Just One of the Guys
Thirty

Knox

Pulling up to Berkshire school, I scan the sea of students ambling about the courtyard but don't see her. *Damn it!*

Shifting the truck into park, I rock the key back and turn off the engine.

Guess I'm gonna have to go around asking if anyone knows where I can find her.

After getting out of the truck, shutting the door behind me, I make a beeline for a group of guys standing just off the walkway leading up to the school.

If there's anyone who can give me the answers I'm looking for, it'd be the guys.

If not, they should be able to direct me towards her friends who can hopefully help me.

"Hey guys," I greet as I approach them, gaining their attention.

As they all turn around to where I'm standing, I notice that one of them is the point guard for their basketball team. "Got a second?" I ask.

"Dude? What are you doing this way?" the point guard asks.

Guess he recognized me too.

"Shit, games gonna be a piece of cake tonight with you out," he states.

He gives one of the guys next to him five, laughing at what they think is their good fortune.

Snorting my opinion on that, I pull out my phone and bring up the picture of Averi that I snapped when she wasn't paying attention one day when we were together and turn it towards them. "Have you guys seen this girl? Her name is Averi." "No, but I wish I did," one of them says as he moves out of the way for the next guy to take a look.

"Man, you wish. You wouldn't know what to do with a girl like that. You'd cum in your pants in .3 seconds," another says but gives a shake of his head.

The point guard steps up and looks, then shakes his head. "Nah, man, sorry. She's definitely hot, I'd remember a face and rack like that. Maybe ask some of the girls?"

Their sexist comments make me angry, but my concern overrides everything else.

*Damn it, Averi*.

*Where are you?*

*What in the bloody hell is going on?*

"Thanks," I mutter, heading past several people, showing them her picture, and getting the same response as I make my way towards a few girls sitting on the steps leading into the school.

The skinny blonde sees me coming in their direction, her eyes bug out, and then she's whispering something to her friends, both peeking over in my direction before going back to giggling and whispering whatever it is they're talking about. "Ladies," I say, looking at each one and shooting them a smile, "I've got a problem that I'm needing a little help with. Do you think you could help me out?"

The busty redhead takes me in from head to toe and back again, biting her bottom lip in appreciation.

"I'd love to lend a hand and help you with whatever you need," she says. Her words are full of suggestion, leaving no doubt as to what she's inferring. Smirking, I pull the picture of Averi back up to see if they even know her.

*Sorry to burst your bubble, but this one has my hands full enough as it is.*

"Have any of you ladies seen her before?" I move the phone in front of each of their faces, letting them get a good look at her and watch their facial expressions as they each take in the picture.

The redhead's face is full of nothing but disgust as she rolls her eyes and shakes her head no and says, "Nope. Sorry." The tone of her voice indicates that really, she's anything but sorry.

The blonde and brunette both also shake their heads no, the blonde's face showing indifference, the brunette sympathy.

"Who is she?" the brunette asks. "I mean, why are you looking for her here?"

*I'm beginning to wonder the same thing myself.*

"Her name is Averi. I thought she went to school here, but I guess I was wrong. Thanks for your time," I say as I turn around to head back to my truck, confusion, and frustration beginning to outweigh my concern. "You know where to find me if you change your mind," the redhead calls to my retreating back.

Chuckling, I shake my head and continue on my way.

Pulling up Averi's contact, I try calling her again.

Straight to voicemail.

*Dammit!*

**Knox: Averi, please get back with me. I'm really worried about you.**

Leaving the parking lot, I glance in my rearview watching as Berkshire Prep gets smaller the more distance that I put between the school and myself.

*Something isn't adding up, I just can't figure out what it is.*

I know that she wasn't just some figment of my imagination. I have our text conversations and the picture I took to prove it. My damn bed still smells like her. It's not like I was cat-fished because I actually met her. Hell, we had sex last night, and it was bloody amazing. The best I've ever had. I thought we'd had a connection but then she freaked out, throwing around accusations about me using her as just a piece of ass, which hurt. I thought she knew how I felt about her, what she meant to me.

*Who in the bloody hell is this girl?*

*Is her name really even Averi?*

*Was any of what we've shared over the past several weeks real?*

The LCD screen for the radio lights up, Colt's name displayed on it.

"Hey," I say upon answering, feeling defeated. Hell, I don't even sound like myself.

"You okay, man? Where are you?" Colt asks.

I can tell he's concerned, and I really bloody appreciate it.

"I'm heading back. Had to check something out but it was a bust." *That's putting it mildly, I feel like this girl has completely wrecked me and I don't even know if any of it was really real.*

*I know it was for me.*

"You went looking for her, didn't you?" he asks, knowing me too well.

When I don't say anything, he heaves a huge sigh. "Did you find her?" "I really don't want to bloody talk about it, man," I reply.

Colt takes it in stride, he knows that I'll talk when I'm ready. I've just gotta get my head wrapped around this mind-fuck.

"You gonna make it to school? We could really use you out on the court tonight?"

*Shit!* I swear silently.

If the coach decides to be a wanker tonight, he'll bench me for missing, if he's had a good day, I may stand a chance of still getting to play tonight.

"Yeah, sorry mate. I should be there just as lunch is over. Hopefully, that will be long enough for the coach to let me still play."

Tonight's game is a big one for us. Not only are they our rivals, the winner getting bragging rights, but it's a home game. No one wants to lose on their own turf, plus Berkshire's point guard will no doubt tell the rest of the team that I'm benched tonight. They will be hard to beat as it is, if I'm not in there, our shot at winning goes down big time.

"Just...hurry. And, I'm sorry man."

Colt hangs up, the line going dead before I get to say anything in return.

I crank the radio up, some old-school Nirvana blasting through the speakers as I try to drown out thoughts of a blue-eyed, dark-haired goddess with the body that would tempt even a saint.

Just as I'm entering Endover city limits, a guy on the side of the road with his hood up, his old beater smoking like a motherfucker, flags me down.

Unable to drive past without making sure that he doesn't need help, I make a U-turn and pull up behind a barely recognizable Chevy Nova. This car should have been treasured, not treated like a piece of trash.

"Can I help you?" I ask, stepping out of my truck and up to the man who looks to be in his late forties or early fifties. The guy has jet-black hair, bright blue eyes, and is almost as tall as I am, as well, thick as fuck. He may be getting up there in age, but he doesn't look like he misses a single day in the gym.

"You gotta phone I can use to call a tow truck? Mine's dead and there's no way I'll be driving Nova here anywhere."

He gives me a smile that gives me the creeps, making me wonder what kind of darkness lurks just beneath this dudes' exterior. He gives off an air of danger that's causing my fight or flight instincts to kick in.

"Yeah, sure," I say, handing him my phone and hoping to get this over quickly so I can get away from him and back to school.

He talks to someone and hangs up, handing the phone back to me.

"Thanks, bud. Tow truck should be here in fifteen," he tells me.

Giving him a nod of acknowledgment, I pocket my phone.

"Sorry but I uh, I gotta get back to school..." I say, cringing as he rakes his eyes over me as if I'm a fly that he could squish between his fingers.

"Go on, I'll be fine. Thanks for the phone."

Giving me that creepy grin again that makes my skin crawl, I turn around heading back to my truck. Opening the door, I hop in, throw it in reverse, make another U-turn and haul ass as fast as I can away from the creepy man with the dark hair sinister smile.