My One Night: An On My Own Novel by Carrie Ryan (life books to read .txt) 📕

get a full scholarship. That would mean no more loans, no more saying “no” to my big brothers every time they tried to help me.

Not that I didn’t love them, I did. I was grateful for everything that they were doing and had done. I just didn’t want them paying for my schooling. Especially when I knew they were all either working on babies or already pregnant—well, their wives anyway. The next generation was coming, and that meant college funds for the new kids.

I didn’t need them paying for me. Although it wasn’t like our parents would pay.

I shivered at the thought.

No, my mom wouldn’t have dropped a cent for me, had rarely done it when she was alive and had been so-called raising me. As for Dave, the man who was, apparently, my dad? I wasn’t even sure I knew who he was beyond a druggie who scared the crap out of me. So, no, I’d pay for my education and hope to hell that I kept up with my grades to get that scholarship.

“Why do you look as if you are off in another world, all serious-like?” my roommate, Pacey, asked as he came to my side.

I looked over at Pacey and smiled. He shoved his hand through his hair, pushing the blond strands back from his face. They were forever falling over his eyes, and I knew from listening in on many conversations, including those of my ex-girlfriends, that that look sent women and men alike into shivers. And Pacey knew it.

“I’m fine. I don’t know why you think I’m acting weird or thinking too hard.”

Pacey just raised a blond brow, looking all stiff and upper-crust British. Since he was, it only made sense to me.

“I’m not making up that look. You’re thinking hard, and I’d like to know why.”

I shrugged and downed the rest of my beer. “Just thinking about exams coming up.”

“They are always coming up. That’s what happens when you have some classes working on a three-exam schedule, some a midterm schedule, and a…you know what, let’s do a surprise exam that’s going to scare the shit out of your students schedule.”

I laughed outright at that, and the two of us headed over to the keg. I wasn’t sure where we’d gotten it other than Sanders usually had connections. I just hoped to hell the cops didn’t show up since none of us were of age.

A girl with tight jeans, a low-cut shirt, and bright red lips operated it.

“Hello, boys,” she said, reminding me of a character from Supernatural as she said it.

“Hi there, Alexa,” Pacey said, practically purring. The man was good at that.

“Oh, welcome.” She giggled, actually giggled and blushed. “Can I get you something?” she asked and held up the tap. “I can get you exactly what you need,” she said, and I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

“Just a beer for my mate here, for now, Alexa darling,” Pacey answered, grinning.

I had a feeling that Pacey would be leaving me soon for the red-lipped co-ed, and I didn’t mind. I’d seen her around a few times. She was friendly, smart, and didn’t treat people like crap. That counted for a hell of a lot in my book.

I took the beer from Alexa and had to be careful not to drop it as she only had eyes for Pacey. I shook my head, a smile playing on my lips as I moved away. Pacey nodded ever so slightly, all debonair and magnetic. He was like a spiderweb. Most people got stuck in his wake. However, he wasn’t exactly the spider. More like one who convinced those caught in his web that they wanted to be there and were excited by the prospect. I hadn’t seen a person walk away from Pacey’s bed disheartened, angry, or in any way acting as if they hadn’t gotten what they wanted.

“Okay, now I need to know what that look was about,” Pacey said as he stared at me.

I snorted and took another sip of my beer. “I was just thinking that you’re not an asshole when it comes to sleeping around.”

Pacey’s brows shot up, and then he threw his head back and laughed.

More than one person turned our way to stare at Pacey—and I supposed at me, as well—but there was just something about my roommate. If I was in any way attracted to Pacey, I figured the two of us might be a decent match for a relationship. Although we were too busy and focused on school to worry about anything else. Besides, there wasn’t even a flicker of a buzz between us. And I was just fine with that.

“Well, that is kind of you. And I do try to satisfy my lovers.”

“Dear God,” a man said from beside us, practically fainting into another guy’s arms.

I met Pacey’s eyes, rolled mine, and left to go back to my corner, which was thankfully still empty. Pacey followed me with his gaze, a curious look on his face. “Now, do you want to tell me exactly what you were thinking about before?”

I shrugged. “Just school, focusing on things. About the fact that the cops haven’t come in here yet.”

“Stop it. Why would you say something like that?” Pacey asked and knocked on the wood beam beside us.

Miles, one of my other roommates, popped out of nowhere and knocked, as well. “I was four feet away and I heard you. You do not call out to the universe for things like that.”

I held up my free hand and winced. “Sorry. I’m having an off evening.”

“I’d say,” Tanner mumbled as he came forward. Tanner was one of my other roommates, and I honestly didn’t have a good lead on him. From what I could tell, he was smart but tended to brood in his room or at his desk. He shared the library with Miles for their study area. I shared with Pacey in the actual study. The house was set up like that kids’ murder mystery