SMUT WARNING || NSFW
In the midst of college life, Jade Holland discovers her father's betrayal, sending her world into chaos. Determined to reclaim her power, she finds herself entangled with a star player on her father's lacrosse team, igniting a...
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Garrison
I adjusted my tie in the mirror, smoothing the fabric down over my shirt and trying not to look like a total idiot in a suit. It wasn't often I had to dress up, and the collar felt stiff, tight around my neck. I ran a hand through my hair, then grabbed the bottle of cologne, giving myself a quick spray.
When I headed downstairs, the guys were all in the kitchen, suited up and looking surprisingly decent. Jackson adjusted his cufflinks with a mock serious expression, then gave me a look as I walked in.
"Look at us," he said, grinning. "Don't we clean up nice?"
Sam elbowed him, laughing. "Yeah, I hardly recognize us. Who knew a bunch of douches could look so... respectable."
John was pretending to inspect his reflection in the fridge, raising an eyebrow. "Should we warn everyone at the benefit that we're not actually a bunch of wealthy alumni?"
"Maybe we can convince them otherwise," I joked, popping open a beer and taking a quick sip.
Jackson glanced over at me with a smirk. "So, did you end up asking Jade to be your date or what?"
"Yeah, I did," I said, trying to sound casual. "She's just busy today, so she's meeting me there."
The guys let out a collective, "Ooooh!" followed by a few slaps on the back.
"Atta boy!" Sam said, raising his drink.
Jackson grabbed his keys and gave a nod. "Alright, I'm heading out. Gonna pick up Anna on the way. See you guys there?"
"Yeah, man," I said, giving him a fist bump. "Be safe. We'll see you there."
"Same to you," he replied, heading out the door. The rest of us lingered for a bit, tossing jabs back and forth, laughing about how out of place we always feel around all the boosters and alumni.
I took one last sip of my beer, feeling that familiar mix of nerves and excitement. In just a few hours, I'd be at the benefit with Jade.
_
I moved through the crowded room with my teammates, trying to keep a polite smile plastered on my face. Boosters, sponsors, the fundraising committee—everyone wanted a handshake and a friendly hello, and I knew Coach would be all over us if we didn't keep things polite. But as I made small talk and smiled at people I'd probably never see again, I couldn't stop glancing around the room, looking for Jade.
So far, no sign of her. I felt a mix of nerves and something I couldn't quite shake, an uneasy feeling that maybe she'd changed her mind. Maybe I'd pushed too hard by asking her to come to something like this so soon. What if she didn't even like me that much, and this was all just... wishful thinking?
Sam nudged me as he noticed me scanning the room for probably the fifth time. "Dude, she'll come. Don't worry about it."
I jolted, trying to play it cool. "What? I'm not worried about it."
