So much for her plan to stay out of his way.
Jealousy prickled over Matt’s skin as he stared at Hannah sidling up to the table, some douchey junior close beside her. Okay, fine, Coop wasn’t a douche. He was a nice guy. But he kept brushing his hand down Hannah’s back, and that made Matt want to rip his arms off and beat him with the bloody stumps.
Matt tried to keep his expression even, or at least stop staring at Coop touching Hannah, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away. She turned her head and met his gaze. Fuck.
He watched recognition, surprise, and confusion run across her face. Her eyes held his, like they were locked in some strange staring contest and the loser would forfeit something unknown but serious for looking away first.
Coop leaned down and spoke into her ear, and Matt’s fingers tightened around the glass in his hand. At least they weren’t at someone’s house drinking beer out of cans, or he’d be crushing it right now. The distraction of Coop speaking to her made Hannah look away first. But even though that should mean he won, he hadn’t. This staring contest had different rules, and her looking away first meant he lost because now her eyes weren’t on him.
The girl next to him leaned over and rubbed her breasts on his arm, clutching his bicep and tracing his tattoo where it peeked out from under the sleeve of his T-shirt. She whispered something in his ear, but he wasn’t paying attention.
He forced his eyes away from Hannah and turned to the girl next to him. Tracie? Trixie? No, Trish. Her name was Trish. She was one of the chicks who followed around the football team, hooking up with random players. For some reason she’d set her sights on him, seeming to want some kind of relationship beyond the one-off hookup they’d had. She’d started rubbing up against him whenever the opportunity presented itself late last semester. He hadn’t actively encouraged her, but hadn’t shut her down either. That seemed to be all the encouragement she needed.
And even thought he’d grown tired of playing around and wanted something lasting, Trish didn’t fit the bill. She was nice enough, he supposed, but she wasn’t … Hannah. And now that he’d seen Hannah again, no one else could possibly measure up.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” He was trying hard not to be an asshole but really didn’t have much patience for anyone right now. Not while some other dude had his hands all over Hannah.
Trish rolled her eyes, her lower lip poking out in a pout that she obviously intended to have some effect on him, but Matt didn’t know what it was supposed to be. Guilt? Attraction? Some combination of the two? When he just stared at her with a blank look on his face, she rolled her eyes.
“I asked if you wanna go dance.” Even over the noise of the group around them and the music playing loud enough to leave your ears ringing for hours after going home, he could hear the whiny tone in her voice. And he was done.
He shook his head and shrugged her off. “No, thanks. I don’t feel like dancing.” He gestured with his chin at Duncan. “Duncan would probably appreciate the offer, though. Especially if he gets more than just a dance. It’s his birthday, after all.”
She gave him a disgusted look and dropped her hands from his arm. The claustrophobic feeling that had dogged him since arriving lessened a little. It lifted completely when she stepped away and took his suggestion to chat up Duncan. He watched as Duncan threw an arm around her, enthusiastic about a pretty girl giving him attention. Especially a girl who never gave him the time of day during the season. She paid far more attention to the seniors than anyone else.
A familiar laugh brought his attention back to Hannah, who still stood talking to Coop, laughing at something he’d just said. Coop had all his attention directed at Hannah, like they were in their own little bubble, away from everyone else. Hannah seemed to be enjoying his attention. Matt forced himself to drink more of his beer, the liquid bitter on his tongue even though it had been smooth and refreshing a minute ago.
Turning away, he tried to lose himself in the conversations going on around him or watching the people on the dance floor. Anything to keep his mind off Hannah. It wasn’t working, though, and the longer he stayed, the more he wanted to leave. What had started off as a fun night out with friends, drinking and celebrating, had become irritating and boring.
Chris and Megan wandered up, sweaty and out of breath from dancing. Chris knocked into him, dragging the pitcher of beer and a glass closer to him. “Dude, did someone replace the beer with piss or something?” He eyed the pitcher dubiously, making a show of smelling it before pouring a glass for Megan and one for himself. “No, it looks alright and it smells like beer, so …” When Matt didn’t answer, Chris gulped down half his glass, Megan watching their interaction from his other side. “Seriously, dude. You’ve been moody like this off and on for the last week. What’s your deal? You seemed alright earlier. What happened?”
Matt shrugged, not answering, looking away from them and the picture of the happy couple they painted. They only needed Lance and Abby here sucking face to make him feel like more of a loser. The single guy. The third wheel.
Chris and Megan both stared at him while they finished their
