Blow out a breath and pull up my text history. One hot girl is the same as any other – at least for what I’m looking for. I don’t do romantic gestures or long walks on the beach. Well, unless by long walks you mean sex. Sex on the beach is awesome.

While I wait for Nathan, I scroll through the chicks that have messaged me about hooking up tonight. They said hang out, but every time a girl texts me to “hang out” it ends with her undressing me. Chicks don’t like to come right out and ask for sex.

Busty blonde? Sassy redhead? Freshman good girl looking to break out of her quiet shell? The options are endless, but I am bored.

“Knock, knock,” my sister’s voice calls out from the back entrance.

I hurry to greet her. The smell wafting out of the casserole dish she’s carrying makes my stomach growl.

“That smells amazing,” I say, taking it from her and pulling the foil back.

I grab a fork and plate, give myself a generous serving, take a bite, and then look up.

“Game night?” I ask around a mouth full of pasta and point my fork toward her green Valley High t-shirt and matching green pawprint painted on her cheek.

“Playing Pinnacle tonight. They’re even bigger and meaner than last year.”

“Go easy on them,” I say with humor lacing my tone because even from the stands, Michelle is a force. She is the definition of crazed fan, razzing players and coaches alike. She loves watching basketball maybe as much as I love playing it. And she does it with as much flair as I do.

“Hey,” Nathan calls out entering the kitchen and pulling a clean shirt over his head. “Good to see you, Smelly.”

Michelle rolls her eyes. She hates that my friends have adopted my childhood nickname for her. She’s at that age where she wants everyone to think she’s mature and capable instead of the sixteen-year-old naïve kid that she is.

I push a plate and fork in front of Nathan, and he helps himself to the food.

“What are you two up to tonight?” Michelle asks, pulling a beer from the fridge, popping the top and taking a long pull.

“Give me that.” I take the beer for myself. “Want one?” I ask Nathan.

“Theta party tonight,” Nathan answers for us and shakes off the beer.

“Just the two of you?” She motions between us with a frown. “Aren’t you supposed to take dates or something?”

Ah, innocent Michelle.

“Joel tried and got shot down.”

They laugh and I shoot them both a glare.

Michelle studies me. “Wow, someone actually turned down the great Joel Moreno. What happened? How’d you ask her?”

“Uhh. I just asked if I could get her number so we could hang later.” I shrug. “She said no.”

Let me tell ya, talking about it again is not making me feel super.

My sister groans in exasperation. “Wow. It finally happened.”