At First Hate (Coastal Chronicles)

“Your ‘friend,’ ” Carly said with air quotes. “You mean, jevo.”

I arched an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”

“Fuck buddy,” Sarah said with a laugh. “Context clues, friend.”

“Shut up!” Olivia said, turning beet red. “He’s really hot.”

“Well, let’s go meet him,” Carly said with a wink. “I hope he has hot friends.”

“Seconded!” I said, raising my hand.

We all laughed and left the sweaty bar behind. We trekked down Franklin and through a back alley that led to the famous He’s Not while the girls regaled me with the origin story of its name as we walked. Apparently, Michael Jordan used to go to the bar when he played for UNC. People would constantly call the place, trying to find out if he was there, and they had to say so many times, “He’s not here,” that the name just stuck.

“Did you hear the story about the UNC girl who dated that senator?” Sarah asked once we stepped into the bar.

I nodded. “Oh my God, I did. It was on the news. She was a reporter here, and they hooked up?”

“Yeah. Mega scandal. I was friends with one of her friends,” Sarah confessed.

“Seriously? Did she ever tell you what really happened?”

Sarah shrugged. “Victoria is Victoria. If you knew her, you’d know,” she said with a laugh. “We had some good times though. All I know is that I don’t blame the reporter, Liz, one bit. Brady Maxwell is hot as sin.”

“Oh,” Carly gushed. “Are you talking about the senator? Us Puerto Ricans deserve the right to vote anyway, but let me tell you, I wish that I could just so I could vote for him. Hot, smart, and dating a UNC student? Sign me up.”

We all burst into laughter, and I was still laughing as Olivia turned around to introduce us to her little friends with benefits situation.

“This is who I was telling you about,” Olivia gushed.

And standing next to her was Derek Ballentine.

“Marley?” he asked in exasperation.

“Hey, Derek,” I said with a slow smile as payback blossomed invitingly in my mind.

“You two know each other?” Olivia asked, pushing her glasses back up again in a sign that I knew from our few weeks in class meant she was uncertain.

“Oh, we go way back,” I said, looking down and then up at him from under my lashes.

His jaw set. “Can I talk to you in private for a minute?”

Olivia looked up at him in alarm. “What for?”

He smiled at her, trying to go for reassuring and missing the mark. “It’ll just be a minute, babe.”

He kissed her cheek, ignoring her distress. Then, he grabbed my arm and practically dragged me away from my friends.

“Ouch, you’re hurting me,” I snapped at him.

He released me immediately. “Sorry, but what the fuck are you doing here? And how do you know Olivia? And don’t you fucking think about ruining this.”

I rubbed my arm. It hadn’t been that hard, but I might as well milk it. “I’m here because the girls invited me out.”

“How? You go to Duke.”

“Some of the graduate-level classes have students on both campuses,” I explained.

“But you’re a junior.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “I’m getting my bachelor’s and master’s at the same time.”

“In neuroscience?”

“Yes. Some of us are smart and don’t need a fifth year,” I grumbled.

He smirked. “I’m taking a fifth year for basketball eligibility, not because of academics. And anyway, none of this is important. Just… don’t do whatever that wicked head of yours is thinking right now.”

“What would that be, Derek?” I asked.

“You know exactly what I mean.”

“Oh, what? Like kiss you in front of your new girlfriend?” He glared at me. “Should I tell her we’re not sleeping together? Would she believe me?”

He huffed. “This feud has gone on long enough.”

“I thought it was over in high school,” I reminded him. “You’re the one who fucked up my relationship.” I glanced over his shoulder and saw Carly and Sarah trying to console a clearly upset Olivia. I liked her and didn’t want to hurt her. “Anyway, you’re doing more damage just by talking to me.”

He looked back and saw Olivia’s concern. “Just stay out of it.”

I held my hands up. “You’re digging your own grave.”

Derek just walked back to the group. He slung an arm around Olivia, who perked up when his attention was back on her. Sarah and Carly were being over the top to try to get around the awkwardness. Derek’s friends left to get shots for everyone.

“So, how do you two know each other?” I asked Olivia after she downed a tequila shot with a grimace. I declined a drink to try and sober up enough to drive back to Durham and opted for water instead.

Olivia’s cheeks heated again, and she looked up at Derek. “We met in class.”

I glanced between them, saw the smug look on Derek’s face, and knew. I just knew. “Oh God, are you his TA?”