LISA

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I was either dodging her or trying to catch glimpses of her. I never knew what I wanted from one minute to the next. I didn't want to see her with Taehyung, but then I didn't want to not see her because I missed her. Why couldn't I make up my mind?

"Can we go back to your place?" Grace asked as she slid her hand between my legs and cupped my dick.

That had been my plan, but seeing the football players crawling all over the Tinderwoods Apartments meant there was a party there tonight and I knew she would be there. With Taehyung. My mind was on her. Always on her.

"Not tonight," I replied, removing her hand. This wasn't the first time I'd turned down sex lately. It was becoming a habit. I couldn't fuck someone and be thinking about Jennie the entire time.

But how the hell was I supposed to get over her?

"Why not?" Grace puckered up and leaned in to start nibbling on my ear. I wanted to be able to mindlessly do it like I had before. Take her back to my place, do what she was begging for, and move on. But something had changed in me and I wasn't able to fix it.

I started to move her off me again when I saw Jennie … walking … in the dark … alone. What the hell?

I carelessly shoved Grace off me as I slowed and pulled the Jeep up beside Jennie. Jerking the door open, I jumped out and called her name.

She was already looking back at me. Her face was hidden in the shadows.

"What are you doing?" I asked her, closing the distance so I could see her face.

"Walking," she said simply. I wanted to laugh at her obvious answer, but the hurt look in her eyes sliced through me.

"Where's Taehyung?" I asked, already imagining ways to beat the shit out of him. What guy lets his girl walk home alone in the dark?

"At a party."

I knew what party. I had passed it a half mile ago. "Is that where you're coming from?"

"Lisa," Grace called out. I ignored her. Jennie didn't, though. Her eyes went to the girl in my car, then back to me.

"I was just tired and ready to go. You need to get back to your date," she said, and started to walk away. I reached out and grabbed her hand.

"You're not walking all the way back to your dorm. It's not safe. Your fu … boyfriend should have thought about that." He was going to think about it once I got my hands on him. That was for damn sure.

"He's not my boyfriend. I don't think he has been for a very long time." She tugged at her hand, but I wasn't letting go. Especially after a comment like that one. If he wasn't her boyfriend, then what the hell happened?

"What happened, Jennie?" I asked.

She tensed, then I saw the tears in her eyes as she quickly looked away from me. "Tae has been with others … since coming here."

Was he a dumbass? He had Jennie—why would he want anyone else?

"He's an idiot," I said, squeezing her hand gently.

She sniffed and reached up to wipe her eyes.

"Lisa, let's go," Grace called out again. I had forgotten she was even there.

Shit. I glanced back at the Jeep, then at Jennie. "I need to take her home, then we can go wherever you want and talk. Or drink. Or break things. Just get in my Jeep, please."

Jennie started to shake her head, and I pulled her close to me and whispered in her ear, "I will leave that Jeep right there and walk the entire way back with you if you don't. I'm not letting you out of my sight."

She sighed and finally gave me a nod. "Okay."

I wanted to pull her into my arms and swear to her I'd never let anyone hurt her again. But right now I couldn't. Because she may not choose me. She was heartbroken over the guy she did love. Just because I loved her didn't make it enough for both of us.

"Where is she going?" Grace asked as we walked up to the Jeep together. "I'm not getting in the back. She is."

Jennie looked up at me. "Sorry about her" was all I could say.

"I like the back," Jennie replied.

I held her hand as she crawled up into the Jeep and took the backseat.

"Again, why is she with us?" Grace asked, her tone getting more annoying by the second.

"She needs a ride," I said as I drove back onto the road and toward the sorority house where Grace lived.

"Are you taking me home?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah."

She glared back at Jennie. "Unbelievable. She's worse than her reputation. I hope you know that. If she'll do this to me, she'll do it to you."

I didn't expect Jennie to respond, and I wanted to shut Grace up. Even if she had a reason to be pissed. I didn't have time to worry about that.

"Actually, there's a side of Lisa no one sees because she doesn't show them. Or they don't look closely. You went out with her because of her reputation. Maybe you should have tried to see beyond what you thought you knew about her."

My heart slammed against my ribs. Girls didn't talk about me like that. They never had.

"Whatever. You're young and stupid. You'll learn," Grace snapped, turning around in her seat.

"Hopefully sooner than you," Jennie shot back.

I laughed. I wasn't able to stop myself. Her response was unexpected.

I pulled up in front of Grace's sorority house and she shoved her door open. "Don't call me," she yelled before slamming the door behind her.

I hadn't been planning on it, but I knew it helped her to say it. What had she wanted from me tonight? To say she screwed me? To say she was one of the many? Why? When had that become such a big thing for girls?

I opened my door and held out my hand to Jennie. "Come on and get up front."

She didn't argue, and although there was still sadness in her eyes, she didn't look as broken as she had when I picked her up.

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