Love & Hate (Book Two: Love) by JJ Dorn

tonight.

CHAPTER 11
     
    “ Good Paige! Keep it up. Two more laps then you can be done for the day.” Holden shouts at me from across the large pool. I have been swimming for about two months now and I can tell I am getting stronger by the day.
    I finish my remaining laps and then head to the showers. Holden told me he couldn’t help me in the gym today because he had to help a football player with a knee injury, so I decided to just do my swim and head home. When I finish I check my phone and see I have a missed call from Tanner. I’m guessing he needs notes for philosophy because he wasn’t in class today. I quickly get dressed and call him back as I head to my car.
    “ Hey what’s up?” I say as Tanner answers the phone.
    “ Hey Lil, what are you doing?
    “ Just got done with swimming and now I’m headed home to study.” I tell him.
    “ How is Holden?” He asks in such a big brother tone it’s ridiculous.
    “ Fine. Did you just call to harass me about Holden?”
    “ No I actually called because I need a favor.” He says.
    “ Okay…”
    “ So it is date dash for my frat tomorrow night and I’m going to need a date. I was thinking you would like to accompany me.”
    Date dash was something all the sororities and fraternities did on campus. The social chair of the house would announce it that day and you would have to run out and find someone to go with you. Since Tanner is the social chair of his house he knows when it will happen, so obviously he is taking full advantage of that fact.
    “ Don’t you have a bevy of babes to choose from?” I ask him quizzically.
    “ Well yes, but I’m going to have to be in charge of everything so I won’t be the most fun date.”
    “ Gotcha. Okay, yeah that sounds like fun.”
    “ Great I’ll drop your shirt off at your house tomorrow morning.” Oh hell, one more themed shirt to add to my growing collection! Seriously this is getting ridiculous.

    Tanner came over to my house and walked with me the couple of blocks down to the frat. I told him he didn’t have to but he insisted. We were now in the basement of the house enjoying the delicious spode his fraternity brothers made. I was having a lot of fun drinking and dancing with Tanner and his friends. I had come to know a lot of the guys in the house my first semester at school hanging out with Cutter and they all surprisingly remembered me.
    Thankfully I have not run into Cutter this evening. Tanner reassured me that if I did see him that he would stay away from me. I appreciated that Tanner looks out for me just like he is my actual big brother. I know he has his own thoughts about me and Cutter. I can tell because when I vented to him recently he looked as if he wanted to say something the entire time but never did.
    “ You want to dance with us Paige?” Tanner asked me.
    “ Sure.” I tell him as he grabs my hand and drags me into the crowd of people dancing.
    I am having a blast. We dance to song after song. I even get in on a little line dancing action. I know I’m taxing my leg and it’s super-hot in the basement so I decide a break is in order.
    “ Tanner, I need to go check my phone. I’m supposed to meet Millie later at the bar.”
    “ Okay, you know where my room is right?” Tanner says as he hands me a key chain, holding out his room key. He had let me stash my purse in his room before the dance started. Since Tanner was an older member of the house he had a private room with just one other roommate so I knew it would be safe in there.
    “ Yup, I’ll be right back.” I told him and make my way up to the third story of the frat.
    There are a few people milling around at the end of the hall but for the most part it is pretty deserted upstairs. I find Tanner’s room and put the key into the lock. I feel the lock snap back as I turn the key and push the door open.
    “ Hey, what the fuck man?”
    The voice startles me and my eyes dart across the room to find a guy and a very topless girl