Dancing with the Varsity Bad Boy

Violet's POV ***** "Mmmm, come here you sexy, mexy slice of heaven," I moan as I pull the box of gooey pizza I had delivered closer. Sitting in the living room of the house I rent on campus, I grab my notes for the creative writing assignment I need to get done by Friday. Deciding it's better to get as much done as possible while I'm here, I grab my Ethics, and Business Studies notes along with the choreography assingment I need to finish, but first I need some food. The light-headedness of taking strong pain relief medication for chronic pain caused by Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia on an empty stomach will not help me with writing these papers. My joints are still throbbing to a beat all their own although thankfully it no longer feels as though one of hells demons is pouring molten lava through the joints and taking a sledge hammer to my bones. A loud thud diverts my attention from my pizza and the mountain of assignments I need to finish. What the hell? Stupid neighbours, this has to be their doing. Getting up, I walk over to the window and peer out, frustration simmering under my skin at the sight of a football on my porch. Why did I think living right next door to the football house wouldn't be so bad? When me and my roommates first moved into this civil war era style house we were happily surprised by how cheap it was for college campus housing. We later found out, the house belongs to a little old woman who's family has had to place her into an assistant living facility because she could no longer live alone, let alone manage the upkeep of a house this big. Instead of selling the house, after they found out it had a low selling value, most likely thanks to it being smack bang in the middle of college campus they decided to rent it out to students like me and my four roommates. When we decided to take the rooms here so we could live together we had no idea we'd be right next door to the football house. During football season it's not that bad, they have a strict curfew, and training regime, which means no parties during the season. Post Season however, it's party central over there. Don't get me wrong, I grew up in a house with three football mad men. My dad is a retired NFL player, and my two older brothers Zeke and Axel, have followed in his footprints, even down to playing for the team our dad spent his whole career playing for. I became the only girl in the family when my so called "mother" walked out on us when I was one, I don't even remember her. She's never tried to make contact with us, and I've never looked for her. My dad is the only parent I need, and I have no desire to reach out to a woman who could walk away from her three children and the man who gave her the world. My dad somehow managed to do the impossible and juggle being a NFL quarterback and captain of his team while raising three kids all under the age of five. His teammates, now retired, are like our uncles and we were at every one of my dad's games, the other player's wives babysitting us. But while I love the sport, I don't love living next door to college football players who only care about football, parties, and screwing as many girls as possible. Unfortunately though everyone loves the football players, on and off the field due to them hosting the "best parties" post season. All I know is that their parties mess with me and my roommates, and I'd rather live as far away from the arrogant ass hats as possible, but this was the only house with five bedrooms and extra rooms that are perfect for me and my roommates to use as our studios, the large windows giving us lots of natural light. This was the only place that could house the five of us and after that first year we've lived together and I wanted us to be together for our senior year. My roommates are amazing. Alexander, or Lex as we call him, loves living next-door to the "beef cakes" as he calls them. He's taken on the role of protective brother and us four girls love him for it. He's an architech major and has big dreams, but he also loves having four girls to dress up and do our make-up. He had a rough first year, and nearly dropped out due to homophobia, but thanks to Imogen, and later the rest of us, he got back on his feet. Gypsy is a fellow Arts major and was my dorm roommate our freshman year. We've become more than just best friends over the last four years, she's the sister I always wanted. She's also an amputee so we bond over managing our chronic pain. She also has severe PTSD so parties are really hard for her. Then you have Imogen, our resident music major and her talent shines through everything she does. She's also taking Business and Arts majors, along with creative writing. She bakes whenever she gets worried or stressed so we've often woken up to the house smelling like a bakery and I have to admit I love it when she's baked fresh bread, cookies, cupcakes and traditional Chinese and Japanese sweets and dishes. We then have Tamsyn, she's a creative writing, arts and business major and like me she's a schorship student on a full ride. She works part time as a waitress but we have to keep a close eye on her and make sure she doesn't over do it. She has Cataplexy so we all look out for her. She's already a self published author working on the second book in her epic dark fantasy series. We've all read and brought her debute novel and do our parts to help her success, helping her market the book, on social media and other stuff. We want her to succed after how rough a life she's had, we're all very protective of her. I love our little group of creative misfits. They've become my family and my dad and brothers have even adopted them as our own with them being permanently invited to family holidays. My brother's enjoy having another brother in Lex, and dad calls him his third son. The first time dad called him that Lex broke down in tears after being disowned by his own family for being gay, and I'm proud to say, my brothers Axel and Zeke brought him in for a group hug. In all honesty, my dad always wanted more kids, but he never got remarried after our "mother" abandoned us, so he's embraced my friends as his own and loves having another three daughters. He loves being a girl dad apparently. We don't really pay the football players much attention, as we hardly travel in the same social circles although I do go over to the football house to watch my brother's games. I've never missed one, even over the past four years I make sure they know I'm cheering them on no matter where I am. The amount of times one of the football or hockey players have flirted with me, or one of my house mates is laughable considering we reject them every time. None of us is interested in being just another notch on their bed post. I'm a full ride scholarship student, and while my dad could afford to pay for my education, I was determined to be financially responible for myself, the same as my brothers. I'm focused on graduating, and if my grades slip then I'm out of college and I've worked too hard over the past four years to let anything distract me. Parties for us aren't a common occuarance. We have a few during the year, normally just the five of us, some alcohol or soda, loud music and dancing but we have been known to open our doors to the other arts major students. But due to us all either having a medial condition, or severe trauma parties are normally a big "NO" in this house which suites me just fine. With a huff, I step out onto the porch and pick up the football, a slight smile twisting my lips at all the afternoons and holidays me, my brothers, dad and dad's teammates spent playing a game of ball in the garden. "Right here sweetheart!" I look up at the sound of a familiar voice and spot the smirking face of Jordan Mathews, otherwise known as "The Badass". Jordan "The Badass" Mathews, the captain of the football team. He's the typical arogant ass hat with all American good looks with his dirty blonde hair and warm honey, amber brown eyes. At 6"2 and 210lbs of pure, solid muscle, he's gorgeous, and he bloody knows it. They call him The Badass for a reason, considering the daring and risky moves he makes on the football field. In fact I know my dad is keeping an eye on his college career and keeping a ear to the ground on which teams are the most interested in him. His badass moves transpire in his personal life as well from what I've heard. He's not afraid to make a move on any woman he finds attractive, and judging from the amount of girls claiming to have shared his bed his goal is to bed as many girls as possible. Which apparently to other boys is a badass move. I think he's just a man w***e who can't keep it in his pants. My lips twitch with a hint of a smirk. He knows I don't like him, that I hate he calls me sweetheart or darling or any one of his other pet names. Just because he can't remember the names of the women he sleeps with, doesn't mean he should go around calling every woman here sweetheart. I know it's stupid, but I hate that he's been around me for four years, and still doesn't know my name. I throw the ball in the air and kick it back over to him, wanting to get back to my pizza and away from the grinning football player. "Whoa, you've got some killer legs there darling, and they kick nicely too," he says and lets out a low whistle. "Jordan, I'm trying to get my assignments done and eat. Can you please keep your balls in your yard?" I ask, and sigh at the glint of mischief in his eyes. "My balls are right here," he says and grabs his junk to draw my attention down, it doesn't work, I keep my gaze trained on his face, "but if you mean the football, I'll try sweetheart," he says and I swallow down the groan trying to escape. He's impossible, just impossible. Turning on my heel, I head back in and plop down in front of my pizza. Opening the box I grab a slice of the half and half, choosing the meat lovers side while promising myself I'll eat a pinnapple and ham slice next. Just as I'm about to take a big bite of the hot, meat lovers slice, a hand comes into view from behind me and grabs a slice. "What the f**k! What are you doing in here Jordan?" I yell, turning round to face the grinning, annoying jerk. "You said you were eating, I figured it was an invite to join you, and I do love meat lovers but now I'm tempted to take a slice of Hawaiian," he says and I slap the box shut when his hand reaches to steal more of my pizza. "Take your slice of stolen pizza and get the hell out of the house, I don't have time to entertain you," I say, and push him away, getting up to push the wall of muscle out the door. "Thanks sweetheart," he grins while strolling out, holding his slice up just to taunt me. "He is such an asshole!" I say out loud, shutting the door and throwing my hands in the air. "Who is an asshole and are they cute? Or at least attractive?" Lex says he comes downstairs with his suitecase in one hand, his protfolio in the other and a backpack on his back. A pang of sudden loneliness fills my chest and I drag my focus back on his question. "The big jackass next door, Jordan Mathews. I didn't know you were here," I say as Lex comes and wraps an arm around my shoulders. "I was packing for my trip and had my headphones in," he explains, kissing the top of my head before heading over to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. "Beside's those boys next door were exercising outside, and I had the best view from my window," he grins and wiggles his eyebrows at me. "You just missed one of those boys, he stole a slice of my pizza," I grumble and take a bite of my slice, groaning at the explosion of flavour on my tongue. "That boy should know not to steal your food by now. I'm guessing he stole from the meat lovers side and not from the Hawaiian?" He chuckles and places an extra water bottle in his backpack. "That's the only reason I let him go without kneeing him in the balls. I don't like him if that's what you're implying," I sit cross legged on the couch, pulling my laptop over and grabbing another slice of pizza, Hawaiian this time, another moan leaving my throat as I devour the slice. "I don't know what it is with that boy, it's like he enjoys annoying you. You don't think it's because you once rejected him in freshman year?" Lex questions, his brow furrowed in concertration. "I doubt he'd remember me or that I turned him down at a party. Besides, he was drunk, and from what I heard he hooked up with a Delta that night," I shrug, certain the boy doesn't even know my name let alone that I turned him down. "I wish you didn't have to go tonight," I sigh, watching as he checks he has his passport and ticket. "I know darling, but this is my chance to get an internship with such a briliant company," He walks over to me, and hugs me from behind, resting his cheek on the top of my head. "I know," I sigh again, my throat tightening. "You're all out for the next week, with Imogen at that music competition, Tamsyn with her hospital appointment, and Gypsy at her animation competition, and now you going off to get your internship." the emotion builds in my chest and I hate that my eyes sting with tears. Suddenly we hear loud music being played from the football house. "Are you kidding me? It's only Wednesday! Are they not in bloody training?" I yell, and hold my head in my hands. "It's their off week Vi, so it's party time. I need to get going darling are you going be ok?" He asks and I lean back, looking at him. "I'll be fine, might head to the library and then the studio for a little extra practice," I shrug and gather the pizza to put in a tupperware box before stuffingit in my backpack for me to eat later. Lex checks his watch before grabbing my sports bag and rumaging through it. I shut my laptop, keeping it on standby before placing it into the laptop bag and slinging it across my torso. "You have everything you need for pain management. You got enough meds for the next two weeks?" he asks, and my chest grows warm at his concern. "I think so, I'll have to check, but I'm not staying here while they live it up," I grumble and grab my handbag before taking my sports bag from Lex. "Well, check tonight please, and then tell your dad when you'll need a repeat prescription of your medication," he says, his tone serious. Without another word we step out the house, I lock up and scowl at the football house, noticing Xavier waving at me before jogging back into the house. "Be safe," I hug Lex and then watch as he gets into his car and drives off, before I get into mine and head off to the library. Hopefully spending a couple of hours studying and then dancing will ease this frustration at my neighbours.