“Yeah, you did.” He chuckles.

She chuckles too. “Yeah, I did.”

I can’t hold it in any longer. “I’m so glad you two made up!”

As I’m walking to my next class, Shark walks up next to me.

“I heard you’re escorting Dawson onto the field but going to the banquet with Aiden. You know that’s never gonna fly.”

“It’s flying just fine.”

“I need some inside information. So, who ya gonna choose, girlie?”

“I don’t know, Shark. You’re the oddsmaker. You tell me.”

“Let’s flip a coin.”

I laugh. “Already did that.”

“Who won?”

“Dawson.”

“Did you just flip once?”

“No. First flip, he won. Then he won two out of three. Then he won another single coin toss.”

“So you flipped four times, and Aiden came up how many times?”

“Only once,” I say sadly.

“Guess I’m gonna have to rethink this.”

“Do people really bet on this stuff?”

“Hell, yeah.”

My caveman fantasy.

7:25pm

“I’m going to Columbia this weekend to hang out with Cam, since you’ll be busy with your play stuff.”

“My play stuff? Dawson, it’s the play. Are you not coming to watch it?”

“I figured I’d sit in on dress rehearsal. That’s the same thing, right?”

“Uh, yeah. I guess. Are you going to hook up with other girls?”

“I don’t know,” he says, looking guilty.

“You already have a date, don’t you?”

“It’s not a date. It’s more of an implied hookup. Some girl saw my picture and told Cam she’d hook up with me.”

This upsets me more than I thought it would. I try to not look at him. I’m afraid if I do, I’ll cry.

“Keatie, look at me. Say something.”

But I can’t. I’m thinking of that sweet, sexy face kissing another girl. I bite my lip and fight back tears.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. This isn’t an easy situation.” I quickly wipe the tears off my face.

He pulls me into a hug. “I don’t want to make you cry.”

“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just that after this weekend, I thought I was going to choose just you. But then Aiden told me he wants to build a brick house together. He says you and I have a straw house.”

“Are you talking about the three little pigs?”

“Yeah, I guess. Are we all about sex, really?”

“That really pisses me off,” he says, his anger flaring. “Stop letting him say shit like that to you. It’s like he’s trying to freaking brainwash you. I love you. I love sex with you. Sex is a part of showing love. I’m also trying to show you I love you in other ways too.”

“Like by not coming to my play to go hook up at Columbia?”

“That’s not fair. Maybe I’m trying to make you jealous? Ever think of that?”

“No.”

“Okay, fine. No sex.”

“What?”

“You heard me. No sex. I won’t have sex with you until you choose me.”

Um, this is a twist in the plot I didn’t imagine. Why can’t I get a freaking script of my own life?

But no, that’s bullshit. No way he’s going to say no. I run my hands up his shirt and kiss his neck. “But, Dawes . . .”

“That’s not gonna work, Keatie. Trust me, I know all your little tricks.”

I lie on his bed and cover my face. He lifts my hand and peeks at me.

“Your pouting isn’t going to work either.”

“I’m not pouting. I’m very close to a major meltdown here, Dawson. Don’t mess with me.”

“Talk to me. I’ve always been your friend.”

“I feel like if I choose Aiden, I have to make this lifelong commitment. But then . . .” I look away from Dawson. I’m embarrassed by this part. “Never mind.”

“Keatie, baby, tell me.”

“It’s too embarrassing.”

“Did you fart or something?”

“No. He . . . He . . . He’s never kissed me with his tongue!”

Dawson’s eyes get wide, and he shakes his head sideways. “Are you serious?”

“So mortifyingly serious.”

He wraps his strong arms around me. “Come here, Keatie. Why are you crying?”

“I don’t know,” I say, pushing back the tears. “I gotta go. Do you wanna walk me to the library?”

“The library?” he asks as we walk toward it. “Don’t you have rehearsal?”

“No, tomorrow night is our full dress rehearsal, so tonight they’re working through all the set changes. I’m going to tutor Aiden and finish my homework.”

“Are you doing better? You seem a little better.”

“I am. Dawson, if you want to go hook up with a girl at Columbia this weekend, you can. You’re single.”

He pushes me against the outside of the library and gives me a smoldering kiss. “I lied. I still want to have sex with you. So get your homework done fast and then get your ass to my room. I’m going to do things to you that will make you scream.”

I hear someone clear their throat. I peek around Dawson and see Aiden standing there.

“Uh, Dawson. Aiden’s here. I’ll, um, see you later.”

Dawson smacks my butt and says, “I’ll be waiting.”

He gives Aiden a smirk and a “S’up, Aiden,” as he leaves.

I can’t even describe the look on Aiden’s face.

He. Is. Livid.

I don’t know what to say, so I open the door to the library.

Just as I pass through the first set of doors, Aiden grabs my elbow and herds me back outside.

“We. Need. To. Talk.”

He’s doing something similar to my angry march, which instantly spawns my caveman fantasy. Maybe he’s going to drag me back to his cave and make me his.

I want to say something. Lighten the mood. But I don’t know what to say.

I’ve never seen Aiden quite like this.

He doesn’t even seem to notice that it’s raining again when he drags me down the hill.

He places me in front of the soccer goal and starts to pace in front of it, his gorgeous Italian loafers getting caked with mud.

I’m so glad I left my rain boots on.

He stops pacing and glares at me. “This is where we first met.”

He shoves his hand through his hair like he’s pissed at it too. “I can’t take this anymore. I want you to be my date for the banquet, but that means you have to wear my jersey and escort me onto the field. Period. No negotiation. Otherwise, you can go with Dawson. And if you do, I’ll give up. I’m trying here. I’m trying to give you time. I know you need it.”

“You think I need time? No. You need time. You always get mad at me and walk away, and I know you’re still pretend punching my head.”

He shakes his head at me and raises his voice. “Of course, I have been! You infuriate me! I want to drag you away from Dawson any time I see you talking to him!”

“You get jealous? That’s why you’re always mad at me?”

OMG!! YAY!!! I literally want to do cartwheels in the mud.

He shakes his head at me and sighs. “Well, that and sometimes you’re so dumb.”

And this pisses me off a bit. Okay, more than a bit. I’m like the porcupine that just flung out its spikes, ready to fire them.

I’m dumb?! No, he said I’m so dumb.

Just when I thought maybe fate was finally intervening.

I breathe in through my nose, and then snort the breath out, like a bull getting ready to charge. I lower my voice and speak with a flat unemotional tone. “I’m wearing Dawson’s jersey. He asked me first. If you can’t handle that then I’ll be his banquet date too. Up to you.”

I turn around and stomp away, purposely splashing mud all over him. When I’m halfway up the hill, I turn around and yell, “And I am not dumb! ”

Oh, I hate him!

And then I realize that the universe just spoke. The coin toss was right.

Hot sex it is.

As I’m marching toward Hawthorne House to give Dawson the good news, I get a text from Dallas.

Dallas: When you’re done with tutoring, will you come help me and Riley study for the English quiz? We’re confused. Could be because we didn’t actually read Pride and Prejudice, but that’s just details.

Me: You in your room?

Dallas: Yes. And we have snacks. Riley thought we’d have to bribe you.

Me: I’ll be right there.

I give them a rundown of the story, help them memorize the study-guide answers, and then tell them about fate. About how I’m going to choose Dawson.

“So why did you come here and not go tell him right away?” Riley asks.

“Because you needed my help.”

“Or maybe it’s because you know he’s the wrong choice,” Dallas says.

I sigh, knowing they’re right. I was glad for the distraction. Even though the universe keeps telling me to choose Dawson, even though this weekend was the best sex of my life, something keeps stopping me from doing it.

And I’m pretty sure it’s my heart.

Dawson: You almost done?

Me: Yeah. I’m working on English now with Dallas and your brother, but we’re just finishing up. Are you in your room? I’ll come down.

Dawson: Come down, or go down?

Me: Hmmm. Idk.

Dawson: I’ll be waiting.

And then a few minutes later.

Dawson: Naked.

Oh, lord.

We’ll have some fun and then I’ll tell him that we can get back together. Change that stupid It’s complicated status.

I snatch the review sheet out of Dallas’ hand. “Okay, so, I gotta go.”

I run down the hall and take the stairs. I’m halfway down when Aiden comes marching up.

I freeze.

I can’t go anywhere. There’s nowhere to hide.

So I think, Be confident. I’m cool, confident, and sophisticated. I’m on my way down these stairs to meet a gorgeous boy who is probably—well, definitely—waiting for me naked. He wants me. He doesn’t tell me I’m dumb. He thinks I’m awesome. I straighten up my spine, stand tall, and wait for him to notice me.

He’s marching with his head down, like he’s still pissed. He sees my feet in front of him, specifically my bright yellow boots, stops, and glares at me.

Told ya. Still mad.

I give him my best fake smile and say coolly, “Hey, Aiden, s’up?”

Ohmigawd, that sounded so lame. Who says that to someone walking up the stairs? What’s up? He is heading up the stairs, obviously. I’m a lunatic. Seriously, lock me up now. He’s right. I am dumb.

“Where are you going?”

“I was just helping Dallas and Riley with English and now I’m headed to Dawson’s room.” Then I can’t help myself. I snicker. “Apparently, he’s naked.”

Aiden grabs my arm and drags me again—this time up the stairs and to his room. “This is why you’re dumb!”

“I am not dumb!”

He opens his door, grips my hand tightly, pulls me through it, and slams it shut hard.

I watch as his eyes quickly scan the room. He picks me up and sets me down hard on his desk, sending his perfectly stacked books onto the floor in the process.

Then his lips land hard on mine, kissing me.

It’s a full hot-tongue-straight-into-my-mouth kiss.

He grabs my tongue and sucks on it.

His hands are firmly behind my neck, like I’m not allowed to pull away from this kiss.

Not that I want to.

It's hot.

No.

It's not hot.

It's incendiary. Like the white-hot blazes of the underworld.

Or the electrical charge of a lightning bolt.

A god’s full power has been unleashed on me.

His tongue is destroying my mouth. Devastating it.

He’s owning it like no boy ever has.

He untangles his tongue from mine and says, “You’re dumb because you can’t see that I’m so fucking jealous, I can barely function. So I’m gonna ask you one last time. Will. You. Wear. My. Jersey?”

I want to cry.

“Ye—” I don’t even get the word out before his mouth is back on mine.

I want to go on record and thank Zeus and Aphrodite and whoever else had a hand in making this boy’s skillful tongue.

I run my hands roughly down his chiseled back and grab his equally amazing ass, pulling it toward me.

He leans his chest tightly into mine and I wrap my legs around his waist.

In this position, I can feel that powerful godly tool straining for freedom under his pants.

Oh, that sounds like a romance novel. I like romance novels, but his godly tool should not be how I describe his boyhood.

No. Manhood. That thing throbbing against me is all man.

No, it’s all freaking god.

His tongue goes so deeply in my mouth that I’m pushed roughly down across his desk, causing me to almost scream, Unleash the Titan!

Oh. My. God.

This is it!

He’s going to rip my panties off and we’ll do it right here.

Hell, I don't think my panties are even an issue.

I’m pretty sure they melted clean off my body and are nothing but a little pile of ashes smoldering on the floor.

But he doesn’t. Instead, he stops kissing me.

I open my eyes. His face is just inches from mine. His eyes are closed and he seems to be trying to slow his breathing. Calming himself down.