Roughing

A few of my teammates catch up to us by the time we reach Broad Street. I’m exhausted but still hopped up on adrenaline from the game, and in desperate need to see Tori. I cannot lose her again. And I don’t feel like spending any more time with these idiots. They will try to talk me into hooking up with some random chick, which is not going to happen.

“I’ll catch you guys later,” I say, crossing the street at the light, going in the opposite direction.

“Later, man,” Finch says. “Good luck.”

“Thanks, I’ll need it.”

My teammates wave and fall in line with Finch as they head toward the bar on the corner.

After my feet land on the opposite side of the street, I pick up my pace, my light jog turning into more of a run. I was planning to celebrate this win with Tori. Now, I’m going to spend the night begging for her forgiveness. In a hurry, I fling open the door to the senior dormitory and take the stairs up to Tori’s suite.

People I know try to stop me on my way, but I’m too focused on my mission to be deterred by anyone. When I find her door, I raise my hand to knock, shaking the wood in the process. Sometimes, I don’t realize my strength.

“Go the fuck away,” I hear Tori yell from the other side.

“C’mon, Queenie, don’t do this again. I need to talk to you. Just let me come inside.”

“No!” She shouts, and this time, her voice sounds closer, as if she’s standing in front of the door, peeking through the hole at me.

“Please, Tori, just let me explain everything to you. I’m sure Harper didn’t tell you everything. She was just trying to get under your skin.”

“I don’t want to hear it, Bash. I need some time to process.”

I place my palm on the door and lean closer, lowering voice because we are drawing the attention of those around me. “People are starting to stare at me,” I tell her, hoping it will work. “Just open the damn door, already.”

“You love the attention.” I can practically see the smirk forming on her lips as she speaks. “So, let them stare at you.”

“But you hate it, and everyone will hear what I have to say to you if you don’t open this door.”

She grunts loud enough that I can hear her, and the door swings open. Standing in the entryway in my navy boxer shorts and a white tank top with no bra, Tori holds out her hand, indicating for me to come inside.

As I move forward, she steps to the side, allowing me to come inside. She closes the door behind and locks it, and then leans her back against the wood, flashing an evil stare at me.

“Just let me explain everything before you chop my head off, okay?”

She folds her arms over her chest. “You can talk all you want, but I don’t want to hear it, Bash. As much as I hate Harper, maybe she did me a favor. I hate that you kept this secret from me and that everyone on your team, including Jessica, was in on it. I feel so stupid. So betrayed. How could you? You even had my best friend and roommate hide this from me.”

“Don’t be mad at Jessica. She didn’t want you to leave school, and neither did I. That’s why I created the scholarship to replace the one you lost.”

“Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get here, Bash? I know things come easy for you and the Prince name opens doors for you, but the Reynolds name does not. I had to bust my ass to make this dream a reality. And all you had to do was hand someone a check. How do you think that makes me feel? All my hard work down the fucking drain.”

I move closer, hoping she won’t kick me in the nuts. Luckily, she doesn’t make any advances and stays in position.

“Your hard work was not a waste because you earned those grades, whether I paid your tuition or the college did. The money part is irrelevant. All that matters is that you aced your classes, and now, you will graduate on time. This is all I ever wanted for you, babe. Can’t you see that? I didn’t want to take anything away from you. I wanted to give you a future; one I was hoping I would someday be a part of if you’ll still let me. I owed you this much. Don’t go doubting yourself over one tiny thing that has no bearing on everything you have achieved on your own.”

“Bash,” she says and lifts her hands up to her face, sobbing into her palms. “I can’t believe you did this, and you didn’t tell me.”

I move her hands from her face and kiss her skin. “I made up the scholarship because I was in love with you, Tori. And I’m even more in love with you now than before. I couldn’t stand to see you hurting so much. It was my fault that you lost your scholarship. It was my fault that you lost that sparkle in your eyes. Everything bad that happened to you was my fault, and I couldn’t stand to see you in pain.”

Her tears slide down her cheeks. “Bash,” she chokes out, “I love you, too, but I can’t take money from you. I just can’t.”

“Yes, you can and you will. Your tuition is paid until graduation. Books, food, whatever you need.”

“I wish you could understand how this makes me feel.”

“I know you’re proud and hate taking a dime from me, but can you forget where the money came from and focus on graduating with honors? I want nothing more than to see you on that stage at graduation, wearing your honors sash and tassel, as you wave to your dad and me. I’m so proud of you, babe. You have no idea. Think of me as a silent investor in your future.”

“That’s ridiculous,” she says, a soft moan escaping her lips as I continue to kiss my way from her hands up to her arms. “Bash, stop trying to control the situation. I will not let you distract me…”