Boarded by Love (Bellevue Bullies 1)

She smiles. “Yeah, I saw that sugary sweet shit. Did you see that almost half his female friends deleted him too?

Taken aback, I say, “Really?”

“Yeah, I was messing around with Matty, and he was telling me that he, Bryan, and Jayden were giving Jude shit for y’all making the house shake last night and then his girlie-ass status, and Jude was laughing ’cause almost everyone deleted him.”

“Wow,” I say with a grin. “That’s a good thing, I guess, but whoa… Wait, you’re messing around with Matt?”

She shrugs, her cheeks blushing with color as she says, “Yeah, it’s no big deal. We’ve fucked a few times, but it’s nothing. Honestly. We’re more friends than anything.”

“That’s how it starts,” I sing, opening a message to Jude. “Reese and Phillip were friends with benefits and now look.”

She laughs. “No, they were in love from the start but tried to act like it wasn’t anything.”

Setting her with a look, I grin. “My point exactly.”

“Oh, fuck off,” she sneers before throwing a pillow at me. I dodge it with no problem and fall back on my bed, texting Jude.

Me: So u made me cry.

Hey Jude: Happy tears?

Me: Of course. I don’t think u know how much I love u.

Hey Jude: yeah I do. I see it in your eyes every time I see u.

Ugh. Swoon. Taking in a deep breath, I smile as I type back.

Me: Where are you at?

Hey Jude: In the locker room. About to shower and head to the house.

Me: Anything once you get there?

Hey Jude: Nope, probably a nap.

Me: I think I have a better idea.

Hey Jude: I’m intrigued.

With a sneaky grin, I type:

Me: Good, meet you there.

Hey Jude: I’ll beat you.

Me: Challenged accepted.

Hopping up, I strip my clothes off quickly and find the sexiest piece of lingerie I have.

“Whoa, where is the fire?” Skylar asks as I put on a lacy black number.

Shooting her a grin, I put some sweats on over my lingerie and say, “I’m going to beat Jude back to the house, and then I’m going to blow his mind with this.”

Skylar laughs as I slide my feet into my tennis shoes. “Y’all trip me out. Have fun.”

“Oh, I will,” I say with a wink and then I dash out the door.

I know I should drive my car, but traffic is going to be busy since everyone is out for lunch. Running like there are zombies chasing me, I dart across campus. People get out of my way and some shout to slow down, but I ignore them. I have somewhere to be. My chest is burning along with my legs, but I don’t let up; I will beat Jude. Rounding the quad, I spot Jude coming out of the Bullies arena. He must have spotted me too because a huge grin comes across his face and then he’s off too. Pushing hard, I want to cry from the pain, but there is no way in hell I’m going to let him beat me.