

"I'm not going to lose to a lesbian," I hope, "If anything, it's just good PR."

Jared open his eyes and dropped his hands, defeated by my idiocy. "How?"

I shrugged, "Imagine how great it'll look when everyone else, including her, has a head start and I still win?"

He nodded, slowly, as if he was playing the crowning ceremony in his head. "And you're sure about Julia, like this is a done deal?"

"Would I do this, if I wasn't sure?" I gestured to the ugly-ass shorts and laughed, "C'mon."

Jared chuckled, "Yeah, okay. Good point."

He didn't have to agree so quickly, but I probably deserved it. I hadn't worn anything with a pattern since I was twelve, but Julia would like it.

"Do you even have a raft?"

What is this, Cast Away?

"They'll have some," I said, grabbing a towel and waiting for an abrupt end to the conversation.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." No.

He snickered when someone, probably Julia, knocked on the door.

I frowned at him, then turned away, ready to leave his ass alone in the room all night.

As soon as my hand was on the doorknob, he chuckled. "If they don't have any, at least you'll finally get her wet."

Fuck. She probably heard that.

Before I finished opening the door, I threw the closest thing I could find at his head and stepped into the hall before he could bother crying about it.

***

JULIA POV

Point Total: 4,175

Zeke hurried out the door, pressing his body into mine just as I was about to knock again.

I stopped myself from swearing and forced a smile. "Hey," I said, scanning his outfit, long swim trunks and all.

Are those-

"You like ducks?" I asked, holding back a genuine laugh.

He glanced down at the pattern, smiling a little at the absurdity himself, "I do actually. Love them."

I shook my head, "I never would have guessed."

He held his hands up, "What can I say, I'm a man of many surprises."

Understatement of the year.

"Yeah," I reached for his hand, establishing the physical contact I knew he wanted, "I'm starting to get that."

He laughed under his breath and turned, leading me down the hall and toward the Rec Center.

Is he blushing?

I stared at him, trying to decide if he was actually smitten, or just putting on an Oscar-worthy performance.

"Have you ever seen Jaws?" he asked, trying to distract me from his pink face.

"No," I lied, "I've never wanted to watch it alone. I scare easy." I don't.

"It's not too bad," he said, "The graphics are the scariest part."

"Oh, that's a relief. I guess I won't need to jump into your lap for protection then."

"I mean," he paused, laughing as he backtracked, "it's actually horrifying. You'll be terrified."

I giggled. Smooth.

We were halfway to the pool when I asked him if he remembered to bring a float.

"They'll have some there."

I nodded, glad he didn't bother finding his own, and continued down the stone path, glancing at him every once and a while, wondering what kind of shitstorm I'd be dealing with after he heard that I was still going on a 'date' with Dorian.

"So why the Dive-In?" he asked, finally, alleviating the anxiety creeping up my neck.

"I thought it'd be fun."

"Interesting."

"What, you don't think so?" I tilted my head, acting like Katie hadn't told me about Zeke's cafeteria speech about the 'loser' pool party.

By attending, he'd look like a hypocrite, and although the games didn't call for a vote, public opinion of the King definitely mattered.

My job was to keep him looking at me while I made him look unfit to rule.

Step One: Bribery.

It only cost me twenty bucks for the kiosk to be out of all the regular floats and, as I was finding out, most people were willing to bend the rules to make Zeke lose, especially after he had been ignoring his loyal fans.

Thanks to Yours Truly.

So, when we walked into the pool and made it to the front of the line, the peppy redheaded girl handing out floats smirked. "Hi, Zeke."

"Lauren," he said, handing her his University ID.

Huh, nineteen-year-old Zeke still had joy in his eyes.

Lauren glanced at me, then back at the so-called king, "We only have one left."

I smiled behind him, ready for what would be the best part of my night.

"We'll take it."

She left us standing beside the pool, the stench of chlorine stinging our eyes. Over a dozen other students were already on their floats, drifting over the water, enjoying their night out.

When Lauren came back, carrying the float we agreed on, I glanced at Zeke, "Is that a-"

Lauren nodded, "A massive, inflatable dick."

I stifled a laugh.