Looking for Trouble (Nashville U Book 1) (21 page)

Clay

I
kissed
her, fucking
kissed
her
, then ran away like a goddamn scared kid. My hands run through my hair as I pace back and forth in front of my bed. I barely slept at all last night, unable to see anything but the shock on her face when I pulled away. And then, instead of
owning
what I’d done? I
apologized
and ran down the stairs, desperate to get away from her. Jesus, when did I turn into such a pussy?

“Yo, Clay!” Emmett yells through the apartment, breaking me out of my freak out. “We’re gonna be late if you don’t get a move on.” I look down at my watch and realize we have less than fifteen minutes to get to campus.
Shit
. Grabbing my bag, I rush out of my room to meet him at the front door. As we walk down the steps, he asks, “How’d the proposal go last night?”

Em was supposed to be there last night, but he texted at the last minute saying “something came up.” I’m sure the
something
was Livvie, but I’m not asking shit. If he wants to talk about her, I’ll listen, but I’m damn sure not going to initiate a conversation about the bitch. She’s been screwing my cousin—and not in the fun way—for years, and he found out just a few months ago that she’d been cheating on him for months with a guy a few years older than us. He took her back like he always does, and I can’t figure out why. Why be in a relationship with someone you can’t trust?

“It went,” I say with a shrug. “Peyton said yes, not that anyone expected her not to. It was
after
the proposal things got fucked.”

Emmett waits till we’re in my car before he asks for clarification. “What happened after?” He laughs, “Peyton’s parents showed up and had her committed because she agreed to marry”—he gasps, covering his mouth with one hand and widening his eyes almost comically—“a poor guy?”

My eyes roll at his dramatics. He’s been with Livvie way too long. “Jesus. Do you want to just hand in your man card right now? I know you’ve been on probation, but damn, dude.” Out of the corner of my eye I see him grimace, and decide to give him a break. “Kat and Max had it out last night when we got back to Wyatt’s.”

Emmett twists in his seat to stare at me, mouth hanging half open. “You’re kidding. How’d that happen?”

I groan, because we sound like a couple of gossiping girls, but tell him anyway. “He was there with the chick he’s banging and started shit with Kat. I guess she’s finally tired of putting up with his bullshit—” I cut him a look while we’re sitting at a stoplight, but he ignores me “—and laid it all out for him. Told him she’d been in love with him forever, and I don’t know
how
he didn’t know that. Then, of course, he acted like an idiot, told her she was wrong and his girl, Sophia? Sophie? Man, I don’t know. She decided to get in on it too and start running her mouth.” I grin at the memory of Kat standing up to my shithead brother, and tell Emmett, just as I pull into a parking spot “
I
ended up being the one to end the drama.”

He doesn’t reply until we’re out of the car. “Hang on. So, Kat went after your brother for being a dumbass; he proved that he
is
a dumbass, and then
you’re
the one who was the voice of reason?” It sounds like he doesn’t believe me, and it gets my back up.

“Hey,” I complain, “when it comes to you and Max, I
am
the voice of reason. Look how much better off you’d be if you listened to me a couple months ago.” The crestfallen look that crosses his face makes me instantly regret the words, and I start to apologize.

Emmett lifts a hand. “Stop. I get it. I’m as big a dumbass as Max is. Thanks for pointing that out … again.” Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he looks down quickly before shoving it back in. “Class starts in less than five minutes. Let’s go.” He starts to walk away, his steps quicken, and I have to hurry to catch up to him.

“Sorry, Em.” He shoots a glare at me, and I’m quick to reassure him. “No, really, I am.” Conversations like this are so damn uncomfortable for me. I don’t like admitting I’m wrong, and I definitely don’t like talking about feelings, so I’m unsure what to say to make up for my asshole comment. Thankfully Emmett waves me off before heading into the building, leaving me to sigh, shoving my hands in my jacket pockets and hunching my shoulders as I walk in behind him.

Concentrating during Business Communications is almost impossible on a good day. But today, when the only thing I see when I shut my eyes is the shocked look on Kat’s face when I pulled away? When
that
look is the reason I hightailed it out of her dorm? At least, that’s why I keep trying to convince myself I left. Combined with feeling like shit over being a dick to my cousin, I’m useless.

If someone were to ask me what today’s class was about, I wouldn’t be able to tell them. The class is primarily a two-hour long lecture with about forty-five students. For the most part, the TA is the one who teaches the class while the professor sits behind his desk on his computer. With the amount of attention he doesn’t pay to us, he’s probably watching porn. Hell, I wish
I
was watching porn instead of sitting in this class.

When class is finally over, we start to leave, and I can see Becca at the end of the hall talking to a group of people. Our eyes meet, and hers widen to the point she looks like an anime character before she hurries off.
Hmm, what’s that about
? Emmett and I walk closer to the group, and I see one of the people is Liam. I walk over and clap him on the shoulder. “What’s up?”

“Hey man,” he says, face split wide by his grin. I know that look. It’s the one he has when one of us—his friends—does something he thinks is epic. My first thought is
uh oh
, but I can’t think of anything I’ve done that would make him look that way. I exchange a wary look with Emmett and know he’s thinking the same thing.

Liam walks outside with us and immediately lights a cigarette. “You guys want?” he asks, pointing the half-empty pack first toward Emmett, then me. We both shake our heads, and Emmett even wrinkles his nose at the smell. I rarely smoke, usually only when I’m with a group of people who do and we’re drinking, unlike Emmett whose dad used to smoke a pack a day. Now he uses one of the electronic things so Aunt Luce won’t nag him about it anymore. Seeing we aren’t interested, Liam shrugs, shoving the pack back in his jacket pocket. He leans back against the railing, bracing his hands on it, and holding the cigarette in one hand while he flicks the ashes onto the ground.

“So …” he starts, drawing out the word and watching me intently. “A little bird told me that you didn’t
just
take the kitten home.” My hands curl into fists at my sides. She’s not his
kitten
.
I’m
the only one who calls her Kitty Kat. I don’t correct him though, because if I do, he’ll just get the wrong idea. “Dude,” he grins, “why didn’t you
tell
me you slept with her?”

I arch one eyebrow and give him a look that says
shut your fucking mouth
. The smile on his face grows wider, and I decide to just play it off. What did—or didn’t—happen between us is none of his business. “Aww, Lee, I’m sorry.” Adopting a falsetto, I exaggerate my hand movements and say, “Let’s get our nails done, and I’ll tell you all about it!” Emmett laughs so hard he has to grip the railing to keep his balance, while Liam casts his eyes away, looking properly chastised. I shove his shoulder as I walk by him. “I didn’t
tell
you because it’s none of your fucking business.”

He nods, “Yeah man, okay.” One side of his mouth turns up, and I know I’m going to want to punch him for what he says next. “You didn’t say it didn’t happen.” He holds out his fist for me to bump and with a groan, I meet his with mine. “Later,” he says when we’re done, and Emmett and I both watch him walk away.

“Clay,” Emmett warns, “you better hope he doesn’t do what I think he’s going to do.” I look at him questioningly, and he explains. “He’s one of the biggest shit talkers on campus, and you basically just told him you fucked
Kat
. The whole campus will know by the end of the day.”

Fuck
.
Me
.

Kat

As we walk out of the only class we have together this semester, Scarlett sighs in relief. “I’m so glad that’s over,” First Aid and
CPR
is a class we are required to take since we’re both going into education. Today we had to practice performing
CPR
on these creepy looking manikins while the teacher gave us pointers and corrected our positioning.

“I know,” I agree. “I’m just glad we were able to pick our own partners. Can you imagine how mortifying it would have been to be partnered up with one of the guys in class?” Just the thought of being paired with a random guy while basically making out with a plastic doll makes me cringe.

Scarlett shrugs. “I dunno, being partnered with a guy could have been fun.” When I look at her in disbelief, she clarifies, “Well, it would have been fun if that Chris guy from my English class was my partner.” She stops talking as we walk into The Handy Bean; a place lots of college students use to get their caffeine fix instead of venturing closer to downtown for the trendier, more expensive option. Plus, the place gives a twenty-five percent discount if you show your college
ID
card.

Because first aid is an early morning class, the shop isn’t as busy as it will be in an hour. Anyone who doesn’t have an eight a.m.
class is probably either still asleep, or just getting up. Even so, there is a line, so Scarlett goes to place our orders while I head for a seat far enough from the entrance to avoid the rush of cold air that comes in whenever it opens.

I put my bag in one of the empty seats and grab my phone to play a game while I wait for her. A couple texts are waiting on the screen, all from Clay, that came in between last night and this morning. I’ve been careful not to so much as look at my phone since he sent a message asking if we could talk not even twenty-four hours after the-kiss-that-shall-not-be-acknowledged. I’m still avoiding him after what happened the other night. I can’t believe he kissed me. Mustering up all the courage I have, I tap the screen to open the conversation

The first was sent last night, the one that made me avoid my phone.

Clay: Hey. Need 2 talk 2 u

The second came in at not even six this morning.

Clay: WTF? RU avoiding me now?

Then, one not quite an hour ago.

Clay: C’mon Kat. It’s important.

And finally, a group sent ten minutes ago, right at the end of class, and they make me thankful the
CPR
instructor let us out a few minutes early. Otherwise, he would have been waiting on me.

Clay: Fine. U can’t avoid me forever.

Clay: If u won’t come 2 me, I’ll come 2 u.

Clay: Where r u?

A shadow suddenly looms over me, and I tense.
Crap
.
Clay found me
. I turn slowly and breathe a sigh of relief when I see that the person standing behind me isn’t Clay at all. It’s Aaron, a guy from my last class.

“Hey,” he says in a deep voice, smiling down at me. Maybe it’s just because I’m sitting, but he’s
tall
. Like, a couple of inches taller than Clay, tall. I realize that I’ve seen him before. In fact, I saw him the other night sitting at the same table in the dining hall as Clay, Max and Wyatt, and again at the basketball game.

I realize I’m just staring at him like an idiot and manage to stutter out, “H-h-hey.”

“Is this seat taken?” He gestures towards the empty seat closest to me. I shake my head, and he sits, placing his drink on the table and grinning over at me. “It’s a good thing we learned
CPR
today,” he says casually.

My lips turn down in a frown, and my brows furrow as I try to figure out what he’s talking about. “Huh?”

He repeats his words with a laugh, ending with, “because you take my breath away.”

I roll my eyes but laugh. “Please tell me that’s not the best line you have.”

Aaron chuckles. “No. Trust me, I have
way
better lines than that. I just wanted to see you smile.” My face heats with a blush.
Wow
.
That was actually pretty smooth
. I look away, tucking my hair behind one ear. He laughs louder, and I look back at him with a raised eyebrow.

“What?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing. You’re pretty when you blush; you know that?” I shake my head, but I don’t know if it’s in denial or disbelief. Aaron takes it as denial, and reassures me. “I mean it.” He reaches out a hand like he’s going to cup my cheek, but drops it. “I should probably introduce myself. I’m Aaron.”