Ritual - Palm South University

His words surprise me, and I turn in my chair to face him.

“I mean it,” he says, smirking as he runs his hand back through his hair. “It’s not easy to do that. I am much more of a play games, crack corny pick-up lines, and hide all emotions kind of guy. Or, at least, I was.”

“Until Jess.”

Kade sighs, shaking his head. “That woman will be the death of me.”

I smile. “Something about those KKB girls.”

“Right? Anyway, I don’t know exactly what happened between you and Cassie. But I hope you guys work it out. You make a good pair. And from what I hear, you two went through a lot to get here. I mean, hell, she used me as a pawn last year to cover up the fact that it was actually you she was falling for.”

I held up my hands. “Don’t get me started on what a train wreck last semester was.”

Kade laughs, standing. “I won’t. Just wanted to let you know I’m here if you need to talk or anything. And, for what it’s worth, I think you should crash semi-formal. Show up in a suit and sweep that girl off her feet. She can’t say no to you in a tie.”

I smile. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Have fun with Jess tonight.” I tilt my head, assessing him. “You’re really into her, aren’t you?”

Kade grabs the back of his neck, nodding sheepishly. “On a scale of one to fucking idiot, where do I land if I say I’m already head over heels for the girl?”

“I don’t think you’re stupid at all.”

“Something tells me it won’t last,” he says, but he shrugs before the moment can get too serious. “But I guess that means I should just make the most of now.”

I stand, clapping him on the shoulder. “I think that’s the best way to look at it. Besides,” I add. “For whatever it’s worth, I’ve never seen her show another fraternity guy the kind of attention she shows you. I think she’s just as into you as you are into her.”

He smiles, squeezing my shoulder, too, and then he’s out the door and I’m alone again.

I sigh, collapsing back into my chair and sinking down until my ass is hanging off it. I stare up at my ceiling as the house grows quiet, all the brothers leaving to hop into their various limos that will take them out tonight.

I debate Kade’s suggestion the entire time.

I could crash the semi-formal, show up and demand that Cassie talk to me. But… what would I say that I haven’t already?

Nothing has changed.

I still want her to choose me.

And the fact that her friendship with Grayson was more important than her relationship with me isn’t something I can just forget about — especially if she doesn’t even see it the way I do.

You’re being stubborn, my brain sings to me for the fiftieth time this week. I don’t have time to tell it to shut up before there’s a soft rap of knuckles on my window.

My head snaps toward the noise, and I frown, wondering if I imagined it.

When it comes again, I rush out of my chair and leap onto my bed, yanking the cord on my blinds.

And when they open, I’m face to face with Cassie McBee.

She’s an absolute vision in the last glow of the setting sun, casting her red hair aflame and igniting the flecks of gold in her emerald eyes. I blink away my shock at the sight of her, opening my window and holding out a hand to help her inside.

She’s not wearing a dress, or makeup, or a head of curls like I imagined she would be tonight. Instead, she’s in worn-out navy-blue sweatpants and one of my long sleeve Alpha Sigma shirts that she stole from me over the summer when she was cold one night.

And on her feet are the same Keds she wore the first night she crawled into my window two years ago.

That was when she was a freshman, and I was a sophomore, and my room was down the hall and on the other side of the house. That was when my bed was against the wall opposite my window. That was when I was with Skyler, and she’d just had her heart broken by my asshole president.

That was before we were us.

And yet, we’d always been us — no matter how we tried to fight it.

Her hand is cold in mine as I help her inside the window, which is a little tougher since my bed is right up against it. But she shimmies in, and once she’s inside, she kicks out of her shoes just like she did that first time. I leave the window open, the breeze blowing through the strands coming loose from her messy top knot, and for the longest time, I just watch her and wait.