Bad Rep (6 page)

Jordan chuckled and I realized what I had said.  I blushed, yet again.  “I think I might have to take you up on that offer.” He mused after letting me pull my feet away.  I slipped my shoes back on and got to my feet. 

“Yeah, uh, well thanks,” I said quickly, picking up my lighter from the ground.

Jordan grabbed by arm before I was able to escape back into the kitchen. “Mays,” he said quietly and I looked down at him.  He was playing with the barbell in his tongue and I was mesmerized by the way he flicked it back and forth across his teeth.

“Yeah?” I asked a little breathlessly.  My earlier annoyance with him was instantly gone.  Jordan rubbed his hand up my arm and goose bumps broke out along the trail of his fingers.  Jordan looked at me, his eyes sparkling.

“I'd really like to take you out sometime.  I want to get to know you better,” he said, not breaking eye contact. 

My heart sped up, I felt lightheaded, and I thought I might pass out.  Thoughts of Eli or not having a thing with a guy I worked with all went out the window.  All I could think about was that this gorgeous man who wanted to spend time with me.

But I had to play it cool.  I smiled slightly and cocked my head to the side as if considering his offer.  When what I really wanted to do was scream, 'HELL, YEAH!'  I tapped my finger on my chin, as though I were deep in thought and Jordan's lips quirked in a smile.  “I guess that would be alright,” I admitted coyly.

Jordan grinned.  “Why don't you wait for me until after my shift is over?  We can go and do something,” he suggested, pulling me closer, his hand brushing the back of my knee.  Oh crap.  My stomach knotted up and I could feel my palms start to sweat.  But I nodded and I was proud when my voice didn't shake. 

“Sounds good.  See ya then,” I said, pulling away.  Jordan let his hand drop and got to his feet, following me into the kitchen.

The rest of the night became almost unbearable.  All I could think about was getting done so I could hang out with Jordan.  I felt his eyes on me as I ran food.  He made a point to brush my hand with his when he handed me drinks. 

I felt exhilarated.  High on the euphoria of anticipation.  I was going to go out with the most fantastically gorgeous guy I had ever laid eyes on!  And he seemed to like me!  Me!  Miss Morganstown, South Carolina herself.  I was so lost in my own little bubble that I didn't notice three of my sorority sisters show up.

“Maysie!” I heard someone call out.  I looked over at the door of the restaurant and saw Gracie Cook, one of my pledge sisters. 

“Hey girl!” I said, coming over to give her a hug.  Gracie was easily my closest friend within the sorority.  We had clicked right away.  She was adorable in a waifish sort of way and I loved hanging out with her. 

I looked over at the other sisters who came with her.  Vivian Baily and Milla Wood stood behind her.  I went down the row, giving each a hug.  I loved Vivian, she was bubbly and fun.  Milla on the other hand, I hadn't figured out quite yet.  She had this air about her that was kind of off putting.  She seemed to have this calculated look on her face.  As though she were plotting ways to take over the world, the room, whatever.  “We're heading over to the bar.  Come see us when you have a sec,” Gracie called as they made their way through the crowd. 

At around 10:30, Moore came out and said Riley and I had been cut.  He told us to come back tomorrow to get our schedules for the week.  He patted us both on the back and let us know he thought we had done really well.  I glowed at the compliment, feeling good that I hadn't dropped anything all night. 

“I'm gonna go hang with the girls.  You want to join?” I asked Riley as we gathered our things from the back.  Riley rolled her eyes. 

“I'll pass on sorority bonding for the night. I'll meet you at home, I'm wrecked.”  I wasn't surprised by her answer.  I had not as of yet, convinced her to hang out with my new sisters.  And I knew better than to push her about it.  

“Well, don't wait up, because I'm supposed to hang with Jordan after his shift.”  Riley's mouth set in a grim line. 

“Didn't we talk about this Mays?” she asked. 

I looked away from her.  “It's just hanging out.” 

“And denial is just a river in Egypt.  You ain't foolin' nobody,” she quipped and I just shook my head. 

“Well, I'll talk to you tomorrow.” And with that, I walked away, not wanting to hear anymore of my friend's caring but annoying warnings.

I took my hair out of the pony tail and let it fall over my shoulders.  I figured I could hang out with my friends while I waited for Jordan to get off of work.  He was on the clock until 12:00.  That gave me time to have a few drinks and try not to obsess about how nervous I was to spend time with him.

Coming out to the bar I was surprised to see Jordan chatting it up with Vivian and Milla.  Though, he
was
a Pi Sig, so it made sense that they knew each other.  Gracie had saved me a spot beside her and I hopped onto the barstool.  Jordan was still talking to Milla, so Lyla took my drink order.  She knew I was only twenty, but she hooked me up with a Jack and Coke anyway. 

Working here was definitely going to have its perks.

I could tell Gracie was already a little drunk as she leaned over to give me a beer scented hug.  “How was your shift?” she asked me.  I looked over at Jordan, but he seemed to be engrossed in whatever Milla was telling him.  I felt a twinge of jealousy at seeing him talking to another girl.  But I reined that in quickly. 

“It was pretty good. Though I had to shadow this chick named Evian and she was a complete slave driver. I'll be lucky if I can feel my feet in the morning.” I sipped on my drink, wishing Jordan would look at me.

Vivian leaned passed Gracie and kissed my cheek.  “We've missed you at the house this week!  You need to get your ass over there so we can start planning Fall Rush,” she enthused.  Vivian and I were Rush chairs and we were expected to plan the parties for the fall.  I was excited to have some responsibility in the sorority.  I loved the girls and I couldn't wait to meet some new people.

I realized Jordan had finished his conversation with Milla and was watching my exchange with Vivian with a strange look on his face.  I gave him a smile.  “Hey, Jordan,” I said.  Jordan glanced from me to the other girls and he looked as though he had swallowed glass.  What the hell was his problem?

“So, you get to work with the infamous Jordan Levitt,” Milla commented, looking between Jordan and me.  I turned to Milla and smirked. 

“Infamous, huh?  Do tell,” I joked, drinking some more of my cocktail.  I was starting to feel a little light headed. I was a cheap date, that's for sure.

“Uh, there's nothing to tell,” Jordan interjected, looking suddenly nervous.  Milla grinned at him. Though even I could see how predatory that smile was.  Damn, she wanted to jump his bones too!  Was there not a girl within a sixty mile radius that was immune to Jordan Levitt's irresistible charm?

“That's not what Olivia tells me,”  Milla said coyly.  Olivia?  Did she mean Olivia Peer, our president?  Did she know Jordan?  I looked at Milla questioningly. 

“I'd better get back to it,” Jordan said quickly, moving away without looking at me again.  Milla drank her beer. 

“Don't tell me you don't realize who he is,” she said, looking over at Jordan who was putting glasses away behind the bar.  I frowned. 

“Um, that's Jordan Levitt.  He's a Pi-Sig right?” I didn't get what she was trying to say.

Vivian sighed.  “He's not just any Pi-Sig, he's the president.  And he's dating our president.  Together their going to have little president babies.  They've been going out since our freshman year.  How did you not recognize him?  He's over at the house all the time.”  Vivian looked at me like I was an idiot.

It felt like the floor had just opened up underneath me.  He was dating someone?  And not just anyone.  He was dating Olivia fucking Peer.  The most beautiful and perfect human being I had ever met.  Everyone loved Olivia. Including, apparently, the guy I had just spent the entire evening lusting after. 

What the hell?  And he had been shamelessly flirting with me the whole time while he had a girlfriend!  I downed the rest of my drink, feeling the sudden need to get very, very drunk.  Milla was watching me closely. My discomfort with Milla intensified.  She was a huge gossip and was forever circulating rumors about people.  So far I had stayed out of her line of fire and I didn't need to give her any reason to look at me at all.

I smiled painfully.  “No, I didn't recognize him.  But I don't think I've ever met him before.” I choked out, waving a hand at Lyla to get me another drink.  Gracie grabbed a handful of peanuts and tossed them into her mouth. 

“They're only like Rinard royalty for Christ's sake.  They are the most perfect couple.  It's almost sickening,” she remarked.

Sickening is right.  I felt like a moron.  And more than that I wanted to punch Jordan in his stupidly gorgeous face.  He had been totally leading me on and that did not sit well with me.  I noticed that Jordan was making a point to stay on the other side of the bar. 

He asked me out and he had a girlfriend!  One of my sisters to be precise and now he was avoiding
me?!
  Lyla brought me another Jack and Coke and I drank half of it in one gulp.  Gracie looked at me with a frown.  “You alright?” she whispered.  I gave her a weak smile and nodded. 

“Fine, just tired.” I could hear my words starting to slur together and my head felt fuzzy from the alcohol.

I wanted to get out of there.  But as I continued to drink and continued to get more wasted, I found that I wanted to confront Jordan fucking Levitt and set him straight.  How dare he make look like a fool? 

The bar was heaving and after awhile, Vivian and Milla joined a group of Kappa Taus at a table near the back.  Gracie sat with me while I threw back drink after drink.  “Girl, you'd better take it easy.  You're going to feel like shit in the morning.” 

“Yeah, yea,.” I replied, finishing my fourth drink.  “I've gotta pee.  I'll be back,” I said, getting to my now very wobbly feet.

“Do you need help?” Gracie asked, laughing as I braced against the bar to steady myself. 

“Nah.  I got this,” I hiccuped and headed to the bathroom.  After finishing up, I left the bathroom and found myself face to face with none other than Jordan fucking Levitt himself.

“Hey.  I think we need to talk,” he said, his face unreadable.  Damn if I didn't still want to stick my tongue down his throat.  He was too yummy for his own good.  And that pissed me off even more.  I tried to move around him and he grabbed my arm.  “Maysie.  Please, just hear me out,” he pleaded, but I yanked my arm away, almost falling over in the process.

“Get your hands off of me,” I bit out.  Jordan ran his hands over his face in frustration. 

“I had no idea you were a Chi Delta,” he said.  I rolled my eyes. 

“Makes it a little inconvenient I guess,” I mumbled, crossing my arms over my chest.

I hated how hurt I felt.  But I had really started to like him.  And now he was hands off.  Life sucked.  “Inconvenient?  What are you talking about?” Jordan asked, frowning.  I barked out a laugh. 

“You know, the fact that I'm in the same sorority as your
girlfriend.
  Makes it hard to tap my ass,” I spat out hatefully. 

Jordan flinched at my words.  “Shit, Maysie.  That's not at all what I was trying to do.”  I felt like I was swaying on my feet and had to lean back against the wall so I wouldn't fall over.  That would just be perfect.  You know, make more of a jerk of myself.

“Then what were you
trying
to do Jordan?  Because you asked me out.  When you had a girlfriend.  That's skeevy,” I said coldly.  Jordan sighed. 

“I would have told you about Olivia.” I snorted.  Like I believed that.  Jordan glared at me.  “Will you just stop it already.  I'm telling you the truth.  Yeah, Olivia and I have been together for a while.  But I feel drawn to you...”