“Here,” he said, staking his claim. Keeping me on his lap, he played with his controller around me, tucking me into his bear-sized chest as he yelled at Royal from the other side of the sectional couch. He played too while December watched, her eyes sometimes on the game but mostly on Knight and me. She kept whispering things to Royal too while the boys played, things I couldn’t hear, but whatever they were, the conversation had them both smiling. Eventually, Royal played his controller with his arm slung around his girl’s waist, and I noticed the ring hanging from her neck. It was a silver one, like Knight’s. Currently, Knight wore his, putting it on before we both came downstairs.
“The frat’s cleaning crew is going to be here in like an hour,” Knight announced eventually, but he didn’t stop playing. He continued on against the computer when Royal placed his controller off to the side. Knight grinned. “I assume you’ll both see yourselves out.”
Royal tossed a pillow at him, calling him, “Fucker,” to which Knight returned the same. He’d given Royal an earful for telling December about what happened here while the pair cooked breakfast, and I think the only reason December had let him get away with that was because she’d been talking to me. As it turned out, she went to Pembroke as well, a junior like Knight. Royal was actually a new freshman like me, but the same age. She’d said he’d worked first before going back to school, and they both started this year like I had. She’d transferred in.
December wrestled Knight’s hair after getting up from the couch, and after he tossed a pillow at her, Royal and December put their coats back on. They’d removed them before breakfast. I guessed it had been raining that morning before they came over.
“It was good meeting you, Greer,” December said at the door, smiling at me. She had her hand laced with Royal’s. “And don’t let that asshole bully you. I just happened to know for a fact he’s all bark and no bite once you break him down.”
I was starting to see that, but Knight rolled his eyes at what December said. Royal tossed he’d get at him later from the door, and after it closed behind them, I assumed Knight would put the controller down since the cleaning crew was coming. Instead, he only reached over to the other side of the couch. He grabbed Royal’s controller, giving it to me. “I thought they’d never fucking leave.”
I took it from him, and though I didn’t know how to play, I let him teach me. I fucking sucked, first person shooters or really any kind of game not my thing, but eventually, I was able to stick around long enough without Knight immediately sniping me off. Funny enough, I got some good licks in, which hadn’t angered him but made him chuckle behind me. It was a nice sound, his laughter, and he didn’t do it nearly enough.
“Like this,” he instructed, putting down my controller and letting me use his. “You can’t run around like a damn squirrel. Stand up for yourself.”
My look curious on him, I let him teach me, his hands falling to rest on my hips while he lounged back and let me play. I had to be putting his lap to sleep at this point but he didn’t complain.
“Your friends seem nice,” I said, passive about it but it was true. They did seem nice and not crazy like I believed they might be. I mean, they came to his rescue after what happened with Bryce. No questions asked.
“They’re all right.” He said this, but I definitely heard the smile to his voice. He played with the hem of my shirt, which happened to be his. “Royal asked about how you were doing. And he did remember you from when we were kids once I reminded him.”
And how could I forget him? I nodded, the one who held down that dog while Knight crushed its head in. That little blond boy back then seemed like a far cry different from the guy here today. He completely doted over December. But then again, Knight was acting different too.
His hands at my hips while he helped teach me his game, he truly was hot and cold. To the point where it was scary sometimes even. My little man died on the screen, and Knight thought it best we not play anymore since the crew was coming. He put my controller down, but didn’t let me go, his hand still full of my thigh. He tapped his ring against my skin, a gorilla’s mouth on it.
“I noticed December wore one of these around her neck,” I said. He lifted his hand and let me observe it, the thing really scary and so angry. “What is it?”
“Doesn’t mean much around here, but it does,” he stated, watching me study it. “Half the guys in this frat wear them. It’s called a King ring and represents a brotherhood from my hometown. December wears Royal’s. He gave it to her when they started dating. As kids, us guys got them in high school, like a fraternity thing but not in college. Doesn’t mean as much as it used to. At least to me.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Because this little ring has made some of the men in my town do some horrible things, power related.” He shook his head. “It even got one of my friends killed.”
“Jesus.” Chills down my arms, Knight’s expression
