Rivals

Chapter Six

Kade

I was in quite a good mood after my random and ever so lovely encounter with May until I wasn't.

I swear I can never leave these idiots alone for more than a few minutes before they start throwing shit at the fan.

Not literally, though. Thank God.

But a drunk Grant coddling a cat on our living room couch was just as troublesome.

I specifically told them not to go to that frat party, but God forbid these guys ever listen to me. I can't recall the exact moment when I went from being just as recklessly stupid as my friends to being a full-time nanny to them most of the time. But it has been tiresome to say the least.

Sighing I look up at Trent coming from the kitchen in only his boxers and whipped cream in hand and he freezes in tracks realizing he was caught red handed but averts his eyes from mine to Grant crying to the cat.

"Where did the cat come from?"  Trent asks just as Rowan comes down the stairs pointing over his shoulder.

"Hey, you got two girls waiting for you upstairs?" He asks, and Trent's forgotten all about the mysterious cat as he smirks and rushes upstairs.

"Where did Grant get a cat?" Rowan asks, pointing at the grey and white fur ball being smothered with drunk love by Grant.

"Man, I just got home."

"You guys shut it! You're making him scared." Grant slurs as he continues to pet the poor animal biting at his fingers. "Stop biting me, Susan." He hisses when the cat continues its assault in attempting to escape.

Shaking my head, I make my way take the cat from him, "Grant, this cat has a collar." I scold him as I finally pry the poor thing from his grasp.

"So..."

"So, it means that she has an owner." Rowan explained slowly.

"Exactly! I saw that asshole kick Susan like he was a rag doll. I had to take him away from that." He mumbled as he stares longingly at the cat now biting and clawing at my hands. "Isn't Susan just the cutest boy."

"Yea, a real Saint." I turn to Rowan, "you take care of Grant, I'll give Susan some milk, or whatever the fuck cats drink."

Rowan sighs but reluctantly helps Grant upstairs.

"Goodnight Susan!" Grant yells over his shoulder.

"Why is his name Susan?" Rowan asks.

"He just looked like a Susan." Is the last thing I could hear as I busy myself by looking for a bowl and taking out the milk for Susan.

I watch as he quickly stars drinking away, making me feel a bit bad if what Grant said was true then this cat was seriously neglected by its owner.

"You're lucky you're cute. Or else you would have to pay for rent." I crouch down to give him a little scratch behind the ear. And sigh, "looks like you'll be staying with us for a while."

***

The next morning classes drag on, and I almost fall asleep twice during separate lessons because of my poor lack of sleep.

Because Susan could not keep his fucking trap shut and meowed throughout the night. Fortunately for Grant he sleeps like the dead after drinking so he wasn't as affected by it the way the rest of us were.

"We need to get rid of Susan." Trent groans as he runs as hand over his face after we settle ourselves in class. Even though he was in his 4th and final year at Hudson, we have the same English classes together.

The pretty blonde girl seated next to him, eyes widen in concern and raises a brow in question. Trent notices her expression and shakes his head, "It's not a human." He elaborates then suddenly extends his hand, "but you are, and quite the gorgeous kind too might I add. Hi I'm Trent Rivera."

She ignores him and looks at me, "hope you don't mind me asking what he means by 'it's not human'?." She inquisitive question sounded genuine.

"We're talking about a cat."

"I seriously need to stop watching those true crime shows with M." I smile at her words.

"You're just gonna leave a guy hanging here?" Trent whines playfully and waves his hand at her for her to shake on.

Sighing, she shakes his hand, "Alexis, but everyone calls me Lexi." She blinks a couple of times, "Wait. You named your cat Susan?" She asks as she scrunched her nose in confusion.

Trent and I both released heavy sighs, "it's a long story." With that as her only answer, she chuckles lightly before turning to face forward.

Class presumably went on as we all jot down notes. Some even fell asleep, and others just straight up got up and left. The freedom of college, everyone. And for some unexplainable reason, Lexi kept sending me glances to the point of straight up staring at me in what I first thought was infatuation, because like Grant says, I'm "one hot motherfucker". But she just looked straight up confused.

I open my mouth to ask her in the nicest way -if there was one- what her deal was.

"I'm sorry, but have we met before?" She asks instead, and all I could do was shake my head and shrug.

"You've probably seen Kade kill it at last week's game." Trent's statement made Lexi straight up gasp so loud that people turned in their seats to stare- some glared- at her.

Her green eyes locked with mine, "You're the pain in her thumb." She murmurs it, but I heard as if she had just screamed it.

Okay, now I know.

"I guess you've heard all sorts of wonderful things from Mayo, huh?" I smirk at her and get up as we're being dismissed. She cackles at the sound of May's nickname.

"Oh yeah, such a swell guy you are." Is the last thing she says before her phone rings and she, despite herself politely smiles at me before going off. I turn to look around for Trent and spot him already surrounded by a group of girls that I was in no mood for that. My social battery these days run out fast to the point of just hating the human existence in general.

I hear her laugh before I see her when I spot Rowan and May talking and laughing like best buds. The sight alone made me question how much I have missed from the meeting with the media majors -that was two days ago-, my run in with May at the Café Hut-which was just the last night, to seeing my best friend and the girl that worked on my last nerve get so... close.

Before I could process the information, my legs are already taking me to their general direction.

Rowan is the first to notice my approach and waves me over, "Brown." He calls out, and I don't miss the way May tenses before whipping her head around, and the previous hopeful look on her face evaporates so fast I'm almost convinced that I was seeing things.

She was hoping I was Dylan. Pathetic.

An ugly bitter feeling reared its head, plus the already draining feeling I had made me want to ignore her completely when I reached them.

But I just happen to be an asshole, "Mayo." I greet her dryly and don't bother sparing her a glance as I turned to address Rowan who looked back and forth between us.

"Right, and that's my queue to leave." May says and smiles up at Rowan, "don't forget to let me know what time okay?"

"I'll text you."

"See ya' Rowan." She smiles again before making her way to leave, and of course purposefully knocks her shoulder against my arm as she passes, "Kayden." Her dry greet has me scoffing regardless of the irritated twitch I feel in my left eye at the sound of my full name.

"You're on cat duty this afternoon before practice." Frowning at him as I remind him of his responsibility.

He nods his head, "Yeah, I contacted the owner this morning and arranged the exchange. But dude what the fuck was that." He snorts as he points back at the retreating backside of May. Which he couldn't take his eyes off of.

And I can't blame him when those jeans were like second skin on her. I tear my gaze from ass and shake my head. "It doesn't matter. What matter is a good night's fucking sleep. So, get rid of Susan."

Rowan pulls a face as he cringes,"Don't say it like that man, it makes it sound like we're hiding a body."

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