Page 35 of Playing to Win
I would talk their ears off in search of advice. Stories. I love a good story. I’m sure they all have a bunch they’d love to share.
And it’s not like I’d be using her to get close to her family either. I don’t use people. That’s not my style. Here’s the thing when it comes to Ruby.
I like her.
A lot.
I can’t stop thinking about her. I’m dying to spend more time with her.
How do I convince Ruby I’m not such a bad guy?
Once classes are over, I head to the student center and grab something to eat, shoveling it down while I sit with a few of the guys from my team. My gaze scans the quad continuously, in search of a familiar blonde head but Ruby is nowhere to be found.
A few girls join our table, two of them flanking my sides, their whispery soft voices and constant giggling grating on my nerves almost immediately.
“Tell us, Ace, are you in that video?” one of them asks at one point, both of them staring at me like I’m going to strip naked at any given moment.
I smile at each of them, not minding the way they cling to my arms at all. I even flex a little, hoping they notice how hard my biceps are. “I can’t make the reveal yet, ladies. Gotta listen to the social media team.”
“You can tell me,” the other one says, her free hand landing on my thigh, creeping up higher.
Everything’s happening under the table so no one can really see what’s going on but when I glance up, I find Ruby standing in the distance, her gaze stuck on us. A look of disgust on her face.
Shit.
Now Ruby is going to believe I’m an even bigger asshole than she first thought.
“Sorry, sweetheart.” I grab the girl’s wandering hand, removing it from my thigh and dropping it into her lap. “That’s top secret.”
She mock pouts, but I ignore her. I don’t even know this chick’s name. Don’t know who the other chick is either.
Ruby leaves the student center and I fight the disappointment that wants to crash over me. She’s not stupid. I bet she figured that I was getting felt up, and she would be right.
I feel kind of cheap, can’t lie.
We chat for a few minutes, but it’s nothing but them trying to flirt with me and outdo each other. It feels weirdly competitive and the longer it keeps up, the more I want out of here.
It’s time for me to go.
“Ladies, sorry but I have class soon.” I raise one arm, then the other, their still grasping hands trying to keep hold of me. I jump to my feet, ready to bolt. “See you later.”
Their high-pitched goodbyes trail after me all the way to the doors and I push through one, pissed at myself for running away like a giant pussy.
When have I ever wanted to run from a bunch of girls trying to lavish me with attention? I normally live for this shit. But for whatever reason, their attention today felt like too much. Too fucking obvious because that shit felt fake.
I’m sort of over it. Where’s the real connection? Where’s simple conversation and getting to know someone? Not around here. I have a legit fan club for God’s sake, and while I love that those girls love me, they’re not anyone I can take seriously.
Sometimes, I wonder ifanyonecan take me seriously.
That’s when I spot her sitting at a picnic table under the cool shade of a massive pine tree just ahead of me. She’s alone, a textbook spread open in front of her, her hair up in a sloppy bun on top of her head. She’s tapping a pencil against her lips, and she’s got…wait a minute.
Glasses on her face?
I slow my steps, just taking her in for a moment, entranced by the brainiac look she’s got going on. Ruby Red is pretty damn cute in those glasses, though I bet if I told her that, she’d roll her eyes and blow me off.
She’s good at that. Blowing me off.
Too bad she won’t give me a shot and just blow me…
