This Is Falling by Ginger Scott Page B

with an E on Facebook!” I
actually huff that last part out and am somehow able to hear how
crazy my rant sounds. I look at him from the corner of my eye and
catch his snicker. Soon we’re both laughing.
    “Fair enough,” he says. “Okay, just tell me
this. How do you know so much about baseball?”
    “My dad coaches for a high school. I’m a bit
of a sponge for knowledge. And when you’re homeschooled, you end up
watching a lot of day games on television,” I say, my mind trying
to block out all of Josh’s games I used to watch.
    Nate’s stare is intense, and he doesn’t say
anything for a while, which only makes my discomfort grow. By the
time we reach the dorm, my head is pounding—partly from my fainting
spell, and partly from the stress now rolling over and over inside
me. When the elevator reaches our floor, everyone turns toward Nate
and Ty’s room, but I stop.
    “Aren’t you coming?” Nate asks. I catch
Paige’s eyes looking at me over his shoulder, begging me not to. A
defining moment—and I know that if I went, this flirting thing I’ve
been doing with Nate would only continue. And where could that
possibly go?
    “I can’t. I’m still not feeling so well. I’m
going to go to bed. But you guys have fun. I’ll catch up with you
later,” I say, the strange tinge of regret eating away at my
insides.
    Nate doesn’t respond, but his smile fades,
and he sucks in his bottom lip while he studies me with his eyes. I
raise my hand and hold it up with a still wave before turning down
my hall to head to my room. It takes me a minute or two to finesse
my key from my pocket, and when I finally have it in the lock, I
feel my heart actually sting. I just gave up on something because
I’m afraid . And it hurts.

Chapter
7
     
    Nate
     
    Everyone crashed in our room last night. One
of the hazards of being the room that sneaks in alcohol—everyone
sort of stays for the party.
    Cass and Ty seem comfortable, cuddled up in
the corner of his bed. She’s different for him. Normally, he’d be
hot after her sister, who is completely wrapped up in the blanket
on my bed, her dress hiked up enough that I’m literally staring at
the underwear hugging her ass.
    We all did shots last night, but I stopped
after one or two. No one noticed; I think that Paige chick thought
I was just as lit up as she was. I let her crawl into my bed, and I
even entertained the idea of making out with her. But she had this
giggling fit over dumb shit she was saying, and it was so damned
annoying, it helped me keep my head on straight.
    If I ever want to curl up in my bed with
Rowe, I can’t entertain myself with her roommate. So I let Paige
lay on my chest until her giggling stopped and she passed out. Then
I crawled over her and slipped out of the door to the study lounge
and slept on that miserable-ass sofa for a few hours.
    I need my shoes. That’s the only reason I’m
back in this room right now. And I think I can get to them. I just
hope Paige doesn’t wake up while I’m in here. I can barely stand
her on two shots of tequila. I think sober me would want to run
from this room screaming.
    “Pssssst.” Ty’s head is lifted from his
pillow, and he’s motioning for me to come closer.
    “Hey dude. I have workouts. Just gonna grab
my shoes and take off. I’ll be back around noon. Wanna grab lunch
at Sally’s?” I try to keep my voice in a low whisper so I don’t
wake up Cass.
    “Yeah, I’m fucking hungry, yo,” he says,
rubbing his stomach.
    “You were pretty much on the liquid diet last
night,” I say, patting him once on the shoulder while I sit on the
edge of his bed and slip my foot in my shoe. “All right, I’ll see
you later. Maybe…let’s meet there? I don’t want to have to run
into…”
    I nod my head to my bed where Paige is still
deep asleep. Ty lifts an eyebrow at me and I shake my head no .
    “She passed out. I slept in the lounge,” I
say, finally standing.
    “Hey,” he whispers just as I’m