Page 8 of Anchored To You

After making it through the bonfire and the initial weeks of school, I started to get my footing underneath me, but the school year still wasn't easy. School doesn't come easy to me. What usually takes one student a small number of times of reading to understand, will take me twice or three times as much. Plus, not only trying to keep up with all of my classes but also making sure that I'm keeping up with all things baseball. The practices are brutal, and it took me a while to figure it all out.

Blowing out a breath, I shake my head as the elevator door opens and I step off. Damn, if I thought last year was tough, this one is going to be worse. Not only will I still have my classes and baseball, but now I'm trying to add a job on top of that. Which fuck reminds me I need to go by the places around campus and see if any are hiring part-time employees. I guess that'll be my goal for tomorrow. I'd better enjoy tonight while I can before life takes over again.

Exiting the dorms, I head down the cobblestone path, following the crowds of students who are walking toward the forest. On my left, a huge centaur is strolling with this gorgeous vampire with violet hair. She's talking animatedly while he's laughing hard. On my right, there's a spiderling in his true form. There aren't many times when I've seen a spiderling, as they're usually in their human shape, so it's wild to see one moving toward the woods. He's massive; his long legs taking one step to my every ten.

I'm reaching the entrance to the forest when Wyatt comes running up to me. "Hey man, glad you could make it."

"I had a feeling that if I didn't show up, you guys wouldn't let me live it down. And I'd rather not deal with all that bullshit," I joke, fist-bumping him. "Where's Chris?" Chris and Wyatt are two peas in a pod. Wherever one is, the other isn't far behind.

"He's already at the bonfire. He wanted to set up the beer pong table early. Which yes, I'm going to make you play. Don't even try to make an excuse."

I raise my hands in surrender and laugh loudly. "I didn't even say anything."

"You might not have said something, but you were thinking it."

He's right. I was already trying to think of excuses to get out of it. Wyatt and I head farther into the forest until finally the bonfire comes into view. It's similar to last year; tons of students all around the bonfire. Other students surround the area, drinking and playing games. My gaze drifts over to the river, a fin catching my attention. For a second I think it's Talon until I see the fin is bright pink and a woman appears. My heart, which was beating a million miles a minute, slows down, realizing it's not him.

I don't know why I still think of him a year later. It was only one night. But I know that if my life had been different, I would have tried to reach out to him. His smile was infectious, and if there was something in my life I regretted, it would be that I didn't keep in touch with him.

I put my hands into my pockets, surveying the surrounding scene. I'm in a funk now and want to leave as soon as possible. Which is stupid, right? I should want to have fun, but now all I can think about is having to find a job, classes start on Monday, baseball is making me so damn tired, and that I could have had a chance with this handsome mermaid and I let that slip through my fingers.

"Earth to Beck," Wyatt says, waving his hands in front of my face. I have no idea how long he's been trying to get my attention, but by the exasperated look on his face, I can guarantee it was more than once.

"Hmm?"

"I was saying my friend doesn't have a partner for beer pong. Do you mind partnering up with him?"

"Uh, I don't know, man-" I say, trying to think of any excuse to get out of it.

"No. No excuses,” he tells me, not letting me off that easily. Damn it.

"Fine," I relent, rolling my eyes playfully. "But if I lose, then that's it. No forcing me to play another round."

"What a party pooper. Anyway, this is my friend-"

"Talon," I cut him off when Talon steps into view.

Fuck, he's more gorgeous now than last year. His teal hair is still the same, down to his shoulders and wavy, as though he just got done swimming in the river. Teal eyes stare back at me as his eyes widen, before giving me a quick once-over. My chest puffs up at the thought of him checking me out, but once our gazes meet again, his eyes are ice cold.

"We know one another," he tells Wyatt curtly, looking away from me.

"Oh, uh, um," Wyatt babbles, not sure what to say. He looks at me and I shrug my shoulders, not knowing what to say either.

It's clear from Talon's voice and posture that he doesn't even want to look in my direction. Fuck, that hurts. But to be honest, I don't blame him. I did disappear after telling him I would text him back.

"How have you been?" I ask, trying to get him to talk to me.

“Fine,” he says, taking a step away from us.

I look over at Wyatt, who widens his eyes and glances between Talon and me. I'm giving him pleading help me eyes, but he either doesn't understand what I'm trying to say, or he doesn't care.

"Alright, you both are up first. You're going against me and Hannah. And don't worry, we won't' go easy on you."

Talon doesn't look at me, just passes ‌me and heads over to the table. He talks to this beautiful blonde girl with green eyes. She keeps her gaze on me while Talon whispers in her ear. Her eyes sharpen as she nods her head, her gaze quickly turning to Wyatt, a wordless conversation flowing between them. I watch as she sways over to Wyatt, placing her hand on his chest.

"I'm going to team up with Tal for this game. And then you can have me all to yourself later."

"But-" his words get cut off when she kisses him roughly, their tongues tangling with one another.