Forever Could Be Ours

Chapter 33. | Interlaced Fingers

ALEXANDER

After playing three rounds of pool, I still find myself too distracted to think properly.

I can't stop thinking about Hayleigh's speech. The way she effortlessly defended me like it was second-hand nature, shooting down every concern of self-doubt that's been weighing me down, even if it was against someone as worthless as Flynn.

The more I think about it, the more I regret leaving her in favor of Cassie's uncontrollable vocal cords.

"Okay, that's it." Kaden groans in frustration when I precisely sink the red ball into the side pocket. "Next time, Reid is on my team."

Cassie watches her lab partner with an excessive amount of pride like she's been the one carrying my ass through the rounds. "I warned you about getting your asses kicked."

Kaden mumbles something inaudible under his breath and I give him a small, self-deprecating smile. "I guess I just got lucky with the setup."

"Got lucky with the setup?" His partner Marie mocks, rolling the cue between her hands as she arches her left brow. "He's skilled and humble."

I bend to line up my next shot, tongue poking out to wetten my lips. "I played a lot at my grandfather's cabin when I was younger." My hand is steady and secured, ready to strike when I catch the flash of brown curls behind Cassie.

My entire body freezes over the Brunswick-green baize, splinters of maple digging into the skin between my fingers as I watch Matty walk up the stairs with a targeted look on his face.

I faintly hear Cassie say something over my shoulder but my brain doesn't register the words. It's too busy following Matty shouldering his way through the crowd, scanning the entire floor until they land on me.

Something's wrong.

"Reid?" Cassie lowers her voice, noticing my slight shift in behavior. "You good?"

I quickly shove the cue into her drink-free hand. "Take my shot." It's more a command than a question but I don't have the right mindset to care.

"What?" She stares at it like it's a foreign object. "Where're you going?"

I feel her blue eyes bore into the back of my head as I turn around for the second time in the same evening, leaving her in favor of potential trouble.

A cold bead of sweat snakes its way down my back as I nearly sprint to meet him halfway.

"Is she okay?" The words escape before I realize it.

"Relax, Mr. Reid." Matty whips out a lopsided grin, his shoulders wobbling with each step he takes toward me. "Hay said you were the protective bear, but I didn't expect you to be this excessive."

"You seriously need to call me Alexander in these settings." I hiss as he drags me to a secluded area behind the seating booths.

"Right," He slaps a head across his forehead. "Of course–I'm an idiot. I have so much respect for authority it feels illegal to call you by your first name."

I raise an eyebrow in response. Calling me by my name feels like a felony, but he's perfectly fine with underage drinking and trespassing into a campus bar?

"Right," He repeats and rubs his jaw. "Okay so the thing is that I need- With all due respect, of course–"

"Get to the point, Matthew."

He takes a deep breath to gather his thoughts. I imagine his mind racing like a 2000s techno track blasting in the background.

"I need a favor."