You have to have a hockey stick and a dick to be important in the Haverbrooke household. Which really makes me wonder why I am trying to holler at this guy. He’s everything I don’t want or need right now. So why am I completely attracted to him and thinking about our interaction like mad?

Glutton for punishment, I guess.

But really, since the moment he walked away, I’ve been thinking about him. It’s weird. When I decided to come to school here, I didn’t want to be begging for attention from anyone. I’ve done it for too long, and I need to just do me now. But with him, I want to sing from the rooftops just so he will throw money at me. When I shot my video, the smile on my face was for him. He won’t ever see it because he doesn’t know my name, so what in the hell is wrong with me?

I don’t want to feel all gooey inside for a guy.

I don’t want to sing for him.

And I sure as hell don’t want to get involved with some dude who’s probably going to break my heart.

Dudes are trouble.

Especially hockey players.

And yet, as I glance at myself in the mirror, I want to be pretty.

Jesus, I’m an idiot.

Glancing at Mekena, I shrug. “I think I want to come off as available.”

She nods. “Then go with the heels. But really, you could do the Converses and still look hot.”

I smile as I kick off the heel. As much as I want to be sexy in those heels, my one foot already hurts. Putting on my other shoe, I tie it up as she asks, “Who you trying to be available for? You’ve only been here two weeks. Have you already met someone between making videos and classes?”

I chuckle as I glance over at her, my hair falling into my face. “I don’t know his name. He threw some money into my guitar case today and invited me.”

She smiles sweetly, her eyes glossing over. “Oh, sweet! What a story to tell the kids,” she teases with a cheeky smile.

“Whoa, kid, slow down,” I laugh as I stand up, pulling my shirt down a little and my pants up. “I’m looking at him as a lay.”

She grins at that as she nods. “Well, the Bullies’ house party is a good place to pursue that. But since he invited you, he must play.”

“Oh, yeah,” I agree, sitting down and opening my makeup box. “He’s a hockey player for sure.”

Her face twists in confusion. “Who is he?”

“I told you I don’t know. I dubbed him Lame Line Larry.”

She laughs. “That could be any of them.” Shaking her head, she lines her lips before asking, “What does he look like?”

“Sex,” I answer because it’s the only thing that comes to mind. “He’s, like, hot. Superhot. Green eyes to die for, tattoos up his arms and one huge one on his thigh. He obviously has money. He drives a blue BMW, and he was hanging with a big, beefy African American guy who was also very hot.”

She whips her head to me and grins. “Markus Reeves? And you think he plays hockey?”

“Yeah, for sure,” I agree and she nods.

“Then it had to be Jace Sinclair.”

Hm. Jace. I test the name, and a grin pulls at the side of my mouth. I like it. Good name.

Mekena doesn’t notice me trying his name on my lips, though, and keeps talking. “Who is über hot, and boy, his brothers are also gifts from God. Jesus. The oldest one, Jude, total manwhore. Like he was the manwhore of Bellevue until his wife came along and crushed all the dreams of every girl on this campus.”

“Oh, the tragedy,” I comment offhandedly, but I’m listening. For some reason, I want to know everything before I see him again. Maybe give me a little leverage.

I feel I may need it.

“It was. But then Jayden, the middle brother, holy hot, emotional guy… He is so sweet and oh so hot but not sleazy. When he talks to you, he looks you right in your eyes. Gah, he’s so dreamy. But then Baylor Moore, the first girl ever to play on the Bullies, came along and Jayden was a goner. Married her as soon as they got drafted, like, that day.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, so then, that leaves Jace. He’s cool, hot, of course, but he’s kinda sleazy like Jude. Or at least, that’s the rumor. Not sure if it’s true.”

I smirk. “I’m good with sleazy, Kena. It isn’t like this is forever. One and done.”

“Yeah, that’s how my sister does life. I want forever, though.”

“Good luck with that,” I say, and then I pause when I realize she knows way too much about the Sinclair brothers. “How do you know all this? You don’t, like, want a chance with Jace, do you? ’Cause I’ll back off.”

She shakes her head, laughter bubbling from her throat. “I’m not Jace Sinclair’s type for one, and for two, Jayden used to date my sister. Well, not date, screw, until they decided to part ways. And that’s how I got all the info.”

“Not Jace, though?”

“No. I don’t know anyone who has actually been with him or dated him here. This is only his second year. And last year, he was kinda dating some chick from out of state.

That confuses me. “I pegged him as a player.”

She shrugs as she nods. “Maybe, but you can really trust the rumor mill around here. According to anyone you talk to, everyone sleeps with everyone around here.”

“True,” I agree. “But that’s cool. Maybe he isn’t a full-out player so I won’t have to go get tested in a month.”

She laughs. “I didn’t peg you as a player.”

“I’m not, but maybe I’ll become one.” I’m not one hundred percent committed to the idea, but I can’t hate on it. Get pleasure and never depend on anyone to love you? Sounds like the life I want. It gets tiring begging for love, and I refuse to do it any longer.

But Mekena doesn’t agree. “No, you don’t want to be a ho. You’re too gorgeous to be a ho.”

I wave her off bashfully. I’m not ugly by any means, but gorgeous? Come on.

But then I think back to the way Jace looked at me, and yeah, I felt gorgeous.

For the first time ever, I felt special.

Which is insane. I mean, come on, we were in front of each other maybe five minutes. But in that time, it just was intense. I felt something. A connection.

A horny one.

“Whatever. I haven’t decided,” I say, standing up and smacking my thighs as a way to say I’m done with this conversation. But apparently Mekena isn’t.