#Nerd (Hashtag #1) (15 page)

“You know your hair would be gorgeous if you spent a little time on it,” she said as she worked.

“I don’t have time to mess with my hair,” I said awkwardly.

“Every girl has time to mess with her hair,” Ivy rebutted.

“Maybe I just don’t care what people think.”

“It isn’t about what other people think,” she said. “It’s about the way
you
feel. Being put together on the outside makes you feel better on the inside.”

I couldn’t really argue with her because I didn’t know if she was right. I hadn’t bothered with my appearance in so long I didn’t know what it would feel like to actually try.

Ivy wandered over to her side of the room and sprayed something on her hands and then worked it through my hair. She divided it into two sections and started braiding the length of it. It made me think of when I was a little girl and my mother used to braid my hair.

A thick lump formed in my throat and I sipped at my coffee, trying to make it dissolve.

When Ivy was done, she stepped back and looked at her handiwork. “Much better.”

I got up and went to the mirror. It was a little unsettling to see myself this way. She styled my hair in pigtail braids, but it didn’t look juvenile. She somehow managed to make them look thick and bouncy. The unbraided ends curled out around the hair bands and fell against my chest. The top was side-parted and had a little bit of height at the crown, and a few short pieces at my hairline curled against my forehead. The style seemed to draw attention to the shape of my face, and my glasses didn’t take over my eyes. Added with the clothes that actually fit and a pair of boots that didn’t appear lumpy, I actually looked like all the other college girls that walked around campus.

Without the makeup, of course. I wasn’t even going to bother with that stuff. Not today anyway.

“Thanks,” I told Ivy, still looking at my transformed hair.

She didn’t reply, and that’s when I noticed the utter silence. Ivy was standing there beside my bed with the Alpha hoodie in her hands. I must have been sitting on it and when I got up, it caught her eye.

She was holding it out and staring at something. Her reaction was a little odd. I mean, it was just a hoodie. She couldn’t possibly know where I got it.

Still clutching the sweatshirt in her hands, Ivy looked up. “How did you get Romeo’s football hoodie?” Her voice was hushed, like I’d committed some heinous crime.

“How did you know it was Romeo’s?” I asked, slightly uncomfortable.

She held it out to me so I could see the back, his name and number in plain sight.

Oh.
Would have been nice if I’d noticed that. A little bit of shock rippled through me as well. I mean, he obviously knew it had his name and number on the back, yet he still told me to keep it. He told me to wear it. He acted as if he wanted people to see it.

“Rimmel!” Ivy demanded.

I glanced up. “What?”

“You have
Romeo’s
football hoodie on your bed.
Explain
!”

“Oh. Um, I got cold at tutoring.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. I had. Besides, I had no idea what to say.

“The douche you’re tutoring is
Romeo Anderson
?” she exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell me!” she burst out.

I started to answer, but she was pacing and then jerked to a halt and cut me off to say, “That explains the BuzzFeed and why Romeo is suddenly hanging out at the library.”

Then she gasped.

I jerked because it was so dramatic.

“
Ohmigod!”
she rushed out in one breath. “
You’re
the mystery girl in the Hellcat.”

Damn BuzzFeed.

“Well!” she demanded again. All traces of her utter exhaustion were long gone. “Say something!”

“Oh, I didn’t realize I was part of the conversation,” I muttered.

“Rimmel.” Her eyes narrowed. Then they widened again. “Is that why you were worrying about your clothes? You like him!”

I started shaking my head furiously.

“Yes!” she demanded. Then she glanced down at his hoodie still clutched in her paws. I had the sudden urge to snatch it from her. “Does he like you, too?”

I snorted as my stomach flipped over. I thought about the kisses, about how he crawled in through the window just hours before. If Ivy knew he’d been here in this room, she’d probably collapse. “I highly doubt it,” I said and gently pulled the hoodie from her hands. “And the clothes are just because I got tired of tripping and falling over all my baggy stuff.”

She gave me a pitiful look. “It sucks to like someone who doesn’t like you back.”

“Yeah,” I said, her words piercing my heart. I wish they didn’t hurt, but they did. And so did the look in her eyes. She felt sorry for me. Like she knew there was no way in hell he could ever like me. It’s like she thought he’d given me his hoodie out of pity.

Ivy was watching me closely. I could feel her penetrating gaze. I turned away and grabbed my bag. It was still a little early for class, but I didn’t care. This room was stifling.

“Hey,” she called out as I reached for the door.

My hands tightened around Romeo’s hoodie. I hadn’t planned to bring it with me, but the thought of leaving it here with her made me sick.

“Yeah?”

“You going to the game Saturday night?”

“Do I ever?” I asked. Truth was I did plan on going because Romeo asked me to. I just planned to sit where no one would notice me.

“You should come. Me and Missy are going.” Her eyes sparkled. “She’s dating Braeden. He’s on the team too.”

I nodded.

“You know him?” She seemed surprised all over again.

“I’ve met him.”

She nodded easily. “Well, yeah, definitely come. You can sit with us. It’ll be fun.”

Suspicion overcame me. I didn’t like feeling that way, but I couldn’t ignore it. “Why would you want me to come with you?”

The question caught her off guard and she looked up. “I thought we were friends.”

Friends.

“Yeah,” I said, stuffing down the unexpected emotion that burned up the back of my throat. “Sure. I’ll sit with you at the game.”

She gave me a wide smile and waved. “Awesome. Now I better hit the showers. It’s going to take a long time to fix all this.” She gestured to herself and stuck out her tongue.

It was colder outside than I expected. I thought for sure once the sun was up it would chase away the worst of the autumn chill. It seemed that more leaves had fallen to the ground overnight and people shuffled through them on the sidewalks, rustling sounds filling the air. My cheeks stung a little as the breeze blew and bit into them.

I glanced down longingly at the hoodie in my arms and thought of putting it on. But I didn’t. I adjusted it so Romeo’s name didn’t show and pulled it a little closer to my chest.

Judging from the reaction I got from Ivy when she saw it on my bed, I could only imagine what everyone else would say if I walked through campus with his name plastered on my back.

I certainly didn’t want to see the same look of pity Ivy gave me one hundred times over.

Romeo

It was almost three a.m. when I put my key in the door to my place. I was freaking dog tired. Between the grueling practice, classes, raiding the dean’s office, and everything that happened with Rimmel, I wanted to pass out for a week.

I stepped inside and didn’t bother with the lights. I tossed my bag on the floor and launched my keys somewhere in the vicinity of the couch. I was going to skip my workout in the morning. The last thing I wanted was to be too worn out to perform in Saturday’s game.

I bypassed the kitchen and headed straight to my room. All of a sudden, a feeling of unease crept up the back of my neck and caused me to pause.

Just as I was about to turn, something slammed into me and I was tackled to the ground. It didn’t hurt because my training kicked in immediately and I knew how to take the fall.

Immediately, my arms went around the waist of my attacker and I hugged him, flipping us both over so I was on top. I’d caught him off guard, and the guy beneath me looked up in surprise. I threw my fist down, putting all my weight behind it, and caught him in the jaw.

He groaned and tried to buck me off. I raised my hand again, adrenaline and rage making me crazy. When I swung down, something stopped me from connecting. A hand caught my wrist and twisted it behind my back.

“Easy!” someone yelled. “Think of Saturday!”

What the fuck…?

The hands grabbing me loosened, but I was being gripped now from all sides. I started to struggle, but I was severely outnumbered. I was shoved down onto the ground, my hands were cuffed, and a bag was tied over my head.

“What the fuck is this!” I demanded, struggling as they brought me to my feet. I kicked out and connected with something. Sick satisfaction filled me for making someone hurt.

I wanted to make these fuckers bleed.

“What crawled up your ass and died?” someone said.

Everyone laughed.

They were fucking Omegas.

Some of the fight left me, but not all. What kind of assholes jump someone in their own home?

Zach probably put them up to this.

“Search him,” someone else ordered. They kept their voice low and hushed. I couldn’t see, but I really thought it was Zach.

Hands patted me down and checked my pockets. They were looking for the nameplate. I smirked because they weren’t going to find it.

“It’s not here,” someone else said.

“Check the bag,” the guy I thought was Zach ordered.

I heard all my shit being dumped all over the place, and my hands clenched behind my back. After several minutes of my place being tossed, they determined what they wanted wasn’t here.

“Looking for something specific?” I said through the bag over my head.

“Bring him and let’s go,” Zach ordered.

“Don’t fucking hurt him,” someone else said roughly. “He’s gotta play Saturday.”

“Don’t get your panties in a wad, Trent,” someone behind me muttered.

“Shut it,” Zach demanded.

This was some jacked-up shit.

I could only assume I was being taken to the same place I was the night we were introduced to rush. I didn’t bother fighting them. I wanted to know what was going on. When we finally arrived to wherever they brought me, the bag was yanked off my head and I blinked to take in my surroundings.

All the other pledges were here too. A little of me relaxed because at least I wasn’t being brought somewhere to get jumped. We were in the same basement-looking space as before, except this time there weren’t tons of lit candles. Lamps and lights hanging above a few pool tables in the back were on instead.

“Fellow Alphas,” Zach said, spreading his arms wide as he looked at the frat members off to the side. Then he scanned the pledges. “Wannabes. I have brought you all here tonight for a little check-in. And for some of you, a check-
out
.” He glanced at a couple guys and smirked. “We’re a little more than halfway through this year’s rush, and as predicted, some of you are made for this and others… well, you suck!” he yelled the last word and all the members laughed.

This guy was such a douche. How the hell did be become president? I glanced around at the members, my eyes stopping on Trent. He looked at me and I saw the irritation in his eyes. Clearly he was wondering the same thing.

“You have all been given challenges and most of you have complied. Branneman!” he yelled and looked toward the end of the line where a dark-haired male stood.

“Yes?” he replied.

“You didn’t complete the last challenge we gave you. You’re out.”

His body jerked and his jaw hardened. “Ye—” He began, but Zach cut him off.

“No excuses!” He motioned to a couple of the members and they stuffed a bag over Branneman’s head and escorted him out.

Zach locked eyes with me. I held his stare and refused to look away. “Cox, too!” Zach snapped.

Two guys down from me, another bag was stuffed on a surprised head and he was escorted out as well.

“Max was escorted out of the pledge group last week,” Zach added and then looked at the rest of us. “And so you all remain.”

Was he going to get to the point already? I was exhausted, and by the time I got home, it was going to be daylight.

“I know some of you have already taken your assigned woman to bed. I hope you got pictures, losers, because if you don’t, the same fate those men just endured awaits you.”

My shoulders stiffened at the reminder of this “assignment.” I wanted to get Rimmel into bed more than I ever had anyone, but I didn’t want to do it like this. I was never the kind of guy who was bothered by one-night stands, casual sex, or drunken hookups. As long as it was consensual, I was down. But having to sleep with a woman to get myself into an exclusive club, a woman that was chosen for me, a woman I essentially had to use, left a bad taste in my mouth.

I don’t know why it didn’t bother me before, but it suddenly did now.

Wait.

Yes, I did know.

Rimmel.

“Show of hands,” Zach called. “Who’s finished this challenge?”

Several hands went up. Everyone looked around. A lot of gazes landed on me. I didn’t flinch. Hell, I wasn’t even embarrassed I wasn’t the first.

“Well, well, well…” Zach said, pacing over to stand in front of me.

“Looks like
Romeo
might be losing his touch.”

I gave him a look that said I was bored.

“What’s the matter,
Romeo
?” Zach taunted. “Is the nerd too much of a challenge?”

I felt my lip curl when he mentioned Rimmel.

“The clock’s a ticking.” Zach got up in my face. “Less than two weeks to seal the deal.”

I didn’t say a word. I just stared him down.

“I gotta tell ya,” he boasted, stepping away from me and addressing everyone else. “I don’t think you can do it. She’s probably cold as ice.”

One. More.

All he needed to say was one more fucking word about her and I would pound him.

A couple of the pledges laughed. Probably not because it was funny, but because they wanted to kiss Zach’s ass.

“Tomorrow night we’re having a frat party at Omega. Be there. See what life will be like when you’re one of us.” Zach looked at me again. “Did you get what you were supposed to?”

“Of course,” I replied.

“Where is it?”

“Somewhere you won’t find it,” I said smoothly.

“You were supposed to bring it,” Zach challenged.

“To the party tomorrow, not here. Not now.”

“You have it when I say you have it!” Zach snapped.

Dude needed a beer.

He needed to chill the fuck out.

“C’mon, Zach. We all saw the text. You said the party.” One of the members who was not Trent spoke up.

Zach shot him an angry look but said nothing.

“The night before the inductions into Omega, you will be brought back one final time. Have your proof that you slept with your assigned female. If you have it. You’re in.” He glanced at me. “If you don’t? You’re out.”

Bags were shoved on all of our heads once more. Hands grabbed me and spurred me forward.

“Rick,” Zach said behind us.

The hands guiding me stopped. The bag was ripped off my head again, and I found myself looking into Zach’s eyes. “Bring the girl tomorrow night,” he said.

The last thing I wanted to do was bring Rimmel into a room full of these assholes. “What the fuck for?”

He smiled. It looked more like a sneer. “I’d like to meet the nerd. I hear you’ve become quite smitten.”

The more he talked about her, the more he implied he knew her, the more pissed off I got. I lunged forward and shoved my face right up in his. Satisfaction speared me when his eyes widened just a fraction. He wasn’t as tough as he thought he was.

“Well, since you seem to know everything,” I said, dead calm, “then you must also know that I take care of what’s mine. You might be president of this frat, but I own the campus. Do. Not. Push. Me.”

An arm wrapped around me from behind and towed me back. “You said what you needed to say, man,” Trent said. “Let’s go.”

“Bring her,” Zach called after us. “I mean it.”

The bag was stuffed back on my head, and I stiffened. “Chill,” Trent murmured and led me from the building.

As soon as the cold air hit me, I reached up and ripped the bag off my head and swung around. Trent and three other Omegas were standing there looking at me.

“That guy is a total douche,” I spat.

No one disagreed.

“You’re supposed to keep that on,” Trent said.

I ignored him. “So is he that much of an asshole to everyone or just me?”

The guys all looked around. Trent sighed. “I’ll take him home,” he told the others.

They all nodded and left.

“This shit ain’t worth the hassle,” I told Trent as I looked around. The Omega house loomed in front of us. We were in the backyard near what looked like an old shed. Off to the side was one of those old-looking doors that lifted out of the ground. It reminded me of the
Wizard of Oz
and the shelter they ran to during the tornado.

That must be where we’d come from. That must be the hangout of the Omegas.

“C’mon,” Trent said, and I fell into step beside him as we walked toward a black SUV parked nearby.

When we were in the car, Trent turned over the engine and said, “I’ve never seen him hate someone so much.”

“Yeah, well, the feeling’s mutual.”

Trent shook his head. “He’s pushing it with you. We’ve all warned him. He keeps it up and it’s borderline hazing.”

“No one will tell,” I said. And it wasn’t like I was the type to run and tattle either. I could handle Zach. I could handle any hazing he might decide to dish out. What I couldn’t handle was him messing with Rimmel because he knew it would get to me.

“You’d be surprised,” Trent said and drew my stare.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the Omegas haven’t been too happy with their leadership in a while.”

I grunted. “What a surprise.”

“Look, we all see that he’s going out of his way to make it hard on you. You have more friends here than Zach. He just doesn’t realize it.”

“I won’t have him messing with her,” I said. There was no give in my words.

I felt his sidelong stare as we drove silently for a few minutes. Then he sighed. “Yeah. I thought that might be the case.”

We pulled up to my house not too much later. The sky would soon start lightening with the rising sun.

Trent put it in park and looked at me. “Look, just get through rush. Once you’re inducted, we’ll take care of Zach.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the reason he didn’t want you last year is because he knew once you made it in, we’d all outvote him as president.”

I glanced at him. “You want me as president?”

“Dude, you’re like the most popular guy on campus. The party follows you. Not to mention you’re the quarterback for the Wolves, and if you take presidency now, the Omegas will have a steady leader for the next couple years.”