As expected Lena was in. Lena was always in. If I asked her to rob a bank with me she'd be in. Carson took some convincing but Lena said something about us needing to go so I didn't miss out on my one chance at true love and that's where I tuned out.

I wasn't going because I liked Carter. I was going because I still had Carter's shirt and it would be the perfect opportunity to give it back.

No other reason.

I wore a red bikini with a bandeau top and high cut bottoms. Self conscious about my body I stared in the mirror until Carson barged in wearing a green bikini.

"That's cute," she said to me absentmindedly as she dug in my closet for a tote bag.

"You think so?" I asked. "Normally I wouldn't care but there's gonna be a lot of guys there."

Her head snapped up once she found the bag and looked at me.

"I wouldn't lie Spence, you look great."

I hummed in acknowledgement before putting my shorts on.

***

The three of us parked the car and grabbed our tote bags following the sound of the music.

It was like half the school was there sprawled out on the ground. It was labor day weekend so it wasn't that shocking but seeing all these people in one place threw me in a loop for a quick second.

We trudged through the sand finding a clear spot a good distance away from most people.

I started slathering sunscreen on my body and peeled off my shorts, pausing quickly to pick the bikini bottom out of my ass. But I honestly didn't even know why I bothered seeing as it would find its way right back in, in 0.5 seconds.

I pulled out a book to read but Carson frowned when she saw me spreading out on my towel.

"Didn't we come so that you could flirt with Carter?"

I glared. "You guys assumed that. I never agreed. Plus Carter's over there with like the whole basketball team. I'm not going over there."

Lena rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever. Come play volleyball with us or something."

I stared at her, blinking profusely. 

I was what some people would refer to as athletically challenged and I had no business playing volleyball or anything else.

"Come on," she whined. "Do it for me."

I glanced over at the nets and when I noticed who was over there I bit at my smile.

Lena was a heartbreaker. Sexy and smart all wrapped up in one package. She held men in her arsenal and not the other way around. There was only one man who was able to resist her charms and that was Jasper King, soccer star. Mainly because they hated each other's guts.

Carson and I still didn't know the full story but we did know that Jasper and Lena's feud started way before college. And that they were close until they weren't. High school dissolved whatever friendship they had and it seemed there was no going back.

Lena refused to give him any of her attention but Carson and I knew that something was there and that whatever had happened prior, wasn't over. She'd never admit it, mostly because I don't even think she was aware of it. They always seeked each other out even if they'd never acknowledge it. And they were both too clouded with anger to be able to see that they had it bad.

I glanced up at Carson who tilted her head at me. "Fine," I muttered. "Don't get mad when we lose."

I followed behind them as we made our way to the netting. Lena flirting our way into a game.

There were 5 frat guys. All different types of cute and it made me that much more nervous because I did not need to look like an idiot in front of them.

One of the guys came on over to our side so the numbers would be more even and stood in the back with me.

He had brown curly hair and was about a foot taller than me.

I turned to him tucking hair behind my ear. "My apologies in advance," I told him. "I'm ass at sports."

He smiled and to be honest it was a great smile.

"No worries. I got you," he said.

I blew out a breath. Starting to relax.

"I didn't catch your name," he prodded as he started to get in position.

"Oh, right," I said stupidly. "I'm Spencer."

"Brandon," he responded as he sent the ball sailing over the net.

When the ball came heading my way I'd move out of the way and Brandon would get it. We had a great system going until disaster struck during game point.

Brandon hit it narrowly and instead of careening over the net the ball headed up. I had to hit it. There were no double hits and I was the only one close enough.

I sprinted over and hit it and shockingly it made it to the otherside. However, along the way I tripped on my own damn foot and took Brandon down with me.

I landed on top of him, my body plastered to his skin.

I let out a scream on the way down and his hands settled on my waist to steady me.

My face was on fire but the sound of his laugh was enough to let me know everything was okay.

"Fuck Spencer," he said through his amusement.

I stammered. "I should have mentioned. I'm also ass at running."

He laughed harder.

And at the sight I laughed with him.

"I'll get off you now," I muttered, starting to roll away.

A hand kept me from rolling too far. As he got up, he pulled me up with him and I dusted the sand off my skin.

Carson and Lena shot amused smiles at me while the other frat guys grinned at us like they had just caught us doing something far more scandalous.

I shook my head at everyone and peered over to where our bags were to make sure my wallet was still intact. Along the way back my eyes caught the gaze of one very pissed off male. Looking at me like I had committed a crime against humanity.

I tilted my head at him in question and he came stalking over.

Brandon gripped my hand and I turned to look at him realizing belatedly he was speaking to me.

"We're heading to Lincoln's after this. You in?"

I grinned at him, considering his offer until I watched his eyes change focus from me to someone else.

I turned around to face him, knowing it was Carter.

"Hey," I muttered. "You okay?"

His eyes narrowed when he caught a glimpse of my hand in Brandon's, causing Brandon to drop my hand.

"It's cool Spencer," Brandon said from behind me, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. "Another time."

I frowned at Carter who was being a cockblock right now for no fucking reason.

"Okay," I said in annoyance, before turning back to Brandon and extending a goodbye.

After him and his friends were a good distance away, I whirled around fully ready to give Carter a piece of my mind. But before I knew it his hand was wrapped around mine and I was being tugged away.

I turned to glance at Lena and Carson. Waiting for them to save me. But Lena was grinning and Carson looked like she was trying to hide her grin. So I knew I was doomed.

"What the hell is your problem Carter?" I asked, as I laid into him, pulling my hand away.

His gaze narrowed on mine, as he looked from me to Brandon, now 100 feet away.

"That guy, how well do you know him?" he asked in response while his jaw ticked. 

"What does it matter, I barely know you," I retorted.

"That guy is a fucking predator. I don't trust him and you shouldn't either," he told me, looking like he needed me to understand. "He's known around campus for getting handsy with girls."

My mouth dropped open and I felt my skin crawl. I wanted to take an immediate shower.

"Really?" I asked stupidly.

I winced at his non response and cleared my throat awkwardly before hugging my arms by my side.

"Thanks... I guess," I said, filling the silence. "For looking out for me."

I felt his anger dissipate after a few beats and then before I knew it my hand was in his and we were walking towards more basketball boys.

I recognized one of them from last night, the other ogler.

His eyes flitted from me to Carter noticing my hand was in his. The grin that widened on sight had my face warming.

"Who's your friend Carter?" the unnamed boy asked while looking directly at me.

And for some reason under his stare I got nervous. Mostly because I was starting to realize that I was hanging out with the athletes. The very attractive athletes.

For most people popularity dies out in college. Which is a good thing, but for some of these people it didn't matter, they would be well known forever. Some of these people were going on to play on television. As in fame and fortune. It was just a tad bit intimidating.

Also if you threw in the fact that what happened with Carter was an anomaly and that I tended to stay away from his kind, then you'd realize how this was even worse for someone like me. I wasn't outgoing at all. In fact I had been going to school at Northwestern for 3 years and had never met this many people.

Reality was creeping in and escape was on my mind.

I realized an uncomfortable silence had come to be. I lifted my hand in a stupid wave before clearing my throat.

"I'm Spencer," I said, turning to look at Carter who was amused as I struggled with the words. "We aren't friends really, I met him last night."

The unnamed boy smiled wider at my implication.

"No, no, no," I said frantically as Carter laughed. "Not like that, there was an incident and then you know one thing led to another. And now I'm here. But we didn't like do anything together."

His gaze moved to Carter as he continued to grin.

"I remember now, I saw it happen," he said, looking at me as if he thought I was hilarious. "Why are you hanging out with this asshole? He ruined your shirt."

At that I tugged my hand out from Carter's grip, agreeing with him. I didn't actually know why I was here.

As soon as my hand was out though, strangely I wanted it back in. I realized I'd never really held a guys hand and it was sort of nice.

Though, once I became aware of my idiot desire I wanted to slap myself. Carter was annoying and I needed to remember that. I could not under any circumstances forget that.

"I'm Theo," unnamed boy said through a laugh.

"Cool to meet you," I said, awkwardly.

Hoping that one of my so called friends would swoop in and save me, I peered around the area desperately searching for at least one of them but they were nowhere to be found.

I must have missed something because when I turned back to Theo he was still looking at me like something was funny.

"I like this," he said.

I raised my brow having no idea what he was on about. What was this?

I felt my face shifting in confusion but I didn't really get the chance to ponder too hard because Theo started moving.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds to it," he said, walking away after putting a hand to Carter's shoulder.

I turned to look at Carter, annoyance flaring again.

"You're going to make everyone think we're together," I hissed.

"We are together, aren't we?"

I scoffed. "Not like that."

He laughed. And I gave him a dirty look.

"Relax, Spencer. We can be friends can't we?" he asked in a way that felt like he was teasing me.

I pursed my lips before clearing my expression. Deciding to think with my brain and not my emotions.

Because after all, he did save me from that creep. He also did give me his shirt after he attacked me. And just because he probably was a player didn't mean I had to let him play me. We could be friends. I could always use more friends.

I bit my lip and sighed before agreeing.

"I guess we can be friends," I finished, repeating the word "friends" in that funny way he said it.

At that, Carter grinned and wrapped his arm around my shoulder as I led him to where I left his shirt.

Friends were safe. I needed safe.

And yeah, maybe it wasn't super safe for a warmth to spread across my stomach at his touch but that could be fixed. I just needed to be careful.

And I was always careful.

In my opinion, as long as I could tamp down my new freakishly acquired, small bursts of feelings then that's where we'd stay. In the safe zone.