Chapter Three

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 Gracie~

I have to admit that my roommates are the absolute best when it comes to cheering me up. We are as close as sisters and love nothing more than to throw back a few drinks and let loose with each other and tonight was no exception. 

My family watched all of us leave at once, not knowing that Colt and I were going to two different destinations, but I couldn't be happier about that fact. I didn't want to be anywhere near him and I was counting on my girls to distract me enough to have a little fun.

Maggie and Laura took turns squealing over my ring as Amanda drove us to a house party at Maggie's boyfriend's house. The high pitched shrieks and giggles filled the car and sounded like nails on a chalkboard as they slammed into my ears, assaulting my ear drums as we rolled down the road.

If you like the ring so much why don't one of you take it, because I feel like it's burning my skin.

I gave both girls my best impersonation of an excited bride-to-be and let them drool over the ring as I made pointed eye contact with Amanda through the rear-view mirror.

"Where is Colt anyway?" Maggie asked.

"Lee took him out to celebrate." I said as if it were normal that he abandoned me for a drunken night at a strip club ten minutes after proposing, but I conveniently left that part out.

"Hmm, okay?" Maggie said, in a confused tone that was justified.

"So he's not coming?" Laura asked flatly.

"Nope, night out with the boys tonight. Like I said, to... celebrate." I said trying to sound convincing, but I knew I had failed.

"And you're okay with that?" Laura asked in a skeptical tone.

"Yeah, I mean, you guys know me. I don't get worked up about much." I said with a smile, telling the truth for once.

"Well you're much nicer than I am, I'd kill Chad if he went out with the boys after proposing." Maggie said with a sarcastic laugh.

"Well don't go picking out china patterns yet, you've only been with Chad a few months you psycho." Amanda sassed.

"I said if he proposed, Amanda, if." Maggie said, playfully slapping Amanda on the shoulder from the backseat.

"He might drop down on one knee and propose tonight once he sees you in that dress, babe." I said, eyeing Maggie up and down as I playfully checked her out in the car. Maggie simply batted her eyelashes at me a few times as we finally reached the house.

We pulled up and parked in front of Chad's house and it looked exactly how I thought it would as we walked inside. Bare walls, massive TV, sparse leather furniture, and the smell of stale beer. It was like every college guy hired the same shitty designer and had a beer scented candle burning in every corner.

Chad had been over to our apartment hundreds of times, but this was the first time we were meeting his friend group and so far there was only one word to describe them - bros. There were two separate beer pong tables with games going on and with loud hoots and hollers escaping from the room over the loud rap music that flooded the house.

To be honest I was grateful for the distraction and the new faces that surrounded me. They were faces who had no idea who I was or what I'd just done. I was invisible and able to let loose without worrying about Colt which was always a nice change of pace and a relief.

Going out with Colt meant I had to constantly be on alert and had to watch his every move. He'd pick fights with other men for no reason at all - fights he had no business picking and would often get his ass whooped or get us thrown out of different places. That or he'd run up a tab he couldn't pay and expect me to make up the difference. Not only that, but he would get so drunk that I'd have to get him home by myself which was often a battle and never ended well.

But tonight I didn't have to worry about any of that. I was with my girls and they would take care of me. All I had to worry about was myself and I couldn't wait to get a drink in my hand so that I could start to unwind.

We filed into the house, turning heads as he made our way toward Chad at the beer pong tables.

"Hot damn Maggie!" Chad screamed, admiring his girlfriend as she turned a 360 degree turn for him with a flirty smile.

Chad planted a sloppy kiss on Maggie's lips before turning his attention to the rest of us who were standing there awkwardly, trying not to watch their drunken PDA.

"My favorite ladies." Chad drunkenly gushed, as he hung an arm around Maggie's shoulders.

"Gracie-girl I hear there's congratulations in order." Chad slurred before taking a swig of his beer.

Damn it.

"Where's Colt?" Chad asked innocently with a smile, swiveling his head back and forth as if I were hiding Colt behind me.

"He's um...out...celebrating." I said awkwardly.

"Ooookay." Chad chuckled. "How about a drink then?"

"Yes please." I begged enthusiastically, following Chad into the kitchen.

The counters were sticky and smelled like liquor, but Chad didn't seem to mind. He cleared a spot on the counter, scooping ice into a few red solo cups as he poured some type of punch into the cups and distributed them to each of us.

I don't really give a shit what's in that cup as long as it's alcohol.

Taking the cup a little too eagerly, I tilted it back, gulping at the contents, hoping to feel the effects sooner rather than later.

"Holy hell Gracie." Chad laughed.

"Somebody's eager to celebrate that rock." He added.

More like forget it exists.

I gave him an awkward smile, reluctantly moving the cup from my mouth as I gave him the most genuine response that I could muster at the moment.

"You caught me." I said half heartedly, catching Amanda's gaze as the words left my mouth.

Jeez, I wish this drink was stronger, but it'll do for now.

Making our way back to the beer pong tables, Chad reclaimed his place on one side with Maggie following close behind. The rest of us settled in some chairs that had been pushed to the outskirts of the room and I took a minute to survey the people who were attending the crowded party. Most of the faces were new, but there were a couple familiar faces scattered around.

"Oh shit. Is that you Gracie?" A male voice said from one of the tables.

"Hey Blake!" I said happily, recognizing my biology lab partner from sophomore year.

"How the hell have you been?" Blake said, wrapping me up in a hug that nearly took my feet off the ground.

"Good! It's been a long time."

"Yeah no shit. I miss our little lab group. I didn't learn much Bio, but I definitely learned how to shotgun a beer and the proper technique to flip cup." Blake joked.

He did have a point, we had created a small study group that somehow managed to turn every study session into an all night party binge.

"You are still the best wingman that I've ever had to this day. Hands down, bar none." Blake said proudly.

"Surely your game has gotten a little better since then." I joked, flashing him a bright smile as I thought about all the nights I spent with that group laughing and joking as they all tried and failed to pick up girls.

"Eh maybe a little." Blake said with a wink.

"Jesus it's good to see you Gracie, I never expected to see you in my house, but here you are."

Did he say his house? Is he one of Chad's roommates?

"You live here?"

"Yeah, me Chad and Wes." Blake confirmed.

What are the odds?

"What a small world. I'm one of Maggie's roommates." I said, pointing toward Maggie and Chad.

"No shit." Blake said with excitement.

Gosh I had forgotten how much I loved Blake, especially the way he gets excited over just about anything. Like a human golden retriever.

Before Blake could say another word a cute blonde appeared to his right, clinging to his side as she whispered into this ear. Whatever she said had Blake giddy, causing him to quickly hop off the barstool he had been sitting on with a wide grin plastered across his face.

"If you'll uh...excuse me Gracie." Blake said with another wink as he followed the blonde toward the bedrooms.

"So your pick up game has improved, I see." I said as I wiggled my eyebrows at him and playfully threw an elbow into his side as he passed by me.

As the night went on more girls started showing up and flocked to Chad's friends at the beer pong tables. The guys definitely didn't mind the attention and flirted with every scantily dressed girl that threw themselves at them. All except one.

Chad's beer pong partner hadn't paid any attention to the herd of women that surrounded the table, despite being the best looking of the guys in the room. He was tall, over 6ft as far as I could tell, maybe 6'2? With dark hair underneath a backwards ball cap and a chiseled jaw that was peppered with stubble. Not only that, but he was broad and muscular, pulling the eyes of every female in the room, including mine - temporarily.

Amanda went to get us a drink refill as I people-watched, mouthing along to the rap music that boomed through the speakers. My eyes wandered through the crowd of people, but seemed to find a reason to bounce back toward Chad and his mystery beer pong partner.

"Who's that standing next to Chad?" I leaned in and asked Amanda when she returned.

"Weston. One of Chad's roommates." Amanda answered, giving me a sly grin.

"What?" I asked, recoiling my head at her facial expression.

"Nothing." Amanda chuckled, shaking her head.

"Seriously what?" I sighed, dropping my shoulders.

"Nothing! It's just...you sure know how to pick em' don't you."

Pick em'? Does she think I'm interested in Weston? I mean sure he's attractive, okay he's downright delicious, but I'm not a cheater. Far from it actually.

"What do you mean? I'm not picking anyone." I sassed, looking her up and down as if she'd lost her mind.

"Well good. Because from what I've heard, Weston is the definition of player. Chad says he's got a different girl every week, but only goes to their places...so he can leave as soon as he's done. Never lets girls stay the night here in his bed, because then he'd have to kick them out."

What an asshole.

Amanda's words made me wrinkle my nose in disgust and shake my head. I thought I might actually see her accusation at work when a girl with an extremely low cut dress approached Weston from one side, running her finger across his broad shoulders as he leaned onto the beer pong table.

Oh here we go, let's see this player in action.

I watched as Weston took hold of the girls hand, gently removing it from his shoulder and placed it onto the table, before turning his focus away from her and back to the game with complete concentration as if she had never approached him.

Did I miss something? I thought Amanda just said he was a player and that girl was a sure thing. She practically threw herself at him.

Shrugging my shoulders, I sipped at my drink that was thankfully stronger this time, due to my wonderful bestie who had apparently answered my prayers as the two of us walked closer to the beer pong table, watching Chad's game enter the final shots.

"No pressure Chad, but Maggie only dates winners." I sassed, taunting Chad from across the table as Chad prepared to make his final shot into the last standing cup to win the game.

Chad was standing with a ping pong ball in his hand, deep in concentration as he prepared to throw it into the opposing cup and as much as I wanted to watch him take is shot, my eyes drifted over to Weston, who was leaned forward onto the table, bracing the weight of his muscular arms on his knuckles. The thing was, Weston wasn't watching he shot either, he was starting in my direction with an intensity that made me shift my weight as if I could physically feel his gaze.

He must have found himself a girl to pursue, because he is staring someone down.

I took a step to the left, looking over my shoulder, trying to identify the object of his intense stare.

Weston's eyes tracked me as I moved left.

No that can't be right. I must still be in the way.

I corrected my pathway and took a step to my right, but Weston's eyes followed me in that direction as well.

The corner of his mouth lifted into a half smile as he watched me bob and weave side to side, until I finally realized what was really going on.

I'm not blocking the girl he's looking at...I am the girl he's looking at. 

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