Blindsided (LSU, #1)

by Becca Steele

E.T. - Katy Perry

anxiety - blackbear, FRND

Somebody To You - The Vamps

Butterflies - MAX, Ali Gatie

TALK ME DOWN - Troye Sivan

YOUTH - Troye Sivan

There was no doubt that he was very, very hot, but it was more or less negated by the fact that, based on first impressions, he was a complete and utter bellend.

Sinking onto the machine on shaky legs, I breathed in deeply, trying to get myself under control. Iwillnothaveabonerinthegym, Iwillnothaveabonerinthegym.

I watched as concern filled his eyes. “Your heart rate shouldn’t be this elevated after just a few reps.” “It’s. Not. The. Machine,” I strangled out through gritted teeth. Kill me now. “It’s—oh.”

“Please tell me you didn’t witness the whole thing.” I spoke into my hands, unwilling to face Travis, my cheeks hot and flaming. “Let’s see…you were staring at Liam like he was your favourite meal, then, yeah. I caught the rest.” “Please. Just kill me.”

I’d finish university, get a good job, and find a girl to settle down with. That was what my dad would have wanted. It was what I wanted.

I should have regretted it too. Not the kiss itself—but after everything that had happened in the past with Kyle and the football team, the last thing I wanted was to be caught in another situation with a boy who was either in denial or wanted to use me as an experiment.

A sound escaped my throat that I hadn’t even intended, and Elliot chuckled against me. “He wants you.” “He’s straight,” I protested. “I thought so too until you came along.” Elliot pressed closer to me. “Want to fuck with his head a bit?”

But all I could focus on was the fact that Elliot had his hands all over Noah, and no. Fuck. That. Mine. Mine. Mine. The word resonated through me like a drumbeat, impossible to ignore.

“But if we’re confessing being into someone we really shouldn’t be into, I’ll admit to having a long-time obsession with my very gorgeous, very, very straight best friend. The best friend I now live with and have to see parade around in just his underwear and bringing home girl after girl right in front of me.”

When I returned with the bottle I’d been drinking from before the club and two shot glasses, Elliot climbed to his feet. “To getting over straight guys.” We clinked glasses and downed the shots.

“How about the way that I had to hear Kian throwing up when I walked past Preston’s door just now, the fact that you look like someone pissed in your Cheerios, and then there’s Noah cosying up with our neighbour in the lounge. I’ll ask again, what the fuck happened last night?”

“The only person I’m interested in is standing in front of me right now.”

I’d come to a few conclusions. One: Noah was a fucking master at kissing. Two: he gave the best blowjob I’d ever had in my life, bar none. Three: I was attracted to him. There was no doubt in my mind.

“You’re letting me pick something? Is it because you don’t want me to know about your extensive Justin Bieber collection?” “If you say one word about being a Belieber, I’m kicking you out of the car.”

“He never got to see me play.”

IM GONNA NFDNKDF

I told myself that I was protecting him from any awkward questions that might come up if anyone saw us, but the sad truth was, I was protecting myself.

Jealousy and hurt raged through me, burning under my skin. Noah was mine.

I loved him? Fuck. I did. I loved him. And now, I had to let him go. It hurt so much.

I fucking broke. Right there in my childhood bedroom, with my mum holding me, I cried. Cried like I hadn’t done for years.

“Yeah. When I say you've been completely obvious, I’m saying I doubt there was anyone on this planet who didn’t know there was something going on between you two,” Travis informed us, back to smirking again. “You’re about as subtle as a sledgehammer, FYI.”

I can’t believe I have the boy of my dreams in my bed. “Technically, it’s my bed, but whatever.”

Then a sudden thought struck me. “My boyfriend is a footballer. How the fuck did I end up with a footballer?”

“No eye fucking in the kitchen. House rule,” Travis called from the fridge,

“That I…that I love you.” I stared at him, my mouth falling open in shock. “You do?” He nodded, his lashes lowering as he turned his gaze to the ground. He bit down on his lip uncertainly. “Yeah. I think I’ve been falling for a while, but I only put two and two together when I had the conversation with my mum.” “Liam.” I spoke urgently, suddenly needing to let him know that he wasn’t alone in this. When he raised his gaze back to mine, I pulled him closer. “I love you too. Fuck. I love you. I’ve been wanting to tell you, but I was worried it was too soon.” He stared at me, his eyes wide and bright, and fuck, I loved him so much. “You do?” “I do.” He kissed me again, and everything was good.

Eating incredibly overcooked pasta with no garlic bread because you were too busy kissing the fuck out of the love of your life to focus on mundane things like cooking times? Totally worth it.