Steady

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

"Him? Him who?" Nora asks, giving the newcomer a once-over.

Heat floods my cheeks once I realize I actually let the words fall from my lips. If the girls find out about the man I saw in the dorm, they'll know I used the board by myself, and that'll send all three of them into a whirlwind of disapproval. I scramble for a way to cover my tracks.

"Oh, just a guy I've seen around," I lie, aiming for nonchalance. "You know him?"

"Jay Bryson," Sydney states. "Nerd. Spends most of his time on campus in the computer lab. Barely sees the light of day. Probably why he's so late. Didn't wanna overexpose that translucent skin of his."

"He goes to MSU?"

"Yup. But unless you're a techie, you never see him. Nice guy, though."

"So, how do you know him?"

Sydney smiles and, if I'm not mistaken, her cheeks flush red.

"Remember that Rolan guy I dated last semester for, like, all of two seconds?"

I nod. Rolan is King Nerd on campus, complete with glasses an inch thick and a crown of curly red hair that look as if it has never seen the likes of a comb.

"I met Jay when they had some kind of video game tournament in the student center. I swear, the moment he walked through the door, every person with a uterus flocked to him. He's super nice, just not the kind of brain you expect to have... all that." She lifts her chin toward the man, and I look up to find him attempting to extract a brunette trying to scoot her way onto his lap. More girls inch toward our campfire, eyeing him with lust.

"Interested?"

I jump when someone's elbow makes contact with my ribs and whip back to find Nora smiling her 'I'm your best friend and I know exactly what you're thinking' smile.

"Maybe," I grin back, only because any other reaction will make her suspicious.

"Go talk to him."

"Um. No. Hard pass."

I avert my eyes. Instead of indulging them in girl talk, I reach behind our cooler and grab the bag of marshmallows that have yet to be roasted.

"Chicken shit," someone whispers.

"Excuse me?" I lift my eyes, only to find Veronica leering at me.

"You heard me. Bawk! Bawk! Bawk!"

"Real mature," I shoot back.

"Mature? You're the one who's scared to go talk to a guy."

She thinks she has me pegged, but she couldn't be more wrong.

"He's a little busy, in case you haven't noticed." I jerk my chin, indicating the new, bustier gal monopolizing his attention.

"That girl is a six," she says before nudging the guy sitting closest to her. He nods obediently and holds up six fingers. "You're a solid ten."

Laughing, I busy my hands by impaling a marshmallow on a skewer and dip it close to the fire. "Flattery will get you nowhere with me."

Veronica crosses her arms and turns back to her groupies. "She is the only exception to that rule. I'm open to flattery."

The guys all laugh playfully, even as Veronica's eyes dart across the fire to where Carter was wooing a hot blonde. It's funny actually, since the girl looks like a miniature version of Veronica.

Instead of causing herself more grief by continuing to stare, she wipes her face clean of envy and turns her steely blue eyes to me.

"First time you've seemed interested in a man in months and you don't have the balls to approach him? Whatever."