Page 32 of Cheap Shot

“Girls,” Benjamin responded before I had the chance.

Matt hit pause on the game. “Are you saying we can’t date?”

“No, it’s the drama and …” I tried to explain, but they turned on me.

“Dating is the only thing we have. Don’t take that away from us too,” Becker whined.

“As if that’s a legit concern for any of you,” Hunter said.

“How are we supposed to date if we can’t go to the parties? That’s where all the girls are,” Kevin said.

“You’re twenty years old, Kevin. I’m not going to teach you how dating works.” Benjamin resumed the game.

Matt grunted. “Seriously, how are we supposed to meet anyone?”

Hunter paused the game again. “Have you ever looked around during class? About half the people there are girls. Talk to one of them.”

“Or we can set each other up with girls we know,” Benjamin said.

“That’s not a bad idea.” Matt wagged his brows. “Too bad Ethan’s sister is off-limits. She’s hot.”

I glared at him. I didn’t think I’d been the only one that noticed Haley, but I didn’t like hearing anyone else talk about her, especially like she was just another co-ed for him to use.

“Don’t even think about it,” Benjamin said. “That’s the last thing our team needs.”

His reminder hit me in the gut. It was one thing to repeat the warnings to myself, but hearing it from him was worse.

I hadn’t seen or spoken to Haley for a while, but I needed to stop thinking about her at all. Every time I saw a girl with hair like hers, I stopped and stared, hoping she’d turn around and smile, but it was never her.

Last time she texted me, she’d had a great time with the girls from her hall at a party. That was it. It was for the best. She was making her own friends and having fun. I was happy for her.

I had to be.

We played for another hour or so without interruptions, but when we finished a campaign and the guys started grumbling about more food, we put the controllers down and discussed options.

“We just ordered pizza.” Benjamin stretched his arms over his head.

“But it’s gone, and I’m still hungry. Plus, if I eat more dairy, I’m going to puke up my guts and die at practice,” Becker said.

“Then order a salad.” I rubbed my left shoulder then switched to the right side. I’d need to ice after practice tomorrow. I was getting too stiff lately.

“Does that Japanese place deliver? A teriyaki bowl sounds good,” Matt tried.

“Let me check.” Hunter pulled his phone from his pocket. After a moment, he nodded. “Tell me what you want.”

We each rattled off our order then went back to another round to waste time before it got here. It arrived quickly, probably because not many people ordered dinner at ten on a Saturday night.

I was only a few bites in on my teriyaki steak when my phone vibrated on the floor next to me. Before I went to grab it, several other phones went off.

“Seriously?” Mike groaned.

“This sucks.” Becker tossed his phone to the other side of the room.

Hunter grunted and dropped his phone face down on the floor.

Benjamin and I shared a glance before checking ours. A girl we were all mutual friends with, and who had dated one of the guys that graduated the year before, sent us a series of pictures from a party, telling us we were missing out.

I examined each photo, hoping, while also dreading, to find Haley in the background. I didn’t see her, and it took me a moment to figure out what was off about the pictures. Everyone was dressed up in styles from different decades. That softened the blow a bit. Themed parties were the worst.