THE DAY began like any other Friday for Sophia. She attended her classes, completed her work, and then got ready for the game with Lillian and Jasmyne in their dorms.

Last year, the girls bought a shit-ton of Michigan apparel for game days. They had plenty to spare for Jasmyne since she was a freshman without any Michigan gear. The trio sported Michigan tube tops, with Lillian wearing a vibrant yellow, Sophia in a cool blue, and Jasmyne in a crisp white. Completing their outfits, they all wore jeans as their bottoms.

"Where the hell are my Converse?" Lillian cursed, looking around the room. Meanwhile, Sophia helped Jasmyne with her makeup as she aimed to make an impression on Mark. "Check the closet, babe," Sophia casually directed Lillian.

"I checked the closet," Lillian said, walking over and opening it. "Look around more," Sophia sighed. Lillian groaned, carefully navigating the closet's contents, and sifting through shoes and boots. "I told you, Sophia, they aren't—oh." Sophia grinned and turned to Lillian. "Find them?" she asked.

"Shut up," Lillian said, grabbing her white Converse. "Are you almost ready?" she asked, walking over to the two. "Yep," Sophia backed away from Jasmyne. "What do you think?" she asked Lillian.

Lillian examined Jasmyne's makeup, impressed with Sophia's work. Jasmyne was naturally beautiful, but Sophia had enhanced her attractiveness while maintaining her natural look. Jasmyne smiled, waiting for Lillian's response.

"Well damn, if Mark doesn't want you, I'll take you," she said, making Jasmyne laugh.

"Is it too much?" Jasmyne asked, studying herself in the mirror.

"Babe, you look beautiful," Sophia reassured her. "Yeah, you do." Lillian chimed in. Jasmyne turned to Lillian, exchanging a smile.

Sophia felt happy seeing her two friends bonding, Jasmyne was happy to be so warmly welcomed into their friendship, and Lillian was happy she was finally starting to open up more.

Little did the three girls know what tonight held in store for the entire friend group.

Sophia's phone suddenly buzzed, and she checked it to find a message from Ethan saying he was out front. "Ethan's here," Sophia smiled.

"Remember our deal," Lillian reminded Sophia. "What deal?" Jasmyne asked, curious.

"If I try and give Luca a chance, then she has to open up to Ethan more," Lillian explained. "Yes, yes, I remember the deal. Can we go now?" Sophia asked.

"Someone's excited to leave. I wonder why?" Lillian teased as the three walked out of the dorm. "I just don't want Ethan to wait a long time," Sophia said. "Sure," Jasmyne chuckled.

The girls walked outside towards Ethan's car. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon, where a gentle breeze infused the air with warmth. Sophia gracefully took the passenger seat, and the two friends settled in the back. "Thanks for the ride," Sophia said with a smile as she secured her seatbelt. "No problem," Ethan replied.

"Hey, ladies," he greeted, turning to face them. "Hey," they responded, and then he turned back to Sophia. "Ready?" She grinned, placing her hand over his on the center console. "Yep," she said.

______

FOOTBALL GAMES were one of the many highlights of attending the University of Michigan. The electrifying atmosphere and lively post-game parties added an extra layer of excitement. Sophia wasn't a heavy drinker but she embraced the fun. On the other hand, Lillian tended to get horny when intoxicated. Sophia vividly remembered catching her making out with someone from the football team in the bathroom last year. Lillian claims it never happened but that's because she was so fucked up to even remember.

Sophia carried a sense of confidence about tonight. She's ready to open up to Ethan and make her feelings more apparent. Yet, a subtle unease lingered in her stomach, getting worse as the party got closer. Despite this gut feeling, she brushed it aside as they made their way through the stadium, joining the student section and reuniting with the rest of the group.

"The ladies have arrived," Duke declared. "Hi to you too, Duker," Ethan playfully responded, rolling his eyes. Taking their seats, Ethan and Sophia found themselves side by side just as Luca, sporting a blue Michigan tank top and a face painted in yellow and blue, joined them.

Sophia chuckled at Luca's appearance. "Luca, you've got a little something on your face," she teased. Luca rolled his eyes. "I'm getting into the school spirit. This is my first Michigan football game," he responded.

Lillian approached Luca with a playful grin. "Nice to finally meet my stalker," she said. Luca turned to her, chuckling, "Still funny, I see." Lillian smiled. "Told you," she said.

As Luca and Lillian engaged in conversation, Ethan turned to Sophia. "Want a drink?" he offered. "Sure, get me a tea," she replied, pulling out a five-dollar bill from her draped Lululemon bag across her chest. "It's fine, I got it," he insisted, standing up and walking away.

Mark turned to Jasmyne, initiating a conversation. "So, is this everything you thought it would be?" he asked. "It's definitely not a letdown. I've always heard that these games are hyped up," Jasmyne replied.

"They are, especially when we get a touchdown. Lillian and Luke do their handshake, and Duker and Mackie's chest bump each other," Mark explained. "I can handle chest bumps and handshakes, but if someone sprays water on me, that's where I draw the line," Jasmyne declared, making Mark chuckle.

This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for, the perfect moment that he waited for since the day he helped her move into her dorm. Finally, the words flowed effortlessly. "Do you want to grab lunch tomorrow?" he asked. Jasmyne turned to Mark in surprise. "Are you asking me out on a date?" she smirked. "If you want it to be a date, then yes. If you want it to be just friends getting lunch together, then no."

Mark genuinely didn't mind whether this was a date or not; all he wanted was her company and the chance to enjoy a good time together.

"Alright," Jasmyne said. "it's a date." With a quick turn back to the ongoing game, she lightly tapped Sophia on the shoulder. Sophia, in response to the gesture, turned around to meet Jasmyne's gaze. A grin appeared on Jasmyne's face as she raised a thumbs up, and Sophia reciprocated with both hands forming a thumbs-up gesture, accompanied by a warm smile.

Ethan returned with the drinks just as the Wolverines scored a touchdown. "Just in time," he chuckled, handing Sophia her sweet tea. "Thanks again," she smiled. "Of course," Ethan shrugged.

As Ethan settled into the seat beside Sophia, she couldn't help but notice the small gap between them. She looked up at him to see he was engrossed in a conversation with Rutger so she slowly inched closer until their thighs touched. Pausing his conversation, Ethan glanced at her with a smile, causing Sophia's cheeks to flush. Quickly, she turned her gaze back to the field, focusing on the ongoing game.

"You know who's hot?" Lillian said, taking a seat beside Sophia. "Who?" Sophia chuckled. "Our quarterback," Lillian grinned. "JJ McCarthey?" Ethan asked, looking confused. "Yes, I stalk his Instagram every day," Lillian confessed. "Who's JJ McCarthey?" Jasmyne asked. "Oh, girl, we've got to get you a list of all the rosters at this school," Lillian chuckled.

"Yeah, half the sports rosters are her rosters," Sophia said, earning a playful hit to the shoulder from Lillian. "I'm offended," Lillian said. "She's not wrong," Ethan chimed in. "Don't make me hit you too, Edwards," Lillian warned.

"Yeah, well, live it up now, Lilly, 'cause soon you're gonna be spending your Fridays in an ice arena watching boys fight over a puck," Sophia teased. "We do not fight over pucks," Mackie protested.

"You literally do. You boys have physically picked fights with players just because you can't get the puck," Sophia pointed out.

"'Cause that's how you win the game, Sophia," Mark explained. "Okay, Mr. 87 penalties," Sophia said, making the group laugh.

"Wait, you have 87 penalties?" Jasmyne asked, curious. "That's crazy," she laughed.

"So, Lucas, what made you paint your face?" Lillian asked. "That nickname isn't going away." Luca chuckled. "Nope. Now, answer the question. I'm curious." Lillian insisted. "It's my first Michigan game, and I wanted to go all out. You don't like it?" Luca explained. "Nope." Lillian smiled. "I love it."

As Lillian turned her attention back to the game, a subtle smile appeared on Luca's face. If she was honest with herself, Lillian couldn't deny that she found Luca quite attractive. He's been nothing but nice to her and it felt like he genuinely wanted to know her better. Thoughts of her father crossed her mind, but as Sophia wisely pointed out, Luca wasn't her dad. Luca was just Luca.

_____

AFTER THE Wolverines won their first football game of the season, Sophia and her friends made their way to the guy's house for the party. In Luke's room, Sophia had stashed three outfits for them to change into after arriving. Their first destination after the quick change was the fridge, where they eagerly grabbed their first drinks of the night.

As the night went on, a growing crowd of people joined the party. Despite the amount of people, the group decided to stick together. The boys cautioned the girls against wandering off and finding themselves in a bathroom, engaged in make-out sessions with strangers. Lillian couldn't help but roll her eyes in response as that remark was targeted towards her.

Sophia was having fun and enjoying the night—relaxing with friends, unwinding after a week of classes, and engaging in games with the guys. As the group decided to play beer pong, Ethan stood beside Sophia, and she casually brushed her arm against his.

Although Sophia had initially made a pinkie promise to Lillian about making subtle moves on Ethan, the influence of a few drinks found her making more moves than she had anticipated.

Ethan shot a smirk in Sophia's direction, casually wrapping his arm around her waist while raising his glass. "Are we all familiar with the rules?" he teased. "We know how to play beer pong, Edwards; we're not losers." Lillian rolled her eyes. Ethan lifted his cup. "May the best team win," he said, taking a sip from whatever was in his red solo cup.

As the game went on, Sophia couldn't help but notice how Ethan's eyebrows furrowed when he focused. She noticed his fingers running through his curly hair after each shot, and the victorious pump of his fist every time he scored.

Ethan, on the other hand, couldn't help but notice that Sophia clapped her hands together whenever she made a shot. During the opposing team's turn, he noticed her twirling her long, blonde hair while she waited. Her eyes sparkled with competitive spirit, and Ethan found himself captivated, his gaze drifting from her eyes to her lips. As they awaited Lillian or Luke's shots, he subtly rested his hand on hers.

That night, the two realized something: they both longed for the warmth and connection found in each other's touch.

"Hey, guys," Kayla greeted, strolling over to the group. With her hair pulled back in a ponytail and dressed in a white crop top paired with jeans, it seemed as if Sophia's tipsy, carefree, and competitive aura faded the moment Kayla stepped into the light.

"Kayla," Ethan withdrew his hand from Sophia's, causing her heart to sink a little. "What are you doing here?" he asked, approaching her. "I was invited. I hope it's okay that I showed up," Kayla explained. "Yeah, it's fine," Ethan responded. "Cool. Um, will you show me where the drinks are?" Kayla asked. "Uh, sure," Ethan agreed.

As Ethan left, it felt as though a piece of Sophia left with him. The bubbly, tipsy, and fun girl from moments ago transformed into the complete opposite. "Uh, it was his turn," Lillian scoffed. Rutger walked over to Sophia. "I can fill in if that's okay with you?" Sophia nodded and managed a smile, replying, "Yeah, that's fine."

Rutger nodded, grabbing a ping pong ball, but Sophia's thoughts had shifted from the game to whatever Ethan and Kayla were doing. Does he still like her? Of course, he still likes her, look at her. Sophia's mind filled with a bunch of thoughts, yet they were interrupted by Luke's successful shot, prompting cheers and a high five between him and Lillian. "Drink up, Sophia," Lillian chuckled.

Sophia glanced at her drink, quickly grabbed the red solo cup, and downed the beer in an attempt to drown her emotions.

Meanwhile, Ethan guided Kayla to the kitchen, where he pointed out the drinks. "This place hasn't changed," Kayla said, retrieving a white claw from the fridge. Leaning against the counter, Ethan responded, "Yeah." Kayla chuckled. "You don't have to act awkward around me, Ethan," she reassured. He shifted his stance and put his hands in his pockets. "Why are you here, Kayla?" he asked.

Kayla sighed and lifted her gaze to meet Ethan's. "I'm here because I was invited," she explained. "By who?" Ethan asked. "One of your teammates," she replied. "Mackie."

"Mackie invited you? Damnit, I'm going to kill him," Ethan muttered. Kayla chuckled, "He invited me because we're friends, Ethan, not because of you." Her words left Ethan's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Oh."

"I'm over you, Ethan. I have been," Kayla said. "So...do you like Mackie or something?" Ethan questioned. "Maybe," Kayla shrugged. "Still figuring out my feelings," she added. "So you're not here for me?" Ethan asked. "I am not here for you," Kayla confirmed.

Ethan nodded. "So, are you and Sophia finally together?" Kayla asked, setting her drink down on the island. "What? No," Ethan responded. Kayla hummed and shrugged. "What?" Ethan asked. "When are you finally going to admit you have feelings for that girl?" Kayla asked. "She's just a really good friend," Ethan insisted. "Stop gaslighting yourself, Ethan," Kayla said.

"I'm not gaslighting myself," Ethan defended. Kayla's words stunned him into silence. "You like her, but you're forcing yourself to think you don't because of Mark's rule. Does that sound right?" she asked. Ethan remained speechless. "That's what I thought, Ethan. Mark can't control your life or Sophia's. It's obvious you both like each other, so I think you should go for it. Don't let her get away," Kayla advised, grabbing her drink and walking away.

"You think Sophia likes me?" Ethan asked. Kayla turned around. "That girl is head over heels for you, Ethan. She looks at you like you're the only man in the room. It's time you see that," she stated, then walked away.

Ethan thought for a moment. Throughout the night, Sophia had been closer than usual to him tonight, casually closing the distance between them, her arm brushing against his, and resting her hand on top of his. All signs pointed to yes, yet the truth lingered in his fear of the potential consequences. He found himself gaslighting his own emotions, convincing himself that any feelings toward Sophia were nonexistent.

He knew he couldn't fool himself forever. Her smile, her voice, her texts—everything she did made him totally crazy. If she were the sun, he'd want to bask in her warmth every day. The more he tried not to like her, the more he fell for her because no matter what she did, he just couldn't stop liking her.

So, he knew what he had to do.

Ethan returned to the dining room, where the beer pong game was still going on. As he entered, he came to an abrupt stop, captivated by the sight of Sophia and Rutger standing side by side. Her laughter echoed in the room by something Rutger had said. Her eyes sparkled, and her cheeks glowed with that familiar tipsy pink.

"Glad you could grace us with your presence, Edwards," Lillian said, prompting Sophia to pause in her conversation with Rutger and turn toward Ethan. Rutger's gaze on Sophia mirrored Ethan's. Rutger had feelings for Sophia, just as Ethan did. It traced back to the moment he laid eyes on her. But, Ethan had known Sophia longer.

Ethan's gaze remained on Sophia from the moment he stepped into the room. "Uh, yeah, sorry," he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Rutger was just filling in for you," Luke explained. Rutger, sensing the shift, stepped away from Sophia. Ethan shook his head. "It's cool; you can keep playing. I was planning to head up to my room anyway."

"You do you," Lillian said, turning back to the table. Ethan looked at Sophia one last time before making his way to his room. Sophia knew Ethan was upset; she knew him like the back of her hand. He had no reason to be upset—he left with Kayla, and with no partner for Sophia, Rutger had kindly offered. Yet, Ethan's demeanor suggested he felt she had done something wrong.

"I'll be right back," Sophia declared, walking after Ethan until they reached his door. Although hesitant, she followed her instinct and decided to open it. A sigh escaped her lips as she revealed Ethan sitting on his bed, scrolling through his phone.

"What's your problem?" she asked, uncertain if her lingering upset was genuine or a side effect of the alcohol coursing through her system. "Huh?" Ethan asked, playing dumb. "Why are you upset?" she asked, crossing her arms. "I'm not," he responded, sitting up.

He was being hostile to her; he was never hostile to her. He was always open with her so she knew something was definitely wrong with him. "You're upset because I partnered with Rutger, aren't you?" He attempted to explain but she cut him off. "You left with Kayla, Ethan. We were in the middle of the game, and you just left with her."

"She wanted to know where the drinks were. It would've been rude if I said no," Ethan explained. "Still, you have no right to be upset. I needed a partner, and Rutger volunteered." Sophia explained. "That's the thing. Rutger volunteered." Ethan said. "So? What's wrong with Rutger?" Sophia asked, confused. Ethan stood up, towering over her. "Nothing, besides the fact that he likes you."

"He's a friend, and why do you care anyway? So what if Rutger likes me," Sophia said. "You can't date him, Sophia." Ethan firmly stated. "Who the hell are you to tell me who I can't date? You're my friend, Ethan, not my brother." Sophia said, annoyed.

"Friend," Ethan mumbled to himself, chuckling. "What?" Sophia asked, annoyed. "Nothing," Ethan replied. "I don't know why you're so mad at me hanging out with Rutger when you're skipping off with Kayla to god knows where while I'm-"

They say when you're possessed, you lose control and don't know where you are. However, Ethan Edwards was fully aware of his actions and surroundings as he gently cupped Sophia's face, planting a soft kiss on her lips.

Sophia found herself on cloud nine, losing track of time during the kiss—uncertain if it lasted five seconds or five minutes. The details of her surroundings and the topics she had been rambling on about faded away. The party, Kayla, and the reason for her frustration with him were all forgotten at that moment.

As the kiss ended, the two pulled apart, locking eyes until Ethan drew her back in, this time with heightened passion. Sophia responded eagerly, wrapping her hands around his neck. This was exactly how Sophia pictured. Ethan tasted like strawberry White Claws, and he kissed her as if she were a goddess.

He pressed her against the wall beside his door, his hands sliding down to her waist. His kisses traced a path to her neck, making Sophia make little soft sounds as he delicately sucked on her skin.

A knock came on the door. "Ethan? You in there?" Sophia's eyes widened, recognizing the voice as if it were her own. Ethan stopped kissing on her neck, quickly covering her mouth with his hand. "Yeah, I'm in here," Ethan responded. Sophia had a worried and scared expression; the last thing they wanted was to get caught five minutes after their first kiss.

"Can I come in?" Mark asked. Sophia shook her head. "Yeah, hold on." Ethan leaned in closer to Sophia's face. "Go into the bathroom and don't come out until I tell you," he whispered. Sophia nodded and quickly ran towards the bathroom. Once she was safely inside, Ethan opened the door, allowing Mark to enter. "Hey," Ethan greeted, facing the brother of the woman he had just been kissing.

"Hey, bro. I need to ask you something," Mark said as he entered the room. Sophia could hear their conversation from inside the bathroom. "Yeah, go ahead," Ethan responded, settling into his bean bag. "Okay, so Jasmyne. What do you think about her?" Mark asked. "I think she's a great girl," Ethan replied.

"She is," Mark acknowledged, taking a seat next to him. "So what's the problem? You wouldn't have come to me if you didn't have a problem." Ethan said. Mark hesitated. "I don't know. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I like her, and I don't want to mess it up."

"You're not gonna mess it up, man," Ethan assured. "I asked her out to lunch tomorrow, and she said yes." Mark shared. "Well, that's good," Ethan responded. "I'm scared I'm gonna say the wrong thing," Mark admitted. "You must really like this girl, huh?" Ethan smiled. Mark chuckled, "You have no idea. I want this to go well." Ethan stood up. "Just be yourself, man. She's not worth it if she doesn't like the real you."

Mark nodded and rose from his seat. "Yeah, thanks, man. This helped," he expressed. Ethan nodded in response. "Of course. Now, go back out. She's probably waiting for you," he advised. "Thanks," Mark said, walking toward the door. "Oh, also, have you seen my sister?" he added, turning around.

Ethan quickly shook his head. "Nope," he lied, "haven't seen her." Mark nodded. "Well, if you see her, let me know," he said. "I will," Ethan agreed before Mark walked out, closing the door behind him.

When the coast was clear, Ethan opened the bathroom door to find Sophia looking around the room. Chuckling, he leaned against the doorframe. "What are you doing?" Sophia paused and met his gaze. "Snooping," she admitted with a shrug.

Ethan smirked and approached her. "Now," he placed his hand on her waist, "where were we?" Sophia smiled, planting a kiss on Ethan's lips. "I would say about there," she replied. Ethan chuckled, deepening the kiss. Sophia pulled away. "As much as I would love to keep doing this, we should get downstairs. My brother was already looking for me."

"But kissing is so fun," Ethan said, his hands tracing up and down her waist. "But getting caught isn't fun. Come on," Sophia laughed, grabbing his hand and guiding him out of his room. "Just act like everything's cool," she advised. "Yeah," Ethan nodded. "Act like we weren't just sucking each other's faces," he smirked, earning an elbow in the chest from Sophia. "Ow," he exclaimed. "How dare you," he playfully protested.

Sophia found her friends near the kitchen island engaged in a conversation. Meanwhile, Ethan walked off to find his teammates. "There she is," Jasmyne said. "I hope you know that because you left, that automatically means your team forfeited, so me and Luke won." Lillian chimed in. Sophia didn't respond; instead, she just grinned. "What?" Jasmyne asked.

"I have so much to tell you guys,"

END OF CHAPTER

AHH IT FINALLY HAPPENED SLUTS AND WHORES!!

ik this chapter was long but it was worth it.

you're very welcome for feeding you with this chapter. no crumbs were left 🫡

as always live laugh love the Michigan Wolverines 🫶🏻