The Wrong Way: Hanson University: One

by McKenna Kerrick

  The Wrong Way

  By: McKenna Kerrick

  Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter One: Lila

  Chapter Two: Killian

  Chapter Three: Lila

  Chapter Four: Killian

  Chapter Five: Lila

  Chapter Six: Killian

  Chapter Seven: Lila

  Chapter Eight: Killian

  Chapter Nine: Lila

  Chapter Ten: Killian

  Chapter Eleven: Lila

  Chapter Twelve: Killian

  Chapter Thirteen: Lila

  Chapter Fourteen: Killian

  Chapter Fifteen: Lila

  Chapter Sixteen: Killian

  Chapter Seventeen: Lila

  Chapter Eighteen: Killian

  Chapter Nineteen: Lila

  Chapter Twenty: Killian

  Chapter Twenty-One: Lila

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Killian

  Chapter Twenty-Three: Lila

  Chapter Twenty-Four: Killian

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Lila

  Chapter Twenty-Six: Killian

  Chapter Twenty-Seven: Lila

  Chapter Twenty-Eight: Killian

  Chapter Twenty-Nine: Lila

  Chapter Thirty: Killian

  Chapter Thirty-One: Lila

  Introduction to The Wrong Girl

  Acknowledgements

  About This Book

  Copyright © McKenna Kerrick

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any means without the prior consent of the Publisher, except for brief quotes used in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, business establishments, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  For JD. And for the girls who fell in love with their best friend.

  Chapter One

  Lila

  I shouldn’t be here. There are rules. Specific rules that we had set up for a reason because our friendship needed them. This is what you get for being best friends with the All-American tight end at Hanson University.

  No, this is what I get for being a girl.

  Goodness.

  On the other side of the faded blue front door, a party was raging on. The football team had won their game, leading them further into their journey of staying undefeated for the past six years in a row. We were like De La Salle, except we weren’t a high school. And we hadn’t cleared their record. Yet.

  I shift on my feet. Our rules usually consisted of spending weekends apart. Not because Killian Blane didn’t want to see me, but because I tended to be a massive vagina-blocker when I wanted to be. So weekends we tended to do our own thing, so my manwhore of a best friend could get laid, and I wouldn’t interrupt that.

  Except it’s Saturday night and I’m standing on the porch in yoga pants and one of Killian’s old t-shirts he outgrew freshman year. My flip-flops are sticking to the beer-covered wood and making this awful suctioning sound.

  Before I can continue to procrastinate any longer, the door gets flung open and several people spill around me onto the porch. Some stumble down the front steps into the parking lot where several cabs are waiting, and some pause to light their cigarettes.

  “Lila?” a deep voice next to me balks.

  I wince. It’s not Killian, but one of his football buddies. “Hey, Ian.” I give a half-hearted wave in his direction.

  “What are you doing here?” Ian frowns.

  Okay, so it’s not like it’s common that I come to find Killian on the weekend. In fact, it’s usually highly unlikely that I come within ten yards of the football house unless absolutely necessary. And maybe this wasn’t necessary in Ian’s mind, but it was to me.

  “Lila,” Ian huffs.

  “Sorry,” I wince again. “Is Killian inside?”

  “You know he is.”

  “Can you get him for me?”

  Ian stops to look at me. I know what he’s looking at. My eyes are rimmed red and there’s probably still snot under my nose that I gave up on trying to clean because it just kept flowing. My red hair was shoved into the most disastrous messy bun to date. Yeah, I didn’t look good.

  “Please?” I whisper, feeling my bottom lip start to wobble again.

  “Shit,” Ian groans before stubbing out his cigarette. “Wait here.”

  His massive body shoves through the doorway and I let out a relieved breath. Killian will be here soon. If he’s not up to his neck in boobs that is. Five minutes pass before my best friend comes stumbling through the front door and almost runs me over in his haste.

  “Can we make this quick?” Killian’s southern drawl comes out. He’s not wearing a shirt, the full display of his body isn’t anything new to me, and I don’t stop to look either. But his jeans are unbuttoned and his underwear is showing which means Ian had to have interrupted him from getting his hanky panky on.

  “Sorry,” I flinch. Because now I feel ridiculous all over again.

  “Lila,” Killian blows out a deep breath and then freezes. He’s staring at my face, seeing what Ian saw moments ago. And it’s like watching his entire body go from flesh to steel as he steps closer to me and starts wrenching his head every which direction. “What the hell happened? Are you okay?” He curses a few times, still looking around like a threat it going to pop out of nowhere for him to attack.

  “It’s Jared,” I wheeze out. “He dumped me.”

  Killian’s entire frame stills again before he sags. “You’re joking.”

  I’m not sure if he’s mad at Jared or mad at me for that being the reason he’s not neck deep in boobs and alcohol. “No,” I shake my head.

  “When did this happen?”

  “Tonight, at dinner,” I huff. “He’s such an asshole!”

  Killian blinks his green eyes at me. It’s clear that I’m starting to get looks from people at the party, wondering what the hell is going on. “Come on,” he sighs, offering out his meaty hand. “You’re going to cry again and you’ll hate me for letting you cry in public.”

  “I don’t hate you, I hate him.”

  “I can see that, baby doll.”

  Killian leads me through the party. People part for him like he’s Moses parting the sea and then we’re climbing up the stairs. Ian’s standing at the landing, giving me a pitying look because holy hell, I’m pathetic for showing up here.

  The game room is empty except for a girl texting on her phone, sitting down in her jeans and bra. She looks pretty, but her movements are jerky like she’s had one too many shots. Her eyes shoot up when Killian doesn’t close the door and her coy smile slips from her face when she sees me.

  “I’m going to have to pick this up another time,” Killian sighs.

  “Seriously?” the girl gapes. Her eyes slide over to mine before she snatches up her shirt. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “I’ll call you,” is Killian’s response.

  I wonder if Blondey-McBoobs knows that he won’t. He’s not known for repeat performances around campus. And yet the ladies still come and try. Except me. I’ve known Killian since we were kids and just the thought of him claiming to have a “girlfriend” would probably cause me to die of laughter.

  “Alright,” Killian sighs as he flops down onto the couch. “Tell me about what happened.”

  “Jared dumped me.”

  “Why did he dump you?”

  “He…” I trail off and look over towards where the large television screen is in the room. I clear my throat and start again. “He doesn�
�t love me anymore.”

  “That’s not a reason.”

  “It’s his reason,” I frown. “Apparently I’m just not good enough.” I toss my hands in the air. “What does that even mean? I’m not good enough because I don’t like to do body shots with random people at a bar because STD’s are a thing? I’m sorry that I like having a clean health bill.”

  “So, he cheated on you?”

  “Yes,” I sneer. “Multiple times. He brought his new girl up to me and told me how extremely awkward it was that he forgot to dump me before moving on.”

  “Dick.”

  “Why are guys such assholes?” I demand, but keep rambling before Killian can say anything. “Is it really that hard to be monogamous in a relationship? If you don’t want to be monogamous then don’t ask someone to be your girlfriend! Why is that so fucking hard to understand?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Of course you don’t know,” I growl. “You’re just as bad as he is!”

  “Lila,” Killian’s voice strains. “I get you’re angry, you have every right to be. And if you want to lump every male out there in the world into the same pot for the moment to make yourself feel better, go for it. But don’t tell me I’m as bad as he is. I’m up front. I don’t lie or cheat.”

  “I know,” I sigh. “I just hate him.”

  “I’d be more concerned if you said you didn’t hate him.”

  “Is there something wrong with me?” I wipe under my nose again.

  “No,” Killian stands up and comes over to me. He wraps his arms around me and kisses the crown of my head. Something he’s done since he shot up six inches and towers over me. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re perfect just the way you are.”

  “I want to murder him.”

  Killian chuckles. “As appealing as that may be, law enforcement tends to frown upon those such things.”

  “I hate feeling like this,” I groan and yank away from him. “I hate being this girl. The girl that got too caught up in the guy that she couldn’t even tell when he didn’t want her anymore. And the girl that cries and ruins her best friend trying to bone some airhead to feel better.”

  “Thanks,” Killian deadpans. He runs his hand over his short brown hair. He’s one of the few people on the football team who keep it cropped close to their heads. I have no idea why, and I don’t particularly care. But it looks good on him.

  “I want to be like you.”

  That just earns me a look of complete and utter fear. “What do you mean you want to be like me?” he stresses.

  “Sleep around. Don’t get attached.” I wave my hands at his entire body. “Sex on a stick.”

  “You think I’m sex on a stick?”

  “I think you’re gross,” I frown and stick out my tongue. Jesus, he’s my best friend. I don’t like to entertain thoughts of him being sexy. I know he’s sexy, I’m not blind. I just choose to avert my eyes and call it a day.

  “You’re on a roll tonight,” he mutters. Killian walks around and scoops up his shirt, pulling it on and finally buttoning up his jeans. He snags the worn cowboy boots from off the floor and shoves his ginormous feet into them. “Come on, baby doll. You need a fix.”

  “I don’t want to drink,” I wrinkle my nose.

  “Not that kind of fix,” Killian frowns. “God, I’m not letting you near anyone in this fucking house. Let’s get you a milkshake so you can calm down.”

  It’s almost sad how well he knows me. That milkshakes are my version of eating an entire carton of Ben and Jerry’s like it’s going out of style.

  “Then we can discuss how you are not going to go around sleeping with people,” Killian adds as he takes my hand and starts to lead me out of the game room. “Because I swear to God, if anyone comes within four feet of you, I’m going to sucker punch them.”

  I shouldn’t poke fun at him. He’s only being overprotective because of what Jared did. But I can’t help try and ease my own mood by jabbing my finger into Ian’s arm as I pass him. “I poked Ian,” I state firmly. “He was within four feet.”

  Killian jerks to a stop, making me collide into his massive back.

  “Hey! Watch it,” I rub at my nose with my free hand. “Your back is liable to break my face.”

  “Whatever the hell it is you two are doing, I don’t want to know,” Ian tells us, since Killian’s staring at him. “And don’t give me your angry eyes, man. She touched me.”

  “I know,” my best friend deflates. “Sorry, dude.”

  “No worries,” Ian shrugs before flicking me in the arm. “Stop trying to rile him up.”

  “I wasn’t trying to rile him up,” I defend. Okay, I might have been a little, but that’s perfectly okay in my eyes. It’s not like he’s the one having the terrible night. His penis isn’t going to just fall off because I interrupted him before sex.

  We make our way outside and into Killian’s pickup. It’s leftover from the farm and even though he could easily buy something newer, or at least not on it’s death bed, he still drives the diesel with pride. Southern boys and their toys.

  “I think I’m done crying,” I finally say after a few minutes of silence. I run my fingers over my eyes just to double check, and sure enough, there’s no more water works. “Sorry I interrupted you on your way to Bone Town.”

  “Bone Town?” Killian echoes.

  “Your, you know,” I wave at him with my hand, “that.”

  “My what?”

  “Your penis,” I hiss out in disgust.

  A lopsided grin flashes across his face so I know he was messing with me. Talking about his anatomy is pure horror. A cruel and unusual punishment that I had to endure back in high school Sex Ed when we had to memorize the opposite genders sexual organs. My God, I don’t think I’d ever blushed around Killian as much as I had in that class.

  “I take it back, I do hate you.”

  “No you don’t.” He reaches over and kisses the back of my hand. “You love me.”

  “Sometimes.”

  “Conditional love is a terrible thing to put on your best friend,” he chides. “That’s not how it’s supposed to work. I’m taking you to get a milkshake after all.” He pauses. “I gave up having sex tonight to get you a milkshake. That has to count for something.”

  “Fine,” I sigh dramatically. “I love you, too.”

  “Thought so, baby doll,” he grins cheekily. A moment later, he pulls into the ice cream shoppe parking lot and shuts off the engine. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “No,” I answer honestly. I don’t know if I’m okay. Don’t girls usually go through the stages of grief after a relationship ends? I don’t know what part feeling suddenly numb is. Probably the same part that makes you feel emotionally drained, because I’m definitely at that stage, whatever it is.

  “Come on,” Killian hooks his arm around me as we make our way to the front of the store, “you’ll feel better in a minute.”

  One could only hope.

  Chapter Two

  Killian

  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t party every weekend. In fact, I hardly even drink during the season. It messes with my performance too much to be able to do things properly. Saturday’s win had been one of the easier trials and tribulations going into this year.

  Not that I would say that out loud with consequences of jinxing it. But Saturday night my best friend had needed me. And it’s not like her to show up at one of the football houses, crying, and in full-on freak out mode.

  No, that wasn’t my Lila.

  Sunday she’d been quiet and disappeared into her apartment across from mine that she shared with a good friend of hers. I meant to check in, but all I could see was Lila’s red-rimmed eyes and I wanted to annihilate this Jared guy.

  I’d never been fond of him, but I’d put up with him for Lila’s sake. It wasn’t a surprise that he was a dick. But it was a surprise how much I wanted to kick his ass. Lila’s boyfriends were always few and far between, always a super-long
relationship that expired way before the end date actually came. And Lila held onto hope each time.

  Not that I could blame her, it seemed to be a girl thing.

  Ian and I were leaning up against the outside of the art building, trying to look as calm as possible. We didn’t belong over here and several people stopped to gape at us. Just because we were jocks at a school that breathed football like it was a religious prayer, didn’t mean being the center of attention was always wanted.

  Our target steps out of the Fine Arts building, his buddies joking around with him until Ian and I step in his way. Jared audibly swallows tightly, and I can see the weasel wheels spinning in his head as he wants to run quick and far.

  “Jared,” I say casually, and step forward until I’m almost touching him. I glare down my nose, using my six foot four height to my advantage as I make him squirm. “Seems you had a rough Saturday night.”

  Not one of them speaks.

  “Let’s take a walk,” I grin forcibly, slinging my arm tightly around Jared’s neck and lead him towards the parking lot.

  “Ah-ah,” I hear Ian behind me. “I think they can take a walk by themselves. Scram.”

  “Listen, man, I don’t know what Lila said to you,” Jared winces when I tighten my grip at Lila’s name. “But she’s probably being over-dramatic about it.”

  Lila gets over-dramatic about a few things: art, for one since it’s her major, the type of toppings acceptable to put on top of ice cream, and the fact that Western movies were the greatest thing of all time.

  Beyond that, Lila doesn’t get over-dramatic like some girls do. She tends to freak out then realize she needs to rein it in. But there definitely wasn’t any overly dramatic outbursts from her that night.

  “Right,” I frown. “Try that again.”

  “Look,” Jared swallows again, “I didn’t mean to lead her on.”

  “You’re not helping yourself any.”

  “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

  What I want him to say? I don’t think there’s anything he can say right now that’s going to make me feel any better to be able to help Lila feel better. Oh no, I brought him over here for one reason only.