𝐒 𝐎 𝐏 𝐇 𝐈 𝐀

"I swear to god if one more guy asks us for a threesome I'm going to flip," Nicole shouts over the loud noise in the club as she stands next to me at the table after coming back from the dancefloor. "Why do guys find lesbians so hot?" Nicole asks confused, downing the rest of the drink she had left with me on the table.

"Because they're horny sleazeballs babe," Meghan says appearing from the mass of people she had pushed her way past and placing her hand on Nicole's arm. "Something we don't have to worry our pretty little heads about," she says, kissing Nicole. "How can you like men?" Meghan asks me as if it's the most disgusting thing on earth and I laugh.

"I always knew you wanted me to like women so you could be with me, Meg," I tease, wrapping my arms around her and she laughs, throwing her head back. "Unfortunately for you, I like dick and your girlfriend wouldn't appreciate if we ran off together."

"You two should not be allowed in the same room together." Nicole chuckles, and I nod.

"Aww it's okay babe, sorry Soph, but you're not my type." Meg shrugs and I feign offense, making them both laugh. "So what did it take for Tori to drag you out?" 

"Ice cream, wine, and she has to watch the bachelor with me. Speaking of where is Tori?" I ask them since I hadn't seen her in over an hour and they point to the dancefloor.

Where Tori and Jackson are kissing.

This is nothing new. In fact, it's a regular occurrence when we go out. They always end up kissing during the night and by the next morning, it's like nothing ever happened. They have never slept together, neither of them let it get that far. This is Tori's way of acting on her feelings without having to admit them and show vulnerability—something she despises. Jackson knows Tori's feelings for him, but he knows what she is like. Her walls will immediately go up and she will shut people out.

Unfortunately, her past has defined her future. She is working on it and she even goes to therapy once a week, but it's a slow process. Jackson knows not to push. He never knew the events that made Tori the way she is—no one does aside from me. So he never pushes her, no matter how much he would like to be with her. I gave up trying to talk to her about it a long time ago. If she wants to talk about it, she will. But Jackson is never just a kiss for her, whereas all the other guys she kisses or sleeps with, it's just that. No feelings or commitments. They mean nothing.

People have had a lot to say about the way she lives her life ever since college. Especially her parents, but she's never cared because it's her life and sex is a part of the normal human experience. Something I will back her up on all the way if someone ever tries to question her life choices. Jackson is not an idiot. He knows she goes home with guys, but we never talk about it. He's like the little brother to me and Nicole, and we want to protect him.

"I think they've forgotten they have people around them." Nicole chuckles, sipping her drink.

"Don't they always? The amount of times they've crashed into people on the dancefloor and not stopped kissing is inhumane," I say and we all laugh, watching as they are too immersed in each other to realize they are bumping into other people. Not like those other people care, as they're too drunk and too busy dancing.

"When are they going to admit they like each other and get together?" Nicole rolls her eyes. "It's like watching a Spanish Telenovela. All that needs to happen is for Tori to slap him dramatically."

"Does anyone want another drink? If we have to watch these two suck face all night, I'm going to need to get drunk," I joke and they nod.

Excusing myself from the table, I make my way through the crowd of people, squeezing through the gaps between them as I head to the bar. Finally reaching the bar after being groped multiple times by both guys and girls, I stand against it, leaning forward to see where the bartender is. Soon enough, he walks over to me, taking my order while looking at my cleavage the entire time, which makes me roll my eyes.

He walks off to get the drinks, and I look around the club, where the DJ is surrounded by people that want their fifteen minutes of fame by posting it online and the overcrowded dance floor where people are making out. I shake my head at the typical scene, but smile as I watch my friends enjoying themselves. My smile drops as my gaze lands on a familiar face.

It can't be.

I blink, and he's gone. It can't be him. Sitting down on the stool next to me in front of the bar, the memory replays before my eyes.

Boisterous music and college students who grind on each other filled the bar on campus. Meanwhile, I was sitting on the stool at the bar as I ran my finger around the rim of the glass in front of me. Tori had ditched me at the bar to go dance with some random guy. No surprise there. I didn't mind after the day I had, as I wasn't in the mood to dance or talk to anyone.

 Unfortunately, I promised Tori weeks ago I would come out with her, but it just landed on a bad day. It's not her fault though, as I didn't tell her what happened today. That my roommate had thrown a party in our dorm and wrecked the place. I had shouted and told her that her behavior pissed me off, as it wasn't the first time she had pulled shit like this in our dorm. I was counting down the days until I moved in with Tori the next year.

Sighing as yet another person bumped into me, I resisted the urge to shout and instead rubbed my temple. I couldn't leave Tori to get home alone. It was girl code 101 with all the creeps in the world, I would never have left her on her own and she would never have left me either.

"Rough day?" someone said, and I turned my head, seeing a set of deep brown eyes watching me that looked like they stared into your soul and fitted perfectly with his soft brown hair and sharp jawline. He rested his elbows on the bar next to me as he remained standing. Hunched over so he was closer to the bar and my height level, his muscles bulged out from his short-sleeved shirt he wore, which captured my attention.

"Something like that." I chuckled, and he raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "My roommate threw a party in the day in our dorm, so when I got back from my classes, the place was wrecked, including some of my stuff."

"You need a new roommate."

"Really? No," I said sarcastically, and he laughed. It was one of those laughs that can shake your entire body, the type of laugh that travels from your ears to your toes. The hot guy laugh. 

"I'm Carter," the hot guy introduced and held out his hand for me to shake. "I'm a junior here."

"Sophia, I'm a freshman," I introduced as I placed my hand in his which instead of shaking, he brought it up to his lips and kissed it. "Hmm, a gentleman, don't see many of those."

"Sorry to break your heart, but I'm the only one left. Better snatch me up while you can," Carter joked. "Also, don't worry. The whole roommate thing gets easier. Dorms suck."

"Are you here alone?" I asked him, since I hadn't seen him in the bar and he was with no one.

"Are you hitting on me?" Carter joked, and I chuckled as I shook my head. "That's a shame. It would have let me know if you are as attracted to me as I am to you," Carter flirted. I pushed a piece of hair behind my ear as a blush overtook my face.

"Who said I wasn't?" I flirted back before I picked up my drink, taking a sip. He never looked away from me. Amusement and intrigue flowing through his eyes.

"Well, to answer your question, no, I'm not. I came with my friends who are a little preoccupied right now," he said as he pointed to the dancefloor where I saw his friends grinding against some girls. "How about you? I can't imagine how a beautiful girl like you is here alone."

"It seems like we have similar friends," I said and pointed to Victoria as she made out with some guy.

"To horny friends," Carter cheered as he clinked our glasses together and made me laugh, "Don't worry, I'll keep you company. A beautiful girl like you should never be alone," Carter said as he brought his drink to his mouth and winked at me.

"How kind of you." I giggled before he sat down next to me, as if he realized he wouldn't be moving from the bar for a while.

"So, how am I doing so far?" Carter asked as he put his drink down and I raised my eyebrow at him, confused by his question, "On making your rough day better."

"Well, let's see," I began, putting my drink down and crossed one leg over the other. His eyes darted to the smooth skin before they flickered back up to mine in time to see a smirk played on my face as I noticed his action. "When I first came in here, I was pissed that my stuff had been wrecked and my friend ditched me. Now I'm sitting here with a good-looking guy who is a gentleman. So you're doing good."

"Glad to be of help." Carter winked.

"How do you feel about a dance?" I asked Carter and placed my hand over his, which rested on his leg. I leaned forward a little in order for him to have heard me over the music.

"Oh, baby, I don't think you're ready for my dancing skills," Carter whispered huskily into my ear. My cheeks heated at his proximity, and a shiver slid down my body. 

"Who says you're ready for mine, either?" I winked and stood up. With his hand placed in mine, I led him to the dancefloor and turned to face him as he stopped in front of me. I reached my arms up and wrapped them around his neck as he towered over me and his placed on my hips as we danced to the music.

Our eyes never left each other as the heat between us intensified. A connection I hadn't felt with another guy before. Our chests brushed up against one another as our bodies swayed to the music in sync with each other. I could hear my ragged, short breaths above the music while I was focused on the way Carter's hands warmed up my body by a single touch. His hands brushed against my arms and the top of my thighs, where my dress ended as my hips swayed.

His heated gaze never left me or my body, and a smirk overtook my face before I turned around. My back was against his chest and my arms were still wrapped around his neck. His hands glided over me as I turned before they landed on my hips once again, and he pulled me back to him. Carter's breath hit my neck as we carried on and danced together as my head fell back on his shoulder.

"You were right. I definitely wasn't ready for your dance skills," Carter said into my ear over the thumping music. I turned my head to the side and winked at him. His laugh resonated through the space before we continued to dance the night away together.

The memory hits me like a ton of bricks of the first time I met my ex-boyfriend, Carter, in a setting exactly like this. I dart my eyes frantically around the club to find the face I had seen. There was no mistake it was him, I would recognize his face anywhere. After all, he was the last guy I was in love with him and that's not something you forget so easily.

"Babe, you ok?" Victoria asks, appearing in my line of vision. "You've spaced out. The bartender put the drinks in front of you minutes ago," Victoria tells me, concern slipping through her voice.I look back to the bar, seeing the drinks placed in front of me like Tori had said.

"Hmm oh yeah," I tell her waving her off my breathing getting back to normal. "I'm good, mind helping?" I ask, referring to the drinks. She nods, her eyes still wary of me before we carry them back to the table, as I do one last sweep of the club.

It had to be him.