Closing Arguments

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James Prescott was a self-described alpha. He and a handful of the more party-prone boys of the football team lived in a townhouse near campus and were known for their parties. The team revelled in their notoriety and the ladies flocked in their Saturday-best at every and any opportunity. Outside week one it was unlikely I'd set foot in the house, unless consoling one of the boys over a test missed, a hookup failed or a disaster of similar proportion. But they'd won the game, 6-0 no less and I had offered that to Kenji as a prize. Would Hunter take it as a win? Probably. But he'd be distracted by other short-skirted and more attainable women in t-minus 2 hours.

Coming home from the game Miles, Jasper and Kenji had resisted the urge to rib me for my docile annihilation of Hunter's intent, that would come when the first beer was poured and the froth yet to settle. They were used to me denying suitors, I had an art of making the challenge so great not even those who enjoyed stalking their prey would engage. And Hunter's name and nature directed me to believe that's exactly what he was like.

"Those new kids have props, boys. Miles is safe up front obviously, but that formation can't continue with Leary out. We need more midfield muscle." Jasper urged. Throwing his feet up onto the coffee table and plateauing onto the couch. I sat down beside him with my drink of choice in hand. Rather than drink party beer until forced, I'd reached for a gin and tonic with a twist of lime.

"I mean Leary is out until break at least, you're not wrong." Kenji nodded, saddling himself on my other side. He peered into his bubbling brew before throwing it back with a hard swallow. Clad in his usual garage fuck boy garb, chain and all, the tinny fit his aesthetic to a tee.

"Vallis is our only option really. Sure, Dixon is great when he's not besotted with this one but he doesn't have the footwork to back up that pace." Miles whistled at me while the boys nodded in consensus. I tossed the lime from my drink his way in retaliation.

"It'll take a sweet deal to lure Vallis over. He's perfectly content training at that Div 1 feeder team and not seeing game time until he graduates." Jasper counters. And though I didn't know much about Vallis, I did know that he was the best player at our school. But he refused to play on the team citing other commitments.

"Hey, why don't we get Harper to ask? She seems to be able to woo our newest recruit? All in favour of anointing her as the unofficial welcoming committee?" Miles cheekily retorted.

"If only I had the time friends. I live to make your playing days as comfortable as possible." I bowed sarcastically. "And I'm sure if this Vallis character is so easily persuaded by a girl at a party, he's not worth fighting for."

"Mija he would join in a heartbeat if he knew of the preliminary, team welcome program. Vallis prefers his women emotionally unavailable, you're the perfect fit." Kenji and Jasper looked at each other and back to Miles with caution.

"Just unavailable full stop, don't fence it off at emotion alone." I cheersed the empty air in front of me.

"I will cheers to that, to not ruining our final year with complications. And what are relationships? Messy, boring, complications." Jasper tipped his cup towards me sloshing a little of his drink on my dress. "Ah shit, sorry Harper. I'll get you a towel." Jasper's eyes were too sad now to rebuke. His distaste for pairing up a sore topic of late. He'd been seeing someone over the summer and it hadn't ended swimmingly. If swimmingly meant his girl didn't hook up with his best friend back home in the lifeguard hut. Yeah, anything but that.

"It's OK Jay, I wasn't feeling this dress anyway. I'll change and then we can go." I squeezed his shoulder and tucked under Kenji's outstretched legs to make my way back to my bedroom. The stacks of notes and papers drowned my desk, chest of drawers and nearby shelves, but despite their overwhelming presence in my interior scheme - or complete lack thereof - their order comforted me. Everything I could ever need to know was within arm's reach, one perfect-hue highlighter and post it note combo away.