Page 9 of Playing to Win
Chapter 4
“You did what?”
“You heard me the first time I said it. And the next time, when you made me repeat it. I’m not saying it again, Aria,” Callie said, banging her forehead on top of her desk. “I can’t believe I did this. I can’t believe I did that. Who does that? Who plays Horse with Kyle Kelly and then agrees to hang out with him five times, two of those times consisting of studying and meeting my dad? This is crazy! I’m crazy!”
“Girl, if you ask me, running into that fine specimen of a man was the best thing to happen to you in a long time. Who knows? Maybe he’ll break you out of your spinster cocoon and you’ll finally get some long overdue action, if you know what I mean.”
“I don’t want action, Aria. I don’t want to break out of my cocoon. I don’t have a cocoon. I just want to finish school, graduate, get my dream job, and not date a professional athlete!”
“I thought you said it was just hanging out, not a date.” Callie could hear Aria’s smug smile come over the cellular line and slap her in the face. “Face it. You like him.”
“I do not.”
“Yeah. Okay. Whatever you have to tell yourself.”
“Okay, okay, so he was a lot…different than I thought he would be. But still, that doesn’t mean I have time to date. Or that I want to date. It’s just five times. Five hang outs and then I’m finished. We’ll be…friends. Yep. Friends. I can do friends.”
“Hang out with those big baby blues and that crater of a dimple five times and then we’ll talk about that,” Aria said with a snort.
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. You love me. And Kyle Kelly. I’ve gotta go…plan your wedding!”
“Aria, you—”
All Callie got was the three consecutive beeps letting her know Aria had ended the call. She placed her iPhone on the desk and slammed her head back down.
“Ow!”
“You know you can give yourself a concussion doing that,” Callie’s roommate, Cassie, walked into her room, glasses perched on her head and a book in her hand. You wouldn’t think it to look at her, but Cassie was pre-law and one of the smartest people Callie knew. With her sleek black hair, porcelain complexion, dark eyes, and curves in all the right places, Cassie had the body of a Playboy bunny. Fortunately for her, her mind was as brilliant as if Marie Curie and Albert Einstein had a love child. And she would rather spit on the Playboy mansion than step foot in it.
“Nuh uh. Can I really?”
“No, not really. But it sure was funny seeing your eyes bug out at the thought.”
“Ha, ha, not ha.”
“Why, pray tell, are you in such a bad mood? And why are you still up? It is way past your bedtime, baby girl.”
“I’m in a bad mood because I’m an idiot. And I’m still up because I had that stupid meet and greet with the season ticket holders after the game and I have a huge test on Friday and won’t be able to sleep until it is over because I’ve procrastinated studying for so long.”
“Want some help? I’m pre-law. Studying is my life. I have mastered the art form.”
“Unfortunately, I already have help.”
“That’s great news! Never look a gift horse in the mouth, girl! Who’s helping you study?”
“Kyle. Kelly. Hashtag sigh.”
“Who is that? Someone from your class? It’s really nice of them to stay up this late to help you.”
“Are you kidding me? Please tell me you’re joking.”
“What? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Did we have a class with him or something?”
Cassie and Callie had first met each other in Biology I. Callie hated all things science and was lucky enough to plop herself down in the seat next to Cassie. They quickly became friends when Cassie expressed her hatred of English. Since it was a subject in which Callie thrived, they made a pact to help each other with their despised gen ed classes and had been friends ever since.
When Cassie had asked Callie if she wanted to ditch the dorms their junior year in exchange for one of the apartments on campus, Callie jumped at the chance. Their two bedroom apartment was small, but quaint. Even better, there were no loud dorm halls filled with parties and people out all hours of the night. They had made their little place homey with sale items from Kirkland’s and Hobby Lobby as well as hand-me-downs from anyone who would offer them.
