Out on the Ice (Out in College 5)

Chilton College was a five-minute walk from Sky’s house. I walked him to school then made my way to the Starbucks on campus. I took one look at the line of students waiting for their caffeine fix and changed my mind. I walked around the quad and was about to veer toward the main street when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

Hi Colby. It’s Kendra. Call me.

I stared at the text for a second and frowned. Strange. I hadn’t talked to Miss Smartypants since Schultz’s party. If this was any other day, I either would have texted back or reminded myself to do so later. But like I said, nothing felt normal today and I was dangerous with excess time on my hands. So, I sat on a bench under a tree near the pillared entrance of the engineering building and pressed Call.

“Hi, Colby. How are you?” a chipper voice answered.

“I’m good. What’s up?” I asked.

“Quick question. I need a date for a sorority function next weekend. Can you go?”

“I think I have a game,” I replied.

“I checked your schedule. You’re free that night. But that’s okay. You don’t have to go with me. What about Jason?”

“Schultz? What about him?”

“Do you think he’d go with me? I’m too shy to ask him.”

I snorted. “You? Shy?”

“Yes. I heard he’s back on the team. Will you ask him for me? Or put in a good word?” she pleaded. “Or if I just showed up at the game, maybe you could…I don’t know, reintroduce us. It’s been a few weeks. He probably forgot he met me.”

I scooted toward the shady end of the bench. It was hot as hell in the sun, and the twist in conversation made me even more uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure how to tell her that every guy on my team, including Jason, still thought Kendra and I were…together. So, I blurted it out in a rush and winced at the ensuing silence. “I didn’t think it was a big deal ’cause I haven’t seen you since that party. I know they’ll forget about it, but if you show up to a game, they’ll assume you’re there for me.”

“Oh. Well…tell them we broke up.”

“Then why would you come to one of my games?”

“Good point. But why do they think we’re still together?”

“Uh…” I swiped my hand through my hair and tried to come up with a response that didn’t sound totally lame. “I didn’t un-tell them anything after the party, but I will. I just don’t know if I can do it by the weekend. But Jason isn’t all that great a catch. He’s full of himself. And you know, there are other sports out there.”

“True, but there’s something about a bad-boy hockey player that gets me every time,” Kendra replied with a dreamy sigh. “I don’t know what it is, but…”

I listened with half an ear as she went on about aggression, passion, and masculine guys who knew how to use their hands. She was over-the-top and a little goofy too, but she was likable. I couldn’t brush her off without feeling like a dick. However, I wasn’t about to play matchmaker.

“I gotta run, Kendra.”

“Not a problem. Good luck at your game, boyfriend. And don’t forget to break up with me,” she said with a laugh before hanging up.

Okay. That was bizarre and potentially alarming too. Note to self…google how to break up with a fake girlfriend, I mused as I made my way across the quad to Starbucks to meet Sky.

The campus didn’t seem as congested as ours was on a Friday. There were a few students sunning themselves on the grassy knoll near the fountain, but the smarter ones stayed in the shady areas. It had to be easily fifteen degrees warmer in Orange than it was by the beach. I’d borrowed a T-shirt from Sky this morning, but his shorts didn’t fit me. I was thicker around the waist than he was. I lost the battle with the Velcro and put my jeans back on. Needless to say, I was sweating bullets by the time I pulled open the coffee shop door.

I spotted Sky standing off to the side, talking to a very attractive, athletic-looking Latino and a fabulous skinny guy with platinum blond hair. My head was still spinning on the weird-ass phone call from Miss Smartypants. I couldn’t wait to tell Sky about it and maybe warn him that I’d sweated through his T-shirt.

“…it doesn’t have to be weird, Sky. When I’m on the field, I’m there to play baseball. That’s it. I don’t want drama and—”

“Hey.” I bumped Sky’s arm in greeting and smiled at him and his friends. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“It’s cool,” Sky said. “I was just about to get in line.”

“I’ll do it. What do you want, ba—” Holy shit. Did I almost call him “babe” in front of strangers? I tried to cover my faux pas with a cough, then went overboard and fell into full greeter mode, like I wanted to make new friends. And I assure you, I did not. “Ha. Sorry again. I’m being rude. I’m Colby.”