Chapter 6: The Wrong Reaction

ZAIRE'S POV

The drive to Dillion's friend's place felt longer than it actually was. Maybe because my head wasn't fucking quiet. The music was blasting out the windows-Reggie had control of the aux, which meant loud trap music and him drumming on the dashboard like he was in the damn band.

I just stared out the window, jaw tight, mind running laps I didn't fucking sign up for.

Dillion's friend-Caleb or Cameron or whatever the hell his name was-was throwing a "pre-draft send-off." He'd just gotten the call from an NFL team two days ago which was fucking great news for any football player who had a dream to go pro.

I could just imagine how freaking happy he was.

That was my dream too, you know. Going pro. But with the way we ended last season, the dream seemed pretty far-fetched at the moment. Unless we got our shit together, stopped bitching around, and actually played fucking football for once. And with the new coach? I liked to believe things were finally going to change. Maybe this season we'd actually compete. Maybe we'd finally prove something.

Reggie nudged me with his elbow."You good, bro?"

"Yeah."I lied

"You look like someone kicked your puppy."

I glared at him. "Do I look like someone who would own a puppy?"

"Okay, more like someone stole your protein powder."

"Piss Off, man."

He laughed, but he didn't push. Reggie might be annoying as shit, but he wasn't stupid. He could tell something was off. I just wasn't about to tell him what that "something" was.

We pulled up to the apartment building, and even from the lot, we could hear the party-bass shaking the walls, people yelling, the kind of noise that said someone was definitely about to get arrested tonight.

Dillion hopped out first.

"Let's fucking goooo!" he shouted, already hyped.

I slammed the door and shoved my hands into my pockets. The cold air cut through me, but it wasn't enough to cool the frustration boiling under my skin. The only thing that was going to help my mood tonight was fucking alcohol. A awful lot of it and a hot bathroom sex with a sexy college chick.

That was it.

We got inside, and the living room looked like a frat house got hit by a tornado. Red cups everywhere. Loud music. People dancing on counters. Beer pong in the corner. Someone already drunk on the floor.

Yep. College party in its finest.

Reggie spotted a few guys from our school and went off to greet them. Dillion went to find Caleb-whatever-his-name-is.

I made my way to the kitchen, grabbed the first beer I saw, cracked it open, and took a long drink. I felt relief wash over me, like something was actually lifted off my fucking shoulders.

Dammit that was so good.

Reggie came back with Spencer and Jed, two of our teammates. We dapped each other and from there we just went with the flow. Dillion introduced us to the man of the party, Caleb, and some of St Jose College players.

♧♧♧

An hour in, I was finally starting to loosen up. The music, the crowd, the chaos-it was working. I found myself a sexy babe, tall, dark hair falling just past her shoulders, eyes like she knew exactly what she wanted. She smiled when she caught me staring, and that little spark of attention made something in my chest ease up.

I slid closer, leaning on the counter beside her, letting the noise swallow everything else.

"Hey," I said, voice low enough that only she could hear over the music.

"Hey yourself," she replied, that smirk that made my stomach do flips, the one that said trouble and fun all wrapped in one. "You new around here?"

"Something like that," I said, shrugging. "Friend of the guy who's having the party. You?"

"Here for the free booze," she laughed, leaning closer. Her perfume hit me, sweet and sharp, and I had to resist the urge to breathe it in too deeply.

We talked for a bit, laughing at dumb shit, and for a moment, I actually felt normal. Like the past two days of obsessing over Burkhart, the stress about the season, all of it... it didn't exist. Until I glanced over at the door and saw who had just walked in.

Of course! Why fucking not!

He just had to be here ,didn't he?

Caleb walked to him with a huge ass smile plastered on his face and dapped him up. Will too who was standing next to him. They started talking and laughing together like some old friends. Maybe they did know each other. Who fucking cared?

Even here, in the middle of a packed college party, Burkhart managed to look... untouchable. I could feel the knot in my stomach tighten. My jaw clenched, my hand gripping my beer like it was the only thing keeping me grounded. The way he stood tall on his six feet something ,that stupid aura of his oozing around him without even trying. I hated every bit of it. He was just so full of himself.

I cursed under my breath, wanting to shove my beer across the counter, to storm over there and-shit, I didn't even know what I wanted.

This guy was just pissing me off so bad.

I wished he didn't fucking exist.

The sexy girl beside me leaned in, catching the edge in my expression.

"Everything okay boo?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yeah," I muttered, forcing a laugh. "I'm good..."

Bullshit.

I slammed my empty cup down, taking a step away from the counter. "Matter of fact, I need another beer. Do you need one?"

"Yes, please,"

"Aight bet."

I moved through the party, keeping my eyes subtly on Sebastian. He didn't seem to notice me... not yet. Good. I could just avoid him and pretend like he wasn't there. Everything was going to be good.

"Yo Zai, come over here!"Spencer yelled for me.

I groaned at this guy's stupidity. My heart started to beat faster in my chest as I slowly turned towards the door and just liked I had feared ,Sebastian was looking right at me. He seemed a bit surprised to see me. His gaze didn't linger, though, but it was enough to make my stomach do that stupid, tight flip I hated. He looked away so casually, like he hadn't just sucked all the air out of my lungs for half a second. Like it meant nothing.

Good. Just fucking perfect.

That's exactly what I wanted, right?

I quickly looked away, pretending I hadn't noticed, but the blood in my ears was deafening .I forced my feet to move, heading toward Spencer, who was waving me over like some excited fucking idiot.

"Bro, chill," I said agitatedly when I got close enough.

The rest of the night went like that-loud music, drunk idiots, people bumping into each other, laughter echoing off the walls. But somehow, despite all the chaos, my focus kept zeroing in on one fucking person. Every time I tried to stop looking, I found myself glancing his way again. I couldn't control it no matter how hard I tried, and the worst part was that he didn't even bother to look at me. Not even once. It was like I wasn't even in the same fucking room.

I really didn't know how to feel about that honestly, but what I did know was that something crawled under my skin each time I glanced over and saw him laughing with someone else, totally unaffected by my presence.

I took a long sip of beer, leaning my shoulder against the wall, pretending to listen to Spencer ramble about something stupid. But my eyes drifted again. Sebastian was standing near the balcony door now, talking to some guy I didn't recognize. Tall dude, messy curls, wearing a St Jose College hoodie. He was a little lean compared to Sebastian's muscular built.

They were standing close. Too close.

I furrowed my brows, wondering why they were that close. The guy said something and Sebastian laughed-this soft, easy laugh I'd never heard from him. His shoulders were relaxed, eyes crinkled as his whole face fucking lit up. My stomach tightened uncomfortably. My chest felt weird, tight, like I'd swallowed something sharp. Maybe it was the alcohol hitting weird. It had to be because I didn't know why the fuck was I suddenly feeling like this.

I watched as the guy stepped even closer to Sebastian. He cupped his face , a smile on his face as he leaned down to press his lips on Sebastian's. Sebastian didn't push him away, nor did he look shocked. He just let it happen. My heart dropped to my fucking stomach. Heat shot up my neck, rushing into my ears. I felt dizzy, but not the good kind. Not the drunk kind. The kind that feels like anger, confusion, and something else I didn't know.

"What the fuck," I whispered, too quietly for anyone to hear.

I blinked, my throat closing up.

Did he just let a guy kiss him?

I didn't know what shocked me more:

That Sebastian Burkhart let another guy touch him like that......or that watching it felt like someone had jammed a fist straight into my ribcage and twisted?

Why did I feel...stupidly, irrationally...hurt?

No. No fucking way.

I couldn't care less where that fucker put his mouth at.

I shook my head, forcing myself to look away, but the image was burned behind my eyelids. I swallowed hard, jaw clenched so tight my teeth ached.

He actually fucking kissed that guy?