[Songs included 🖤]
A fiercely ambitious university girl.
A haunted, tattooed bad boy.
And a whole lot of sexual tension.
Quinn has her life meticulously planned out, her eyes set firmly on success.
And then there's Mason, who she didn't plan on
H...
The school bell chimed, signalling the end of yet another class. I glanced at Lex, a mischievous smile playing on my lips. "I'll catch up with you later," I whispered, fully aware that she would hang back to chat with her own personal Prince Charming.
The remaining classes leading up to lunch were nothing short of monotonous, especially for someone like me, the loner perched at the back, silently observing the formation of tightly-knit cliques.
During lunch, Lexi beckoned me over from a sprawling table in the cafeteria. It still felt surreal to be invited to sit amongst a group instead of seeking solace in the bathroom stall, devouring pages of the latest book I had borrowed from the library.
I weaved through the clusters of occupied tables, eventually settling my tray down across from Lexi. To her left sat Zach, while a red-headed guy rhythmically tapped his knife and fork on his plate, evoking vivid memories of a particular day at church.
"Quinn, this is Zach from our English class," Lexi introduced, her voice laced with excitement, as she pried open a container of chocolate yogurt and indulged in a tantalizing lick. "He's the lead guitarist of a band and he's invited both of us to see them perform tonight. How amazing is that?" Lexi beamed, her arm draped around Zach's, radiating pure joy. It came as no surprise that she had already found something thrilling for us to do on our inaugural night as college students.
Lexi always had a jam-packed calendar, filled to the brim with parties and club outings. As for me, well, I hadn't even known what a club was until I turned eighteen. The only club I was familiar with resembled a wooden bat. Thank you, sheltered upbringing.
"Hey, Zach, nice to meet you." I extended my hand, offering a handshake, which he eagerly accepted, his calloused grip firmly clasping mine. "What's the deal with the gloves?" he inquired, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he nodded toward my hands during our shake.
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"Ah, she's just got bad circulation. Really bad. She's always cold," Lexi chimed in, coming to my defense. I shrugged, attempting to brush off Zach's comment as if it held no weight in my world. With a nonchalant air, I settled into my seat, feigning indifference.
"Anyway, this here is Skeeter, our drummer." The red-headed guy offered a small wave of his fork, expertly continuing his rhythmic drumming on his plate.
"And this is Tommy. He shreds it up on the bass, don't you, Tommy?" The guy next to me pulled an earphone out of his ear, wearing a puzzled expression.
"Wha?" he mumbled in confusion.
"Forget it, idiot," Zach dismissed him with an annoyed wave of his hand. "So, how long has your band been together, Zach?" Lexi inquired, her eyes shimmering with starry admiration, already smitten with him.
"Uh, about four years now. Mason, our lead singer, had the idea. We all met at Jim's Tavern one night while playing pool. Mase accidentally knocked my cue, causing me to sink the 8-ball. I called him a twat, and he called me an ass hat. We've been friends ever since," he chuckled, relishing the fond memory.
"Where is this 'twat' Mason of yours?" Lexi struggled to maintain a straight face as she uttered the word 'twat.'
"Uhhh... Ah! Over there," Zach pointed toward the lunch line, where a man with muscular arms adorned in tattoos stood. His dark hair was meticulously styled, shorter at the sides and slightly longer on top. He resembled the epitome of a male model, oozing with confidence and ego the ego to match, I was sure of it.
