End Game

Chapter 4

*THIS NOVEL IS A WORK IN PROGRESS - ANY COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED BY THE READER. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR READING MY WORK*

Chapter 4

Aurora

It's seventy-eight degrees outside, the air a blend of ocean breeze and city smog. The rhythmic hum of footsteps and laughter drifts in from the sidewalk below my window. I lean against the sill, soaking in the warmth of the California sun. Los Angeles feels like freedom—vibrant, diverse, and brimming with the energy I'd never known back in Connecticut. Life in my rural hometown, with its sprawling estates and conservative, affluent population, couldn't feel more distant. The sun there never quite reached the intensity it does here, and the quiet, though beautiful, was suffocating. This—this chaotic, messy, wonderful place—is everything I didn't know I was missing.

At six o'clock sharp, Callie bursts into my dorm room, practically glowing with excitement. We're going to one of the infamous football house parties, invited by none other than Samuel K. Loyola himself. Callie is buzzing, her energy contagious as she cranks up her favorite Spotify playlist, filling the room with music and laughter. She's already in full party mode, slipping into a tight red body-con dress that hugs her every curve, while I opt for something a little more subtle—black wide-legged trousers and a bodysuit.

I'm not here to impress anyone, least of all Samuel's obnoxious teammate, Nate Johnson. I've promised myself to avoid him like the plague. Just thinking about his cocky grin makes my skin crawl. He's the kind of guy I can't stand: arrogant, self-centered, and way too used to getting attention. Guys like him remind me why I'm glad to be in a steady relationship with William.

As I curl a strand of hair around my iron, Callie's reflection appears in the mirror behind me. She's grinning mischievously. "I think Nate Johnson is totally into you," she says, her voice teasing.

I laugh, shaking my head. "No way. The only person Nate Johnson is into is himself."

"Not according to Samuel," she retorts, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh? How would you know that?"

"Samuel DM'd me yesterday, after you introduced us. We've been chatting ever since." Callie's grin widens as she applies a layer of lip gloss, not bothering to hide her excitement.

I feel a knot of curiosity tighten in my stomach. "And you were talking about me?"

"Not exactly," she says, shrugging. "It came up because Samuel mentioned how Nate gets nervous around you. Apparently, he's never seen Nate so awkward with a girl before."

I snort, cutting her off. "Nate? Nervous? No, he just hates me as much as I hate him."

Callie laughs, a knowing gleam in her eyes. "Why do you hate him so much anyway?"

I swivel to face her. "Did you forget? He pegged me with a football, pranked me on my first day at the coffee shop, and flirts with every girl who walks through the door like he's God's gift to women. He's obnoxious."

"Or maybe," she teases, wiggling her eyebrows, "you're just annoyed because you looooove him?"

I sit up straighter. "I have a boyfriend, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah, William's great and all," Callie waves me off, "but you have to admit, Nate's one of the hottest guys on campus."

I roll my eyes. "Attractive, maybe. But he's still a jackass."

She smirks. "A very hot jackass."

The conversation is wearing me out. I'm over talking about Nate Johnson.