Playing The Bad Boy

Chapter Six

Jay’s POV

I let out a groan as I stretched my muscles, rubbing my face as I tried to work my way through the fog. I don’t usually drink too much at these parties, I like to stay in control but last night . . s**t, I can’t even remember last night.

I sat up, holding my banging head in my hands as I cursed all alcohol and its vicious afterbite.

Opening my eyes, I looked around me in confusion, this is not my room. The walls were pink, and the white furniture had a female feel to it. Had I hooked up with a girl last night? Was this her room?

I looked beside me, but the bed was empty, how the hell did I get here? Whose house was this?

Standing up, I found that I was butt naked, which confused me further, I liked to sleep in my boxers. Grabbing them off the floor, I pulled them on and walked to the door, pulling it open to reveal the hallway that was deserted. Walking toward the stairs, I looked down to find a familiar hallway. Ok, that answered that question, I was still at the sorority house, so whose room had I slept in?

Making my way back inside, I dropped onto the bed, really studying my surroundings, despite obviously having been furnished by a female, there were no personal effects of any kind in the room. Deducing that I was in a guest room I let out a sigh of relief, OK, someone had found me drunk off my ass and put me to bed in a spare room.

Standing up, I pulled on my jeans, shirt, and jacket before turning back to the bed and pulling off the blankets. Hey, I’m a bad boy, not an asshole, I’m not leaving the bed to be changed by one of the girls who live here, I’ll strip it myself and chuck it in the machine.

As the blankets fall off the bed, I frowned as I took in the few spots of blood that were on the bed sheet. Taking my jacket off, I checked my arms and torso for a cut, before undoing my jeans and checking my legs. Nope, not injured, so where the f**k did that come from?

Redressing, I pulled everything off the bed and I bundled it up in my arms before heading out of the room, descending the stairs and making my way through the kitchen to the garage where the washer and dryer were.

Throwing everything into the washer, I hesitated before I turned it on. Pulling out my phone, I dialed a number I knew by heart.

‘Jay, it’s like seven in the morning, why are you ringing me?’ came Cassidy’s tired voice.

‘He better be dying to ring at this time’ came Wade’s sullen voice beside her.

‘I need some washing advice’ I replied as I bit my lip.

The line went silent for a minute before my best friend’s incredulous voice came back through the speaker, ‘did you just say washing?’ she asked, her voice much more alert. ‘Since when do you do your own washing?’

‘Baby girl, focus!’ I groaned, ‘blood, can I just shove that in the machine as is? I kinda remember mum mentioning having to do something with blood on clothes before.'

‘Jay! Are you hurt? Where are you?’ Cassidy’s panicked voice filled my ear as rustling sounds came down the phone.

‘Calm down woman’ I hissed urgently, trying to keep my voice down so that I wouldn't attract attention ‘I’m fine, I just got a few spots of blood on my sheets and I need to know if I can just throw them in the machine or if I have to do something first?’

A deep breath came down the phone as my best friend grumbled something about my balls and a vice. ‘You need to get the blood out first Jay, with cold water. If you put them in without doing that, the blood will fix and you’ll never get it out.’

‘Ok, right’ I replied as I pulled everything out again and separated the sheet, carrying back into the kitchen toward the sink.

Running the tap, I placed my hand under the water until it was as cold as it would go before pushing the sheet under it.

‘f**k!’ I gritted out, as water ran over the dry fabric, straight over the side of the sink and down my jeans pulling a girly scream from my lips, f**k that was cold. Great, and now I look like I pee’d myself, thank you universe!

‘What?’ Cassidy demanded, through the phone nestled between my shoulder and cheek.

‘Umm, just spilled some water’ I lied as the denim clung uncomfortably to my legs.

‘Ok, look, just get the stain wet and then rub the material together’ Cassidy ordered. ‘Is there any dish soap or handwash?’ she added.

Looking up I find a half empty bottle of dish soap, ‘yeah, I got some’ I replied.

‘Good, once the stain seems to have lightened as much as possible, put some soap on it and rub the fabric together, that will help lift the last of the stain, then you can put it in the machine.

Following her instructions, I was relieved when the stain was barely noticeable, ‘thanks baby girl’ I murmured, carrying the wet sheet back into the garage.

‘Jay?’ she called out as I pushed it back into the drum with everything else’

‘Yeah?’ I asked.

A snort of laughter came out of the earpiece, ‘umm, do you even know how to use a washing machine?’ my best friend asked.

Picking up a bottle that sat on the shelf above me, I opened it, sniffing it hesitantly. It had a floral type scent, eyeing it suspiciously, I shrugged before tipping the bottle upside down and covered the bedding with it. Shutting the top, I looked over the dials, dread building up inside of me, I figured there would just be a button to press. Spotting the one that said start, I straightened up, ‘of course I do’ I replied firmly, ‘thanks for the help.’

Hanging up, I pressed my finger to the start button confidently and nothing happened. I pressed it again, still nothing, what the hell? Ramming my thumb against the button I swore under my breath as the machine stayed silent.

‘Hey bro’ came a tired voice behind me as a guy walked in without a shirt, looking around. ‘You seen a Hawaiian shirt anywhere? I think I took it off in here.’

I shook my head, ‘no sorry mate’ I replied before turning my attention back to the broken ass machine that I was sure had been sent to haunt my life.

‘Having trouble?’ the shirtless guy stepped up beside me, as I nodded.

‘I think it’s broken’ I replied.

Shirtless guy laughed, ‘nah dude, you just need to pick your program he said as he spun the dial in the centre and lights spun around the outside. ‘Now press start’ he said as he stood back.

Hitting the button, I waited a moment before the sound of water running could be heard. ‘Thanks’ I said, giving him a grateful smile, ‘I hope you find your shirt.'

The guy grinned, ‘me too’ he said, ‘it’s my favourite.’

Heading out of the sorority house, I kept my head down, not wanting to attract the attention of any of the girls that were now surfacing from their rooms. Hurrying outside, I pulled out my phone, bringing up the taxi app and ordering a ride back to my apartment.

I waited, hidden from view of the house, beside some tall bushes, tapping my foot impatiently until the car pulled up in front of me. Climbing in quickly I pulled on my seatbelt as I gave the young guy in the front my address.

‘Fancy pad’ the driver complimented as he pulled away, easing us down the road and toward the area that was mostly kids of very rich parents who could afford the rents instead of their offspring slumming it in dorms.

As we pulled up outside, I handed the man a healthy tip before clambering out and heading toward the front door of the building.

‘Master Jay’ the doorman greeted me with a tip of his hat.

‘Carlos’ I replied with grin, ‘how is Martha? And the boys?’

Carlos beamed, ‘they are good Master Jay, thank you. Philipe, he is star of the week at school.’

I couldn’t help smiling at the obvious pride that this man had in his family, and I felt that familiar tinge in my heart at what could have been mine if Katienne had wanted what I wanted.

Stamping down on the pain, I gave the doorman a thumbs up, ‘that is awesome’ I gushed, ‘next stop valedictorian!’

Carlos laughed, a deep booming sound that rolled around us, ‘he have many more years yet, Master Jay, he still only six’ he answered fondly, ‘but maybe one day, when he ready for college?’

I nodded vehemently, ‘I expect to see photos Carlos’ I ordered, pointing a finger at him, ‘when my boy Philipe blows away the competition, I want to see him on that podium making his speech.’

Wishing him a good day, I head inside, taking the elevator up to my floor and unlocking the door. Pushing it shut behind me, I sank down on the sofa, pulling my fingers through my hair, something nagging at me but I just couldn’t remember what.

‘A shower’ I muttered, ‘I need a damn shower!’

Heading to the bedroom, I stripped, throwing my clothes into the hamper for the housekeeper and walked through to my ensuite to turn the water on.

I washed everywhere, stripping my skin of the grime from the party, as I ran my hands over my arms, washing away the suds a memory flashed in my mind. Dark coloured hair, maybe a chestnut brown? and stunningly deep chocolate eyes, a hand running down my arm making me feel . . . something.

I closed my eyes, chasing the thoughts but they skittered away again, leaving me frustrated.

Aggressively turning off the taps and stepping out of the shower, staring into the fogged up mirror. I stilled again, angry, I had been angry last night, why was I angry? Instinctively my eyes flickered toward the bathroom door where my phone was charging on the night stand. She was the only person who made me angry, had she called me last night? Is that why I got so drunk?

Forcing myself to move, I swiped up my phone, opening it to the recent call log and scanned the list. Nope, my last received call had been Wade making sure that I was OK after Cass told him about my removal from class.

What the hell? Why had I been angry? Shaking my head, I strode into the bedroom, drying myself off and pulling on fresh clothes.

My phone pinged with a message, picking it up, I smiled, ‘hey nerd, don’t forget brunch, Cass will kill you if you try and blow us off.’ Wade’s name was at the top of the message, ever since we had arrived at College, Cassidy had insisted that we have Sunday brunch at a nearby diner. To begin with, it was, in her words, to get her two guys to make friends, but now it was just our routine and I was secretly glad that they still wanted to do this even though they were all loved up and living together.

Flying my fingers over the keyboard, I shot back ‘on my way' before pulling on some trainers and snatching up my wallet and keys. Wade and I would obviously have our weekly argument on who would pay and I knew it was his turn to win, but I still had to keep up the pretense that I was going to argue with him.

Since he had reconciled with his father and brother, Wade had been more willing to spend some of the money that Mr Jones lavished on both his sons. I swear the first time we had brunch, he had wanted to knock me out when I tried to insist on paying but we had found a middle ground where we took turns protesting whilst the other paid the bill.

Cassidy just rolls her eyes now and lets us get on with it, she also gets a decent allowance from my father, but as she said, our money both comes from the same place really so she doesn’t need to argue about paying with me and Wade just kisses her until she stops talking when she tries with him.

Hurrying out of the building, I wave to Carlos and run toward my car, the sky is an ominous grey colour and Wade had one rule. He would only teach me to ride if I swore that I would never get on the bike if the weather looked bad. I kept my promise, he’d been good enough to take the time to teach me and I know he didn’t want me to get hurt, so me and my bike only spent time together on sunny days.

Setting course for the diner, I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, that feeling in my mind was really getting to me, a tugging like I needed to remember something but I couldn’t quite get it to come forward so I could see what it was I had forgotten.