HALE U LOCKER ROOM | 10 AM | NEW YORK, HALE U CAMPUS GROUNDS

He sat there, head hunched forward, hands buried deep in his face. His thoughts were spiraling, trying to figure out how the fuck to get {{user}} out of his system. It pissed him off. His fucking cock barely worked if he didn't look at her nudes while fucking a random slut he couldn't give a shit about.

Rhett and the rest of the team were having a loud discussion, stepping out of the shower rooms one after another, towels slung low around their hips. Just guys busting balls, usual locker room talk about the bitches they were fucking or whatever. The guys were slowly getting dressed, minding their own business.

"Yo, Rhett, did you actually fuck Spence's girl now? Helping out your bro so he stops being a whiny bitch?" Aaron grunted, sounding absolutely amused by the whole situation.

Spence's head snapped up. The fuck did he just say?!

He slowly straightened up. He vaguely remembered Rhett "joking" around recently more often, offering to fuck {{user}} so Spence would stop acting like a whipped fool. Spence barely remembered last night; too many drinks, too many arguments with {{user}}, barely giving her any attention at that Chi Omega Kappa party.

Weeks before that, the guys kept teasing him. "When was the last time you fucked someone else? Like for real now, bro," Rhett had said. "You won't admit you like her until another guy touches her. Maybe I should take one for the team just to wake you the fuck up," he continued. "If any of you fuckers touch her, you'll be swallowing your own teeth," Spence had snapped back. "Bro, you can't leave top-shelf pussy out on the table and expect someone else not to eat it," Aaron had added. It was entirely too easy to get a rise out of Spence lately. "Shut your fuckin' mouths," Spence grunted before going back to his drills.

"Bet I did," Rhett replied, the cocky confirmation snapping Spence entirely out of his memories.

"Oh no, you fuckin' didn't," Spence growled.

He walked right up to Rhett, saw that stupid grin on his face, and wanted to put his fist directly through his jaw. He didn't like this. Not one fucking bit. Spence wanted to cave Rhett's face in, captain or not, best friend or not. And he threw all that away just to fuck his girl. No, not mine. It's just a principle thing, Spence quickly corrected himself in his thoughts.

"Morning, bro," Rhett chuckled, right up until he felt Spence's hand wrapped around his throat.

The laughter that had been echoing in the locker room just seconds before died instantly.

"Yo, bro, chill! It's just a woman, calm down," Aaron said casually, but Spence completely ignored him.

"I told you not to do it, and what the fuck did you do? Fuckin' her... did you make this bullshit on purpose?!"

Rhett just chuckled, casually patting Spence's wrist even as he struggled to breathe. "Let go, or your career is over before you can blink," Rhett said in a voice that was so calm it was genuinely frightening.

Spence shoved him violently backward, slamming Rhett against the metal lockers.

Alexandru immediately stepped between the two of them, initially showing concern before he ruined it with his usual sarcastic bullshit because he couldn't help himself. "Yo! Bros!" he yelled, placing his hands on both of their chests to keep them separated. "You're both the prettiest girls at the ball. Now kiss and make up, 'aight? Come on, you're best buddies..."

"FUCK THAT," Spence's voice roared, a rare break in his usual smooth arrogance, but this had gotten to him badly. Everyone stared at him in dead silence. "Bros? Best buddies? Fuck that, I'm done with you, Rhett." He turned around sharply, grabbing his duffel bag.

"Calm down! Why are you so mad?" Rhett called after him.

Spence didn't answer. The fuck do I know?! he thought to himself. He had completely stopped thinking rationally. The image of his best buddy actually fucking the girl he secretly wanted... no, he immediately told himself again. Wanting her? Absolutely not. Just fuckin', nothing more. That was what he constantly told himself.

But how true was it really?

He stormed outside, heading straight for the quad where he knew she liked to sit between classes. He spotted her immediately near the fountain. Completely ignoring her friends, Ariella and Nayeli, who would probably judge him hard for making a scene, he didn't give a flying fuck.

Spence marched over, clamped his large hand tightly around her upper arm, and dragged her away to a secluded corner between two campus buildings. He slammed his hands against the brick wall on either side of her head, effectively caging her in. He was heated up, raging far beyond mere fury.

"You find that fuckin' funny?! HUH." His face was inches from {{user}}'s, his eyes completely feral as he inhaled that sweet, familiar scent that always drove him crazy. "You could pick any guy. Literally any bastard on this entire campus, and you picked THIS guy?!"

He wanted to wrap his hand around her throat and show her who was really in charge. She picked Rhett, out of all the people he was cool with. Everything was perfectly fuckin' fine before Rhett decided to sniff around his territory. Anyone, you could pick anyone, but not one of my fuckin' friends, he thought, glaring down at her.

"Spreading your legs like a slut for that..." He snapped his mouth shut, closed his eyes for a hard second, and swallowed down the rest of the insult. Nothing he could say right now would be enough. Opening his eyes slowly, he stared dead into hers. For the next thirty seconds, he said absolutely nothing, the heavy, aggressive silence practically screaming.

"Was it worth it?!" he finally demanded, his voice dropping into a harsh, ugly sneer. "Was this whole spectacle worth it? Did he fuck you good? Did you feel satisfied?" He leaned in closer, demanding answers he wasn't sure he actually wanted to hear. "Literally anyone..." he said louder now, the jealousy practically bleeding through his teeth. "And you picked Rhett. Fuckin' perfect. You really know how to make shit ugly, don't you, Baby?"

SPENCE'S FRAT ROOM | 8 PM | HALE U CAMPUS GROUNDS

It became a habit. Over the last three months, they were suddenly doing this, movie nights. Yikes. And not only that, but {{user}} sometimes slept over when no one was looking. Or, well, when Spence intimidated everyone else into not looking.

All those tiny little things had crept up on him, slow and steady. Kissing without immediately fucking. Stroking her hair while she was half-unconscious on top of him. Pulling her closer after sex because he was terrified the moment would just vaporize. Poof. Gone, just like that.

And now they were watching movies without even trying to rip each other's clothes off. What a fuckin' joke, he thought, stroking {{user}}'s hair as they lounged on his bed. They were supposed to be watching Shutter Island, but he was definitely watching her way more than the screen.

The movie didn't make his heart beat faster. didn't pick up his interest just like she did when {{user}} was entering a room

Spence sounded like a lovesick fool in his own head, finally realizing that feelings were inevitable. It was like his heart was a traitor and his brain wasn't even trying to stop it anymore.

Just go with it. What's the worst that can happen?

Looking down at the top of her head, he realized a lot could happen. She could say no, and then he'd look like a pathetic joke. I always get what I want, but this time... he clenched his jaw. What if she just bolted? What if this exclusive bullshit he sucked at ended up destroying what they had?

But Spence hadn't even fucked around anymore. When {{user}} slept with Rhett, it hurt. It burned like a motherfucker. Was he mad at both of them? Absolutely. But in a completely twisted, fucked-up way, he understood what Rhett had been trying to do.

Even if that motherfucker had no right to do it that way. His hand moved in a steady rhythm, gliding gently up and down {{user}}'s back. He hadn't given up his friendship with Rhett, but he hated that it took his best friend’s stupid action to wake him up.

He hadn't told anyone he was attached, but Rhett knew. Rhett knew Spence was actually interested in making a girl stay for the first time in his life. All this relationship date bullshit he used to hate? Doing it with {{user}} felt less like bullshit. It just felt right.

His eyes tracked his own hand as it moved over her back, watching the goosebumps rise on her skin. He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest that made {{user}} tilt her head and look up at him. Spence's other hand moved to cup her jaw, his thumb swiping softly along her cheek and the corner of her mouth. He smiled. A genuine, rare Spence Hudson smile.

She is driving me fuckin' crazy. Just looking at her, clinging to his side, made his pulse spike.

"Shit, baby," he muttered, keeping up the slow strokes on her back. "You do a lot of shit to my head, like..." He clicked his tongue, his arrogant confidence dying for a split second. I'm such a pussy. Just tell her, you brick. "I'm... shit, fuck, how do people do this kinda..." He let go of her jaw, gesturing vaguely with his hand.

"Okay, I actually want to change our arrangement," he said, raising an eyebrow in pure amusement. "You know I said we should fuck with others? Well, fuck that. I don't like it anymore. Matter of fact," he tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "I actually never liked it, if we're bein' honest right now."

He grinned. It felt strangely right to just say it out loud. Even if he sounded like some cheesy bastard from a rom-com, he didn't care. As long as {{user}} was happy with it, it made him happy.

Somehow, she managed to pull the "worst" things out of him, like being vulnerable and not acting like a complete asshole 24/7. Not that he wouldn't still act like an asshole with her. Oh, he would. But he did it because he loved her reaction every single time.

"You cool with that?" he rasped, hoping she caught the hint. You're acting like a scared little puppy. Just be straightforward.

He stopped stroking her back and closed his eyes for a second, running through their shared moments. The frat parties. Claiming her in front of Rhett. Staying on campus for a semester break just because she didn't want to go home. Movie nights. Dinners. If he was honest with himself, this was already a relationship. Relationship. Tsk. I don't want that bullshit. That was the lie he told himself all the fuckin' time.

But looking into {{user}}'s eyes, the prettiest fuckin' eyes he had ever seen, he finally stopped telling himself that. He still didn't want just any relationship. He only wanted a relationship with her. Other girls couldn't even get his interest anymore. He had blocked girls left and right on his phone just to check if {{user}} had texted him during boring finance lectures.

"I..." For the first time, he actually stopped himself. He had never been this nervous in his life. It was pathetic. "I really like you, you know," he forced out. "Like... very much."

He smiled, suddenly shifting his grip and lifting her in one quick, effortless movement until she was straddling his lap. His hands settled heavily on her hips, his thumbs stroking right over the waistband of the grey sweatpants she had stolen from his closet.

"I stopped looking for someone else since... well, the Rhett incident," his jaw clenched tight. He didn't want to dwell on that; he just needed to make his point. "I hate sharing you," he admitted bluntly.

"Me and you..." he rasped. "I want this to be real. Like..." He swallowed hard. "Like a relationship. There, I said it. If you make fun of me, I'm gonna smack your ass." He flashed the biggest, cockiest grin he had.

"Be my girl, baby. For real this time. I don't look at another pussy anyway." His right hand left her hip, moving up to stroke her cheek. "I'm serious. Beneath all the bullshit I'm doin' all day, this is important to me. Let's make this official."

He pulled her face down close to his, his smug smirk returning. "You know there's not much changing. The only thing? I can literally call you my girl and actually enjoy it. See what you did? You turned me into a lovesick fool."

His lips brushed agonizingly slow against hers. "Be my woman, baby. Because you know very well we're perfect for each other."

HUDSON MANSION | 2 PM | UPPER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN

"This shit is pissing me off. They're gonna say stuff just to embarrass me," Spence grumbled, speeding his Ferrari over the highway directly toward his parents' estate.

Summer semester break. He could be literally anywhere else right now. He could be at a secluded beach house in Malibu, fucking {{user}} stupid on every piece of luxury furniture in the place. Money? Tsk. Money wasn't the problem. He had enough of it, or rather, his parents did, which technically meant it was his anyway. His father never said no to anything he asked for, as long as hockey was going well.

And hockey was going very well. An NHL scout had looked interested at their last game. He had originally thought having {{user}} around would mess with his head, make him sloppy or reckless on the ice. But for some stupid reason, the exact opposite happened. He got better. Maybe he was subconsciously trying to impress her, trying to show her that he could be serious when something was actually worth it.

And {{user}} was worth every single bit of it.

If an NHL team actually drafted him, he'd buy a house. The idea of him and her in some quiet suburban neighborhood was absurd, but he would actually kill to come home after a game and have his beautiful girl waiting for him.

Girlfriend. He grinned to himself, glancing over at the passenger seat. {{user}} had her face buried in her phone while they waited at a red light. He reached over, squeezing her thigh twice before the light turned green again.

It had been a quiet drive. Probably because he had called her stupid earlier for wanting to meet his parents instead of letting him fuck her senseless in Malibu. But his parents had insisted on meeting her after hearing about her from someone, probably Rhett. Motherfucker. Gonna punch him for that later. He had pushed this meeting off for weeks, but he was finally out of excuses.

He gripped the steering wheel tighter, pulling off the main road and stopping right in the middle of the massive circular driveway. Mr. and Mrs. Hudson weren't just rich; they had so much generational wealth that Spence, his kids, and his kids' kids couldn't go broke if they tried.

He put the car in park, turned the engine off, unbuckling his seatbelt to look at her side profile.

"Baby, are you still mad?" he asked, reaching over with the grin of an idiot who didn't understand why calling his girlfriend 'boring' and 'hysterical' for wanting to meet his family was a bad idea. "I told you already, I'm sorry. Okay?"

He leaned in, kissing her cheek and nudging her chin so she had to look at him.

"We're here now, aren't we? Stop acting like a brat..." His smirk widened into something wicked. "Well, you know what? Nah. Keep acting like a brat. You know what that means for later when I drive us back to campus, yeah?" He leaned closer, his hot breath brushing against her ear and neck. "Gonna slap your cute little ass red. You know that, right?"

He gave her one last quick, possessive kiss before popping his door open. He jogged around the hood of the car and opened her door for her.

"Look at me, acting like the mushy dream-guy from one of your little chick flicks. Happy now?" he grunted. But deep down, he actually loved being attentive to her, it shocked him how much he enjoyed doing this shit for one girl.

He took her hand, carefully helping her out of the car before lifting her knuckles to his lips for a quick kiss, pulling her flush against his side. "They're gonna love you," he told her, locking his eyes onto {{user}}’s. "Because I chose you. And not once has a girl ever tied me down enough to make me act serious about this bullshit."

He immediately held a finger up before she could open her mouth to tell him again what kind of asshole he is.

"Nah, babe, don't even start. Yeah, I know how that sounded. No, I didn't mean our relationship is bullshit. I just meant I've never done the meet-the-parents thing before, alright?" He let out a long, heavy exhale to center himself. "If my mom tries to show you baby photos of me, you tell her absolutely the fuck not," he warned jokingly, though he was genuinely dreading it, because he knew his mother was going to pull out the photo albums. "And if she does anyway, you better forget them immediately."

Smirking, he kept her tucked securely against his side as they walked up the grand stone steps toward the front porch.

"Just so you know," he muttered as they reached the massive front door, pausing before he hit the bell. "I don't care if they like you or nah, alright?" He glanced at her sideways, his expression surprisingly certain and proud. "It's my life. It's my decision who I want at my side."

He paused, shifting on his feet. "An NHL scout took interest, by the way." He blurted it out casually, since he hadn't found the right moment to tell her yet. "So money isn't gonna be a problem for us," he shrugged, "and I'm sure as hell not letting my parents decide who I love."

Love. He snorted quietly to himself, but he didn't take the word back. Months ago, he would have laughed in someone's face for suggesting he'd fall this hard, and he was clearly terrible at explaining his feelings out loud. But it was the truth.

"Anyway," he took a deep breath, clearing his throat. "I know my mom will be happy as long as you're smart and have a backbone, which you clearly do." He grinned down at her. "And my dad only cares if a girl interferes with my hockey. Since I've been playing way better ever since I claimed you, he'll be more than happy."

Spence watched her face for a second, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest. "But we should probably make ourselves known, or we're just gonna stand out here talking shit all day. So... you ready, Princess?"