It's finally Saturday, which means I've survived my first week of college. After reviewing the semester's syllabus for the past hour, I know I have a lot of work ahead of me, but if I keep up my attendance and spend my free time in the library, I know I can do it.
To prepare for Monday's classes, I'm sitting on my bed reading the set chapters while Zara rummages through her closet, huffing every few seconds. "Do you want any help?" I offer for the third time.
"No, I'll find it," she responds, pushing her hair away from her face. "I know I brought... Ah, found it!" she shouts triumphantly, pulling out a black leather jacket.
As she slides her arms into the sleeves, she glances at the textbook in my hands and frowns.
"I'm heading down to the activities fair now, and before you say anything, I know you said you didn't want to join any clubs, but it can't hurt to tag along for fun."
I put down my book and consider her offer. It would be nice to go out in the sun for a bit, plus this chapter is giving me a headache. "Okay, I'll come for a wander. This chapter is hard to wrap my head around anyway."
Zara rushes over to my bed, and high-fives me before putting on her left combat boot.
"That's the spirit. I heard they have some fantastic clubs. This girl in my class told me they even have a Quidditch one. Imagine that, running around all day, chasing a person who dresses in gold," she laughs.
"You're kidding!" I say, my eyes going wide at the thought.
"Nope, apparently they take it seriously. One year a person climbed a building to get away from the others and fell and broke his leg."
"Ouch! That's insane. I'll make sure to stay clear from any that throws common sense out the window," I reply while inwardly cringing at the mental image of bones breaking.
Zara laughs at me. "Your face has gone so pale, Leah. We best go get some fresh air before you end up fainting on me," she tells me, pulling me up from my bed.
"Imagine having a roommate who can't even stomach talking about blood and bones."
"Ha ha. It's a good thing you're the one studying nursing and not me," I tell her while pulling my sneakers on.
"Yeah, thank heavens for that, or we'd all be dead," she snickers.
When we arrive at the fair, I can see that thousands of other students have gathered here as well to check out the many clubs on offer. It's insane seeing this many people in one place, and I know I could easily lose Zara in here.
"Doesn't it looks amazing?" Zara asks me, while her bright eyes dart around the fair.
"Yeah, it does," I respond in awe as I look at the different stands. Some have gone all out, decorated in balloons, light displays on show, and music playing in the background. I'm glad Zara encouraged me to come, as this is one college experience I'm happy to experience.
"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."
His lip curls up. "Only you hate it."
The path suddenly gets busier with people, so Tanner grabs my arm and pulls me to the side so that we're standing at the side of the hockey stall. As soon as we're out of the way, I pull my arm free of his hand. Tanner notices my hasty reaction to him and shakes his head.
As we stand by his stall, one of his teammates grabs his attention and informs him that they've got two pages of names listed for tryouts so far. Tanner seems elated, while I'm amazed at how many guys want to play the sport. I remember when I used to attend Shawn's matches at our school and found it boring. At the time, I tried to play the supportive girlfriend and cheer on for him at nearly every game. Though, before the game got halfway through, I would lose interest and busy myself with my phone or talk to my friends if they came along.
"Aren't you bored with playing hockey yet? You've been doing it since you were little," I ask curiously.
He snorts. "Are you serious? I love it!" He tosses the remainder of the fliers he's holding onto the stall and looks back at me.
"I'm lucky that after all of those of years of playing it for fun led to a scholarship."
I let out a strangled noise. "Wait! You got a scholarship?"
Tanner looks at me with a confused expression and grips the back of his neck. "Yeah. I thought you'd already know that through your dad."
It's possibly true that my dad could have spoken about it in the past, but whenever Tanner's name was brought up in my home, I quickly drowned them out. I shrug my shoulder. "It probably just slipped my mind."
As if on cue, Zara arrives at my side and links her arm with mine. "Hi, roomie!"
I sigh in relief, knowing that I can leave this fair now and get away from Tanner. "You all signed up?" I ask.
"Yep." She juts her lower lip out. "You should have joined up with me. It would have been fun to do pole fitness together."
Tanner suddenly chokes on a laugh. "Leah doing pole? Now that I'd pay to see." He winks at us both. "Especially if there are loads of girls in some tight little number shimmying around a pole."
I gag while Zara laughs. "Sorry to disappoint, but it's not that kind of club."
Tanner shrugs his shoulders. "Shame. Anyway, don't I get a hug, gorgeous? I haven't seen you in ages," Tanner asks Zara with a lopsided grin.
My mouth drops open as Zara walks towards him. "Of course you do," she responds, going in for a hug.
"But if you call me gorgeous one more time, I'll injure your leg so you won't be able to play hockey anymore," she adds, grinning.
"How do you know my roommate?" I burst out in confusion, looking directly at Tanner as he releases Zara from his hold.
"She's Jake's girlfriend," he responds. But from seeing the even more confused expression on my face, he continues. "He's in my fraternity. She stays up at the house every so often."
I feel as if my head is about to explode. Zara knows Tanner, and probably well from the sounds of it.
"Oh, for fuck's sake! Why, out of all the people I could have had as a roommate, I get the one who knows you!"
"It's kind of funny if you think about it," he responds with a ghost of a smile on his lips.
"No, it's not!" I yelp as Zara bends over, laughing from my rant.
With them knowing each other, this may mean I'll be seeing him a lot more than I originally wanted to. Blowing out a breath, I run my hands through my hair wondering how I seem to have the worst luck in the world.
"Wait. So, how do you two even know each other?" Zara wheezes out between her fit of giggles.
"Our dads are close friends," Tanner explains evenly.
"Oh. I'm guessing you two aren't," she guesses correctly as she looks at the two of us.
"That's right," I say just as Tanner says, "We're working on it."
I scowl at Tanner, annoyed. Why can't he see I want nothing to do with him?
"Ah. Well, have fun with figuring that out," Zara says, continuing to laugh at our expense.
"I think we're done here now," I tell them, eager to leave. "Tanner, you can get back to handing out those fliers. Zara lets head back to the dorm and watch that movie you told me about."
"Yes ma'am," Zara salutes, standing to attention theatrically.
I groan at her obvious playful mood. Taking her arm, I quickly lead her away from Tanner and out of the fair.
"Bye, Zara. Bye, Le-Le," Tanner calls as we leave.
I groan at his stupid nickname and throw my head over my shoulder and give him a look of pure fury, yet all that's written across Tanner's face is amusement.
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