The last time I fell for his smooth ways, he broke my young, fragile heart. No way am I letting myself go down that path again. I might've only been twelve at the time, but it's not exactly something you just get over. I wasn’t just a girl crushing on her older brother’s best friend. He didn’t treat me like a little kid. He actually made me feel special.
I’ll never forget the time Drew called me stupid in front of his friends. It made me so mad I ran to the backyard and cried my eyes out. Travis left them and sat next to me as I ripped flowers from the ground. He made everything seem simple, easy even, as he wiped my tears away. He grabbed my hand, pulling me to the ground with him, and we looked up at the clouds. I was more important than his friends and video games. That’s when Travis King wasn’t full of himself and preoccupied with banging every hot girl he met. He was a boy with manners, who always seemed to say the right things to me.
I was a naïve little girl. I know that now. But when you watch your Prince Charming tap every other girl around you—including your best friend since second grade—it's easy to believe something must be wrong withyouwhen he never looks your way.
I thought, maybe if I was smarter. Or skinnier. Or had bigger boobs and longer legs. If I was just something more, he’d see me as more than just his friend’s kid sister.
So basically, I hated myself all through middle school and hated him even more through high school. He toyed with my self-esteem, and I grew to hate him for that, too.
I knew all of that stuff was petty. It was immature and lame, but now after all the years of feeling rejected, I can’t stand being around him. He’s a constant reminder that I’ll never be good enough. He goes out of his way to get under my skin, and I refuse to tolerate it—even if he still affects me in ways I wished he didn't.
Having to spend the next two weeks alone in a house with Travis King is going to be pure torture. Even though I’d been able to avoid him once he and Drew moved off to college, I only had to tolerate him when I drove up to visit Drew. Then everything changed again when I got a full-ride scholarship offer from the same college. Being close to Drew was important to me. Neither of my parents’ houses felt like a home since they got divorced, my roommate threw weekend keggers, and I just needed somewhere to hide out and study. Aside from sleeping at the school library, Drew and Travis’s house was my only option. On the weekends Travis was gone, it became my sanctuary. But of course, he'd return and ruin it all.
After heading back to Drew’s room, I fold down the blankets on the bed and slide under the covers. I chuckle when I feel the smooth fabric because I know Drew really did change the sheets for me.
I can’t concentrateat all. My book is flagged with important chapters for my test tomorrow, and I’ve already been through the study guide three times. I have it memorized verbatim. I try to read the words, but they seem to bleed off the pages. I rest my book on my chest and replay every moment from the bathroom to the living room.
Heat rushes to my cheeks as I realize Travis saw my bare ass.Oh my God.I can’t help but shake my head at my bravery because I’m not really sure where it came from. I hope the image of my best assets have been burned into his retinas. Take that, King Douche.
The doorbell rings, and my heart drops. It’s Travis’s victim for the night, and as much as I hate to admit, a pang of jealousy rushes through me. She laughs at something and sounds like a dying hyena. I roll my eyes, thinking about how she must believe she has a chance at changing him. He’s obviously into it just for the sex—just like every other girl he hooks up with—and she’s probably stupid enough to think it’ll lead to something more.
Travis doesn’t do relationships, lady. Run for the hills.I roll my eyes, the sound of her high-pitched giggle grating on my nerves. The low rumble of his voice rings in my ear, but I can’t quite make out what he’s saying. It’s followed by the click of his bedroom door, which is next to Drew’s.
I seriously cannot lay here as he fucks some skank next door. The walls are so thin, I can hear everything. After another minute, her muffled moans become audible, and it makes me physically ill.
Fuck this.
And fuck Travis King.
I throw the blankets off my body and immediately start pacing the room. I shake my head and try to think of something. Travis started this little game, and I'm not backing down. He wants to play, so it's on.
I step out of Drew’s room and knock on Travis’s door. I hear the bimbo still giggling and Travis speaking, so I bang my fist even harder.
“Go away!” he shouts, and my blood boils even more. He doesn't want to follow the rules of the game, then fine. I'll bite.
“Goddammit, Travis! Are you sneaking around behind my back again?” I jiggle the doorknob, threatening to walk in.
“What the hell?” I hear the woman ask.
“It's my roommate’slittlesister,” Travis responds as if that’d be explanation enough for her. I hate how he emphasizes the word “little” as if I’m less of a woman. She’ll figure it out since I'm about to go all crazy ex-girlfriend on his ass.
I twist the knob and let myself in. They're both naked with just a thin sheet covering them.
“I thought we would be alone tonight?” She looks at Travis confused, but he’s staring at me, studying my body from head to toe, knowing how it aggravates me when he looks at me like that. He doesn’t acknowledge she spoke and actually ignores the question completely. I almost feel bad for interrupting, but Travis doesn’t seem to mind as he smirks and places his hands behind his head, almost as if he’s enjoying the scene. This is not going how I imagined, but he has no idea what evil plan I have in store. I suck in a deep breath with hopes to ad-lib an Oscar-worthy performance.
“Actually, I’m his girlfriend,” I explain, my eyes watering right on cue. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me again, Travis! How could you?” I scream, my face heating up. Thank God for that semester of theater courses I took freshman year before I changed to business.
I know I’m not as good as I was back then, but I must be believable enough since Sarah From The Bar jumps up and grabs her clothes. I suck in a deep breath, not standing down, and the smirk that covered his face just a few moments before is replaced with a look of disbelief as Sarah puts on her skank suit. His jaw clenches, and I know this can’t be good, but I’m too caught up in reveling in my victory that the booty call has officially been canceled.
“Tonight was obviously a mistake,” Sarah rushes out in a panic. I barely have enough time to shift out of her way as she rushes past me. Travis doesn’t try to explain the truth, and he sure as hell doesn’t chase after her, though I’m sure he’ll be able to smooth it over without any issue. It’s just an advantage of being Travis King.
Travis sits up calmly and crosses his arms over his chest, staring me down as if he’s asking if I’m finished. It’s more frightening because he isn’t saying a word. This is the calm before the storm, but nothing can stop the evil smile from creeping across my face. I’ve finally managed to push his buttons, and it’s about damn time. I was beginning to believe nothing I did bothered him.
He climbs out of bed completely naked, and heat rushes to my cheeks. Travis gives no fucks because his body is perfect, and he has the most beautiful man-ass I’ve ever seen. Muscles cascade down his sun-kissed back, and I pull my lips into my mouth to hold back any audible sound that might try to escape. He slowly pulls the jogging pants to his waist and the band snaps to his body, bringing me back to reality. As much as I want to run away, I stand my ground. I’m so pumped up on adrenaline right now, I actually feel like I could take him and all of his muscles.
“Girlfriend?I don’t think so, princess. I can’t believe that’s the best you have.” The frustration and annoyance in his voice isn’t lost on me.
When I realize he’s still moving toward me, I begin backing up until my back touches the wall across from his bedroom door. He rushes through the doorway, and for a moment, I think about running to Drew’s room and locking the door, but I don’t. My traitorous body freezes.
