In Your Corner | ✓

Three

Smith's is bouncing by the time we get there and I huff out a breath as we push the door open, knowing we're all going to be sweaty messes by the end of it.

It wouldn't be a college night out if it was anything else, though.

Anandi grabs mine and MJ's arms, steering us directly towards the bar. "My treat the first round!" she assures us, leaning over the bar to try and get some attention.

Attention that comes in the form of none other than Joshua Zaki.

Josh is a pretty difficult guy to get a read on. It's not that he's broody or closed off, or whatever. It's actually just that he's so damn nice that you wonder what's going on. His curly black locks sit atop his head, not one ever looking out of place and his hazel eyes are always sparkling with mirth, as though he's sharing a private joke with you.

He's on the men's soccer team and a real asset for them at that: he's their playmaker, sitting in centre midfield more often than not and just spends every game picking out passes that I could only dream of.

It's infuriating. Unfortunately, it – alongside his genuinely kind demeanour and boyish charm – does nothing other than make him even more attractive.

He stands behind the bar in a black t-shirt with the word Smith's printed on his left breast, a smile already planted on his lips before he's even turned to fully look at us.

See? Charming.

"Hey," he greets us easily. "What can I get for you?"

Anandi orders us two vodka mixers each and pulls out her daddy's credit card, ready to pay for it without a second thought. It's almost tradition at this point for her to buy us our first round on a night out.

I don't miss the amused twitch on Josh's lips as he starts making the drinks. "Nice game today, Choi," he says loudly over the music that's blaring around us.

I smile, leaning against the bar so that I can hear him a bit better. "Thanks. It was a bit hit and miss at the end there, but we got through it."

He looks up from his task to meet my eyes. "You always do."

His words aren't even flirtatious, there's just genuine kindness behind them. Like always.

Despite his good looks, ability on the pitch, clever brain and all-around charm, I've only ever known him to be involved with one person the whole time I've known him.

He's a junior like me and has been playing soccer since freshman year, so we've been running in the same circles for years.

There just has to be a reason for that. Granted, his relationship with Tom lasted from halfway through freshman year to some stage that summer, but there's never been any talk of anything with anyone else since.

In fairness, he's usually too busy working at Smith's to be joining us on nights out – an easy place to pick someone new up – but that's beside the point.

Josh slides the drinks towards us over the bar and holds out the card machine, so Anandi can tap her credit it against it. "Have a nice night, ladies."

I wink. "Sure will. You joining us after you finish?"

I don't know why I bother asking. He always works late on Saturday nights. Part of me thinks I'm just trying to keep up a conversation with him. I've always enjoyed talking to him, but I'm just not quite as close to him as I am with some of the other guys.

He shakes his head regrettably, his light hazel eyes tired. "Nah, I don't finish until one and by then, I'll just want my bed."

I clutch both of my drinks in my hand and nod. "Fair enough," I agree, wincing. "I think I'd be the same if I was working a shift like this."