Page 44 of The Draft
“Yeah, but it’s nothing. I don’t know anything just yet. I’m just testing out a theory, and I can only do that if I’m around her.”
“Good to know. I hope it works out for you.” I raised my brows and tipped my head to the inside of my bedroom. “I’m going to take a shower so I’m not late for practice.”
“Okay, I’m going to skip weight training this morning so I can go to their stupid study group. Can you let Coach know I’ll get a session in before the end of the day?”
I nodded, and just as I was about to go into my room, Cade said, “Oh, and Dash? Thanks for your help.”
“With what?”
“Madison.” It felt like one final dagger to my heart. “I appreciate how you’ve always had her back throughout the years, and even now, when she doesn’t really need anyone to look after her, you’re always here, willing to help.”
Yup. I was definitely going to hell for this.
“No problem.”
I turned on my heel, too caught up in my own thoughts to let it show. When I got into my room, I shut the door and leaned against it. Closing my eyes, I stopped myself from growling in frustration.
What the fuck did I do with his sister? My best friend’s sister.Baby Bright.He was loyal to me, yet here I was, breaking his trust and potentially setting fire to our relationship. I’d royally fucked up, and there was nothing I could do about it because the worst part about this entire thing was that I’d do it all over again if I had the chance, and that was a problem.
I wanted Madison. Not just on every single surface of my dorm room,but I wanted her in my life as more than my best friend’s sister. I just didn’t think that was possible.
However, there was an even bigger issue that I needed to deal with that didn’t involve asking Madison if she liked me enough to take a chance on me. It was that I had no idea where Madison had gone or if she was wearing any clothes.
Chapter 11
Dash: Are you alive?
After countless rewrites and a couple of hours of thinking over what to send to Madison, that was all I came up with.Are you alive?At least it sounded better than my original, mildly threatening message of:If you don’t tell me where you are in the next ten seconds, I’m going to break the nose of every guy you’ve uttered a word to on campus until you get back in my bed.
Madison apparently made me unhinged.
Madison: Good morning, Big Man. Did you have a good sleep? I know I did. I believe this text answers your question.
Even through texts, she was just so…chipper. Wasn’t her brain frying over what happened between us like mine? Was she just going to goback and pretend like nothing happened? Yes, we agreed to one night, but she was the last person I’d actually expect to go through with the promise. I should be happy about it, but something about her aloofness was ticking me off.
Dash: Where did you go?
Madison: When?
Dash: Really? You’re going to play it like you don’t know what I’m talking about. After everything that happened between us last night?
Madison: What’s so different about last night?
Dash: You know perfectly well.
Madison: I’m just keeping to the rules. One night just between us, right?
My jaw clenched as I clutched my phone, angry with how this was going. In all honesty, not having her in my bed this morning pissed me off, and the fact that she was so happily toying with me now just soured my mood further.
Dash: What’s gotten into you?
This wasn’t like Madison. She was eager. She was a teacher’s pet. If she enjoyed herself, she’d be all over me, trying to get another round in and convincing me we could keep a relationship between us a secret. But she wasn’t, which was starting to make me question my performance.
Madison: If you want to get technical, you got into me.
Dash: Madison.
Madison: Dash.