We'd been together for six months, and while the relationship was good, it wasn't anything near great. He was too much like my mother, and the fact that she approved of him left me feeling like I was almost out of my league.
I stiffened as the sound of his voice lifted up from the row of books to my left, surprising me a little.
"The party starts at eight. Just grab your friends and come out," Paul was whispering to someone, or trying to.
"Come get us." Carolyn Jacobs.
I stood as anger burned through my veins. Carolyn was the current president of the Gammas and had been after my boyfriend since the day we started dating. Funny enough, she wasn't interested in him until he decided he was interested in me.
"Yeah. Come get us." I moved up to stand beside them, working hard to keep my expression calm and unemotional. The turmoil dancing inside my chest would never be seen by either of them. I was a master at the art of calm facades.
"Val. There you are." Paul's lips lifted in a warm smile as he turned to pull me into a tight hug. "You didn't answer my texts."
"You didn't text." I winked at him and pulled back a little to look over at Carolyn. Her tight shirt and short skirt left her looking like a hooker. "It's freezing outside. You're going to catch your death wearing that."
She rolled her eyes and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. "Jealousy isn't becoming, Valentine." She spat my name before turning her attention back to Paul. "Come pick all of us up. We'll even let your charity-case girlfriend come."
"Carolyn." Paul gave her a warning look and turned back to me. "You want to come to the party tonight? I'll pick you up and bring you back home."
"I'm going, but I'm riding with Amy." I gave Carolyn a side glance before shoeing her off. "Go away and make someone else miserable. Your job is done here."
She rolled her eyes and turned. "You're dating the wrong girl, Paul, and you know it. I hear she doesn't even put out."
I ignored her and pulled from Paul's hold. Why everyone reminded me of my mother all of a sudden was beyond me. I needed a new focus – or better yet, a new life.
"Hey. You know she's just jealous of you." He followed me back to the table where my stuff sat strewn everywhere.
"And why is that?" I sat down and pulled my business law book toward me. "She has everything I have and then some."
"She's jealous of me." He let out a curt laugh and touched the back of my hair. "Hey. Look at me. Don't let her upset you. I'm good with us sleeping together just every once in a while. I know sex isn't important to you."
Ice water ran through my veins.
"What?" I turned and looked up at him. He was everyone's wet dream, except mine. His lack of humility and borderline obsession with popularity left me having to force myself to do anything beyond a quick, friendly kiss.
If this is love or lust, I don't want it. Fuck it.
"It's okay. Really." He smiled and touched the side of my face. "Besides, it's been a few weeks. I'm figuring if you'll let me take you to the party tonight, then we can go back to my place afterward. Spend some time together and snuggle up for a good night of sleep?"
Spending time together usually included me sucking him off, fucking for five minutes, and listening to him snore the rest of the night. Count me out.
I swatted his hand away, suddenly not feeling so friendly anymore. "I'm good. Go pick up Carolyn. I'm riding with my friends, and what happens after that is anybody's guess."
"Val, come on." He touched my shoulder, but I jerked away, hating how immature I felt, but not able to drag myself from the black hole I was teetering over.
There were many more parts of my life that I hated than those that I loved. Or liked.
"I have to work on this paper. I'll see you tonight. Okay?" I glanced up at him, pleading with my expression for him to leave me be. I didn't need any more pressure in my life, and if things kept going the way they were, he wouldn't have to worry about me too much longer, anyways.
Carolyn wasn't one to give up on anything she wanted, and after grabbing up the leadership role in Gamma our sophomore year, she was only hungry for something else that was mine. Paul would be next, and I honestly didn't care. As long as she kept her damn hands off of my friends, I would survive.
If she didn't, then game on.
Chapter 2
Tate
"Mom?" I called out as I opened the dilapidated front door to the small, one-bedroom house my mother and I shared. She was overly precautious about someone breaking into the house, so to save myself from having her shotgun in my face, I started making sure to let her know I was home. It was just far safer than the alternative. My lips lifted in a smile at the thought.