They all exchange a look. Earbuds and Overalls shrug, then the third guy with half of his face painted purple and the other half gold, including his lips, answers, “Yeah.”
“Mind if I catch a ride with you guys?”
“Sure,” he says, waving his hand for me to follow them. “I’m Levi. This is Jonah and Keaton.” He gestures to Earbuds then Overalls.
“I’m Meghan. Nice to meet you.” That’s only half true. I’m glad for the ride but still upset about how Jonah and Keaton talked about Trent’s injury. Caring more about the game than his well-being.
“I take it you hadn’t planned on going to the game,” Levi says as we exit the student union and enter the student parking garage.
“No. This will be my first time actually.”
Jonah gasps. “Well, you can’t go to the game like this.”
“Like what?” I follow his eyes, looking down at my outfit. Not a bit of purple or gold on my jeans, cream blouse, or navy jacket.
“We can fix that,” Jonah says as they surround a large SUV and start to pile in. But instead of Jonah or Keaton taking the passenger seat, they pin me in the middle of the back seat.
These guys are not small. I’m actually kind of shocked they’re not on the football team. And I willingly got into a vehicle with them without letting anyone know who I was with or where we’re supposed to be going?
Fuck.
Doors shut, Levi backs out of the parking space. I take out my phone and send Roberta a message with the make and model of the car, a quick explanation, and ask her to track my phone.
Meghan: If I don’t make it to the stadium, call the cops.
Roberta blows up my phone with a million questions. Too many for Keaton and Jonah not to guess what’s going on.
Keaton takes my phone.
“What the fuck?” I yell and try to take it back.
“Hi, Meghan’s friend,” Keaton says, holding up my phone to show me Roberta on the screen. “We’re taking your girl here to the game if that’s okay.”
“Who’s we?” Roberta asks with venom in her clenched teeth.
“Keaton Parks. Jonah Banks.” Keaton turns the phone for her to see Jonah. Then holds it between the front seats. “Levi Thompson. We’re Gamma Psi and can promise we’ll get your friend to the game safely. And home if she needs a ride afterward.”
Roberta’s expression softens. Feeling better, as do I, knowing exactly who I’m dealing with. “If she’s going to the game for the reason I think she’s going, she’ll have a way home.”
“Oh, juicy. We’ll wring the details out of her while we do her makeup,” Jonah says.
“Makeup? What?” I screech and the boys laugh.
“Have fun, Meg. And good luck,” Roberta says.
“Thanks, Bobby,” I tease.
“Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of her,” Levi calls back from the driver’s seat but keeps his eyes on the road.
“You better,” Roberta says and blows us all a kiss.
The call ends and Keaton hands me my phone.
“She sounded hot,” Levi says.
“Incredibly,” Keaton and Jonah confirm.
Jonah doesn’t give me time to comment on or even process their opinion of Roberta, coming at me with his index and middle finger coated in purple and gold face paint. “Oh, no. No no no.”