Page 20 of Movers and Fakers

She glances around again. A look of relief washes over her face.

“Jaz!” she calls out, and I follow her gaze to a cheerleader with a curly brown ponytail. If I’m not mistaken, she’s star quarterback Shepherd Kingsley’s girlfriend.

Jaz turns to look at us, and her eyes widen at the sight of me. Aurora takes a step in her direction.

“I don’t get a goodbye?” I ask, my tone teasing.

“If I thought I was getting rid of you anytime soon, I’d give you one,” she shoots back.

I smile. “Thankfully, you’re not, so I guess this is a see you later.”

She just shakes her head and walks toward her friends. I spot the redhead, Marigold, glaring at me. Right behind her is her hockey player boyfriend, Jameson, who is also glaring at me. I don’t take that one personally, though, because I think he glares at everyone. In general, I don’t really care what any of them think of me. It’s not like it matters. Aurora is my tutor whether they like me or not.

Aurora’s friends draw her into their little pod, and a small smile graces her lips. Jealousy slithers through my chest. It’s a small amount, but noticeable. I shake my head. Being envious of her smiling at them is foolish. I drag my eyes away from her and try to find someone or something else to distract me. But Aurora was right. There’s nothing fun about this. It’s only a hair above studying.

“Hayes, my man,” a familiar voice slurs. “I’ve been looking for you.”

I glance to my left and find Carson, president of Alpha Phi. He spends the majority of his time drunk, except for when he’s studying to be an engineer. I don’t know how he manages school and excessive drinking, but he does. He’s never failed a class or even come close. Unlike me.

“What’s up?” I ask him.

“Your girlfriend is looking for you.”

My brows pull together.

“I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“That’s what I told her!” He hiccups with wide, glassy eyes. “I said Hayes Rosewood doesn’t date a girl more than once. She did not like that.”

“Who is it?”

Carson tips his plastic cup back and takes a long drink, then makes a loud ahhh sound.

“Uh, it was a name with too many synonyms—I mean—what’s the word?”

“Syllables?” I provide wryly.

He points his cup at me. “Yep! Sounded like a sneeze, so I said bless you. Didn’t like that either. Your girlfriend isn’t very funny.”

“Don’t have a girlfriend.”

“That’s what I said!” He repeats his earlier sentiment. “But she’s—” He swirls a finger in a circle near his temple.

“And you don’t know her name? Or where she is?”

It wouldn’t be the first time a girl thought we were dating when we weren’t. I’ll just have to let her down easy.

Carson lifts his drink and gestures behind him. Some of the liquid sloshes out and onto the shoulder of his golf polo.

“By the pool. She’s blonde. Super hot—all the crazy ones are, though. Name was something like Macintosh.”

His mediocre description pieces together with a few other instances.

“Mckinleigh?” I ask with a sinking feeling.

“That’s it!” he shouts.

I let out a deep sigh. When I saw Aurora earlier, I thought it was going to be a great night. Now—like her—I wish I wouldn’t have come at all.