Zone Entry (Camrose U, #1)

by Maia Kinley

Usually, my teammates would be horsing around, not standing around talking in hushed voices and casting me wary looks. They know, don’t they? Of course they know. God, whatever. I fight not to let my expression fall.

“Are you serious? That guy’s a tool!” Eyebrows lifting, Coach says, “He’s also my nephew.” Silence. Schultz unfolds his arms. “I mean… he’s brilliant. Can’t wait to be on the ice with him.”

“Caleb’s… dealing with some things right now, and I want to make this change easy for him. I know he’s not the easiest person to get along with, but you’re probably the most likable player on

Okay, so I might have lied to Nick when I said I couldn’t remember his name or his face. Of course I remembered him.

“He’s my new roommate.” “Really? How do you like him?” Maddox’s eyes widen. “He’s cool, right? He’s incredibly nice, smart, and…” “And what?” “He’s easy to look at.” “You’re into jocks now?” He scoffs. “No, but I’m not blind. Nick’s hot.” “Eh.” He is, but I can’t let Maddox think I know that. I’d never hear the end of it.

I immediately noticed him the first time I faced him at a game about three years ago. I remember memorizing the name of his jersey and instantly thinking he looked good—with

“It’s all fake politeness, along with that fake smile of his. It’s seriously giving murderer vibes.”

Fuck. I was wrong. He’s not a fake-ass golden boy. No… Nick Sandoval’s a fucking doormat.

Has Sandoval been helping you out around campus?” “No?” “I offered,” I speak up. “But he said I gave off the vibes of a serial killer.”

not that I make it a habit to stare—and he removes his piercings during practice. He put them back in now though, the silver barbells on his chest catching my attention. “Eyes up here,” he mumbles. My face heats and I look away instead. “Sorry.”

“You straight?” The question makes my face burn again, and I hunch over my phone, hoping he can’t see me blushing. “Yes.” “Funny, considering you’ve been checking me out for the past three minutes.” I choke in surprise. “I’m not checking you out!” “Keep saying that,” he says, cackling as he turns away.

Who, by the way… totally not as straight as he thinks he is. I’ve caught him staring at me more than once. That guy confuses me so much. He’s the hardest person to get a read on, and I’m not even sure why that bugs me.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that on him before. The smile he had disappeared in half a second as if he couldn’t keep up with the act, and his jaw clenched tightly, and his eyes were the coldest I’ve ever seen.

The quiet anger in his expression was… okay, it was hot. The fuck is wrong with me? I replay the image in my head and my damn dick twitches because it’s a traitor and has a mind of its own.

Nick seems way too excited when he sets up the Switch for a multiplayer game, as if he’s never played with another human being in his life. What a dork. It’s kind of cute, though. Not that I’d ever admit that out loud.

Note to self: Next time I want Caleb to shut up, all I need to do is grip his throat. Maybe I should tell Rhys for the next time they butt heads during practice—though the idea of anyone else being privy to that information somehow annoys me.

Dad lets out an exasperated sigh, and the shame in me only intensifies. “Nicholas, you could have told us so much sooner to save us that embarrassing encounter. Honestly.”

“You’ve watched one of my games?” “I watch most of your games, as long as I’m free.” Dianne puts a hand over her mouth and laughs. “You should see how passionate he gets.

I’m hit with the realization that this conversation would never have happened if Caleb didn’t insert himself the way he did. I

I’m left there wondering why the hell I just watched an entire conversation I can’t even hear, and why I was strangely invested in seeing how it would play out.

Frowning, I want to tell him to let go of Nick, then realize that’s a bizarre thing to say. The two of them chat with us, but mostly to Nick, and I keep my mouth shut, pissed that they interrupted us. It

I shrug, putting my phone away before he accuses me of seeing somebody new. Nope, sorry, Rhys. That was actually my roommate whom you hate.

First, Jessie cheats on me with a baseball player, then I walk into Caleb hooking up with another one? That quickly, I decide I hate baseball with a passion.

I don’t like how he looks—with his messy hair and red cheeks. Not because I think he looks bad, but because I can’t push away the thought of him doing things. With someone. In our room.

hey, don’t come back yet because I’m getting dick.” That weird, unpleasant sensation wraps around me again. “I don’t want to hear about that shit,” I blurt out without thinking. He goes silent, and I wince at my own words.

Nick’s shirt rides up to his abdomen, and he has a hand on his abs. Just yesterday, I thought he looked cute like this.

Schultz continues to stare at Maddox. His expression gradually changes from curiosity to… interest. Schultz’s lips part and it’s as if he’s seeing another human being for the first time, and it grates on my nerves.

With Caleb, though… Now that I know what it’s like to be on his good side, having it yanked away from me so abruptly and facing the extreme opposite is like whiplash.

“That’s why you’re in this state? Because you’re fighting with your roommate?” I shrug, and she lets out a hollow laugh. Jessie says, “Wow. He’s something else, then. We were together for a year, and I barely got a reaction out of you on most days.

And what would I even say? That I want to be his friend? That sometimes, I stare at him and wonder what it would be like to touch him? If I could make him make the same sounds he did, that night I saw him with someone else?

When midnight hits, I maybe get worried. I think of sending him a text asking him where he’s at, but then—we’re not friends. I made sure of that. So I switch the lights off and lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I really fucked up, didn’t I?

“Are you all right?” I ask, voice softer than I intend it to be. “I was jealous,” he murmurs. My chest cracks open, and I don’t know what to say to that. This entire thing is disorienting. “Um. What?”

God, just how drunk is he? He needs to stop being so up in my space like this, needs to take his hand off my leg, because my dick’s taking all kinds of interest in whatever the hell is happening right now.

Weirdly, I feel like there’s a huge puzzle piece I’m missing. That night we made up,

The drunk memories have morphed together with a recurring dream

“Take my bed,” he tells me. “I’ll go sleep at Rhys’s.” “What, he doesn’t have a roommate?” “He does, but I crash with them sometimes.” I blink. “Like… beside him?” Nick’s typing into his phone and absently nods, and something ugly twists in my gut.

Not sure if it’s just my imagination, but I think I’m slowly inching closer to him—or maybe he’s the one doing it.

thought I was dreaming because my half-asleep brain was thinking there was no way Caleb would be in my arms, and that’s why I leaned into the sensation.

I guess that really means I’m into guys? I mean… sure, I’ve found some guys attractive, and I may have had the occasional and confusing daydream about it—but I’ve never actually felt the need to unpack that.

my gut twists when Dex puts his hand over Caleb’s and laughs. I see red. Why do I see red?

Caleb probably agrees, judging from how he’s not pulling away from his touch. Unlike how he pried me off him this morning.

he’s always been like this—he enjoys having someone he knows close by, even if it’s silent. It helps him focus. I don’t get it, but it’s whatever.

I stare at Nick. “Aw, you really are a clingy friend, aren’t you?” It’s actually… fuck, okay, it’s adorable. God, I need to get my head checked. He murmurs, “Please stop.”

Hurt flashes across his face again, making me feel like I kicked a puppy. I’m getting frustrated now, at a total loss of what exactly he wants to hear from me.

I’ve learned that he never asks for things because I think he somehow believes it makes him a burden,

And I’ve also learned that he deliberately lies about his feelings, which I think relates to him never asking for things.

"Jesus, Nick. This tug-of-war you keep playing is exhausting.” “Caleb—”

“You practically beg me to be your friend, then you push me away.” “I do want to be your friend.” “Fucking act like it, then. Your hot and cold personality is driving me nuts.”

“You’re so fucking irritating,” Caleb hisses between kisses. “I don’t know if I want to knock you out or fuck you.” I choke in surprise, heat surging through me, and he bites down on my lip.

Is he angry? I can’t have him angry at me again. It fucking messes with me. I must look pathetic, because Caleb sits up. His expression softens, and he glances at Rhys’s back before crooking a finger at me. “Come here,” he mouths, and when I do, he pulls me down by the front of my shirt and kisses me—gently