Derrick blew out a puff of smoke, releasing his hold on the joint and passing it to his left as he let out a cough and shook his head. He couldn't remember the last time taking a drag like that made him cough. What was getting into him? Or, namely, who was getting into him?

He never lost his cool, unless it was Massie Block he was fighting with. He'd love to call her a block head, a dumb broad, an entitled little brat with no good bone in her body and no common sense. He'd relish in the feeling that he'd make her cry her heartless, flaming eyes out because she's a stone cold bitch with no real feelings. She's robotic, down to every move she makes.

Derrick would love to say all these things, love to believe them, but he could never because he doesn't. As much as she aggravates and irritates him, she turns him on too much. She's too much fun, she's too much of a game to him. It's like Massie Block rubs Derrick the wrong way, but in a good way. She keeps him on his toes, she makes him a little too aware and always second guessing himself.

In a weird way, he likes it.

Massie keeps Derrick second guessing himself, she keeps him accountable for himself.

He saw her through Kemp, mainly. He didn't know much about her, other than the fact that his roommate severely fucked her over after dating her for a year and four months. Derrick didn't know much about their relationship because Kemp kept those things private, but Massie was around the room long enough for her and Derrick to chat here and there.

He knows she likes kiwi and strawberries on her low fat vanilla frozen yogurt, and that she hates the smell of marijuana but likes the high that comes with it. She only likes her coffee cold, and if it's hot she'll pour it over ice (or over your lap if you piss her off enough). She watches her calorie count, but if you put a rice krispy treat in front of her, she caves wicked quickly.

The blunt rotation found its way to Derrick once again, and he grasped the backwood in between his middle and pointer finger firmly. Taking a deep drag of it, he let the smoke fill his lungs, cloud his brain and relax his body.

"Dude, what is up with you?" Josh Hotz asked, kicking Derrick's shin with a sly grin pulling at his pink mouth as he popped another starburst into it.

"He's in looooove," sang Chris Plovert, fake-swooning onto Derrick's bed then cursing as his bud light spilled onto the carpet.

"Shut up, dude. I'm just...thinking. Can't a guy just think?"

"Not with that face, he can't!"

"What face?"

"Your in looooove face!"

"I'm not in love!"

"Then what are you? Sexually aroused?"

"Shut up, Plovert!"

"Someone's a little sensitive tonight!"

BREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK

Kemp Hurley sat at the edge of his chair inside of the library cafe that was far past closed at this hour. He came here when he had to get his school work done, or when he had to think, because no one dared come by this late and he was never good at focusing when other people were around.

He couldn't ask Derrick for help with his homework, because Derrick was too smart for that. Derrick was the kind of smart that made you feel stupid if you didn't follow along, he was impatient and usually didn't have time to tutor because of soccer anyway so any spare time he had was not usually spent helping others.

They all played together, but Derrick was 'most important' to the coach, so he put the most hours in. He was the most important on the team being the goalie, but if you asked Kemp, any of the other teammates could do his job. It's just that Derrick was a control freak and actually put those hours in, he was also a hot head so soccer was his stress relief.

Kemp, though, could care less. Soccer was fun for him, sex was his stress reliever. Which was why he was sitting on the edge of his chair at two in the morning in a library cafe, impatienting twiddling his thumbs while watching Massie type on their iMessage conversation.

Kemp didn't care, if he was being honest, about the girls he used. Girls were replaceable, especially when there were so many and they all wanted him so badly. He did, however, care when it was his territory on the line. Kemp is many things, but is extremely protective over what is his, and Massie is his. Once he heard Derrick was starting to move things along with Block, he knew he needed to intervene somehow, the only way he knew how. By being that douchebag.

TO: M Block

Y cldn't we do ths in person?

TO: asshole

b/c u suck

TO: M Block

Yet here we r

TO: asshole

yet im in bed n ur in the lib sozzzz

Kemp's head shot up and he took a few doubletakes, trying to figure out where she was hiding. How did she see him? Did Massie Block have this whole campus bugged or something? He shook his head, running a hand through his dark brown buzz cut and turning his attention back to his iPhone X as it buzzed again in his phone.

TO: asshole

ha, made u look. whats up

TO: M Block

Y do u hate me?

TO: asshole

do u rly need an answer

TO: M Block

i guess not. But i jst dnt get y we cnt try again?

TO: asshole

So u can break up with me on christmas? No thx

BREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK

Josh panted, pulling at the collar of his ralph lauren navy blue and white rugby long sleeve shirt as he jogged ahead to keep up with Alicia Rivera. Damn, she moved quickly. In heels, too! How she does it, Josh hadn't a clue.

"Leesh, wait up!"

"We have to stop meeting like this!"

"You have to stop walking so fast! You give me headaches when you move this fast!"

"You play college level soccer, you should be able to handle my power walking, Josh!"

"Well, until you train me on your ways of the power walk, please, for the love of God, slow down!"

"Okay!"

Now the pair were leisurely walking down the green campus of WPU, but when Josh and Alicia were together, they looked more like a model couple doing a photoshoot than friends walking to the on campus coffee shop. Alicia was donning an oversized ralph lauren sweater dress, a pair of knee high hermes black velvet boots and a black gucci soho shoulder bag. Josh, dressed in his rugby long sleeve, a pair of pressed khakis that cut off at his ankles, navy sperrys and a louis vuitton vintage mens brown leather worn out messenger bag, complimented her perfectly.

He towered over her small, five foot two frame. Both of their features were dark and smokey, mysterious and alluring. Where his eyes were a warm and inviting dark brown the type that swallows you up in a warm hug, hers were a rich and enticing chocolate that you just wanted to dip right into. His dark curls were beginning to dip down into his eyes, and he'd subconsciously lift a hand every few minutes to clear his vision from them. Her hair was laying flat down her back in a glossy straight fashion today, swinging with every step she took.

Once they reached the coffee shop, Josh held the door for the petite brunette and let her sashay inside first before ducking his head and following her inside. Since there was no apparent line, she made her way to the front counter and placed orders for both of their drinks, already swiping her meal card by the time Josh got to her.

He thanked her with a dimpled grin, and Alicia tried to fight the warmth she felt crawling up her neck as her gold-ring clad tanned hands handed him his iced mocha macchiato. Their fingertips brushed as he took it from her, then he rested his hand on the small of her back and led her to a pair of chairs sitting in the back facing the window.

Gawd, this is going to be a long semester.