Given Time

♡8♡

"Well, let's get going then," she squeals excitedly, linking her arm with mine.

As we hop to different stands, the club members hand out endless amounts of fliers and goody bags, all trying to entice us to consider signing up with them. It's clear to see which stands are more popular than others as some have large crowds fighting to get close to the stand, while others barely have one or two students taking interest.

After walking around most of the fair, Zara spots the pole fitness stand, and her eyes light up. "Ooh, pole fitness. Yes, please."

"Have you ever done it before?" I ask, intrigued.

"No, but I bet it's fun. I've heard it can be good for your upper body. So it would be a good activity to keep me fit."

I laugh aloud. "Plus, I'm sure Jake will freak when he finds out you can work a pole."

Zara winks back at me, making me laugh harder. "Why don't you sign up for it with me? Then we can be pole buddies."

"Zara, look at me. There's no way I'm built for it," I tell her, sweeping my hand down my petite body.

She shrugs her shoulders and pushes me in the stand's direction. "You never know."

When we reach the stand, it doesn't take long before Zara gets talking to one of the members, asking her many questions.

After a lot of entreating, Zara leaves me be, and I head over to the other stands in the distance while she signs up for pole fitness. I stop to watch two guys pretending to joust to rally people to their war reenactment stand when I hear someone shouting my name.

"Leah! Hey, Leah!"

I turn my head in the noise's direction and spot Tanner standing a few feet away in the middle of the path. He's motioning for me to come over to him, and unfortunately, there's no chance I can make a run for it now that he knows I've seen him. Reluctantly, I head over to meet him. "Hi, Tanner. Kissed any more unwilling girls as of late?" I ask a little icily, having still not forgiven him for kissing me without my permission.

"No. But I've had some very willing ladies in my bed this last week." He grins darkly. "They get wild in the first few weeks of college."

I cringe at the mental image of a line of girls waiting for their turn to sleep with him. "Ew! I do not want to know about your sex life."

I always figured he would be a man-whore, and he just confirmed my suspicions.

"That was below the belt." He frowns and blows out a breath. "And so was what I said to you the other day. I'm sorry. I guess old habits die hard."

"It's fine," I mumble, wanting to put this latest thing behind us.

Just then, a freshman comes up to Tanner asking for a flier, and that's when I finally take in Tanner's T-shirt. It's a royal-blue jersey with the Berkeley logo on the front with the words Hockey Captain written across the top. My eyebrows raise when I see this. I've only seen Tanner play professionally a couple of times when my school and his were playing against each other, yet I know he's really good on the ice and has a good winning streak.

"I see you joined the hockey team then. And captain as well. That must feel good."

Tanner smiles. "It's great. It's my first year as captain, so I'm shitting myself a bit, but the boys wouldn't have voted for me if they didn't think I was up to it."

"Well, congratulations."

"Thanks, Le-Le."

I roll my eyes. "See you're still sticking to that annoying nickname."