Living with the Player

Chapter 22

Although this whole fight thing has been overplayed, I'll admit, it is pretty entertaining. I even have a fan club and there's a petition for me to have a rematch with Kenzie. It's kind of funny. Or at least I tell myself that.

I'm trying to romanticize my own life instead of being so negative. There's nothing wrong with trying to be a nice, social person. And like Mrs. Bernstein said, I deserve some romance.

It's like he can read my mind. When I enter physics, Theo is there with a lanky smile, drumming on the table. "What are you doing Friday night?" he asks.

"Friday night?" I say. "I think I'm free, why?"

"How about we go on our first official date?" he asks. "I think Hawkeye is playing in theatres right now and then we can grab dinner?"

Wow, look at me. Being social and going on dates.

"That sounds fun," I say warmly. I see a twinkle in his brown eyes as he smiles that I've never quite noticed before.

"It's a date."

---

"Nico!" I shout the second I get home. "Nico! I-" I open the door to my room and stop in my tracks because he's standing there clad in only a towel hanging loosely around his waist. His damp hair hangs over his eyes and he looks at me with one eyebrow raised.

"You're back early," he says nonchalantly despite being basically naked in front of me.

My mind searches for words. When I speak, my own voice sounds weird. "Uh, yeah. Social justice-"

"Justice league."

"Ended early," I finish. I force myself to keep my eyes trained on his face but the image of the muscles on his chest are ingrained into my mind. Those years of soccer have done him well.

"Can I change?" he asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah." I go to close the door but he stops it.

"Jennie," he says, his body moving closer to mine. "You're blushing," he teases.

"No, I'm not," I say immediately. Yes, I am. I can feel it.

"Feel free to take a look," he says, failing to suppress his smile.

I narrow my eyes. "Put some clothes on. I have news." I close the door between us.

"So that's what you're shouting about. Killing my ears."

I roll my eyes. "Ha ha. I would slap you right now if I wasn't in a good mood."

"So this is good news," he notes from the other side of the door.

"Theo and I have an official date," I say as he swings open the door, sending a wave of my coconut shampoo fragrance towards me.

I look at him expectantly, waiting for some kind of reaction, but his face is expressionless.

"What? No snarky comment about how you're a genius? I thought this was the plan. Dating a new guy," I say, my ego starting to deflate.

He surveys me. "We didn't discuss you asking him out," he says finally.

"That's the best part. I didn't have to. He asked me."

He dries his hair roughly with the towel before tossing it aside. "That's cool," he says. "What are you guys doing?"

"Movie.".

"A movie? What a shitty first date. Well, I guess if you sit in the back, you can get some action," he says.

My face wrinkles. "Do you have to be such a perv about everything?"