"No, Logan." He cut me off. "You can't work with the course load you're taking on. That, plus baseball. No. Just find a place and use the money we have saved."

"You have saved. It's not really fair."

"Logan. Use the money in the account. I keep putting it in there and you never use it. It's there for a reason. Use it." He paused, eyeing me. "And it is fair. You're my son. It's what I do."

I looked away. Because I'm not his son. Not really.

Just then, I got a message from Jake. Apparently one of the guys on the team knows a guy, that knows a guy, that has a spare room. He's desperate for someone to move in ASAP.

Hopefully my luck would change because the last few days had been a clusterfuck of Screw-You-Logan disasters.

I texted the guy who's house it was and told him I'll come by later that evening. I hoped to God it wasn’t a shit hole. But right now, I'd fucking take anything.

I spent a few hours with Dad, and slept some, before taking the two-hour drive back towards campus.

***

I parked outside the house and looked at it a moment before getting out. From the outside, it looked like a standard house. No abandoned cars, no junkies, no odors of meth labs, and no hookers in the front yard. I thought I was safe.

A kid around my age opened the door. We did our introductions and he invited me in. Ethan, his name was.

The house itself was basic. Living room with separate kitchen/dining area, but had an open breakfast bar. There was a hallway to the left where I assumed the bedrooms were. He showed me around the main areas and then walked down the hall.

"So," he started, "The rooms on the left are mine and Dimmy's. We share a bathroom."

"Dimmy?"

"My sister," he said. Then he looks me up and down. "Goes without saying, she's off limits."

I nodded, looking at him a little longer than I should. But he looked familiar and I couldn't place him. So I asked him, "Have I seen you around before? You play anything?" He had an athletic build.

He shook his head. "Nah, man. I was good in high school, but not good enough for college. I was one of those 'good-at-everything-but-not-great-at-any' kind of guys, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it."

"Anyway," he perked up, "this room here," he opened the door, "this is yours. I guess you could call it the master. It's the biggest one, has its own bathroom and little outdoor area. It's more rent than what we pay but you get that. Dimmy and I—we're kind of struggling at the moment, so as soon as you can move in—if you want to move in, that is—the better for us."

I walked into the empty room and looked around, then walked into the bathroom and did the same. It was more than decent.

I walked back to the hallway where Ethan stood. “I can move in right now." I told him. Anything that was worth packing was already in my car.

"Awesome, dude."

We shook hands and started walking to the front door.

"Uh, Logan?" Ethan said from behind me.

I turned to face him.

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking nervous. "So, when I said that Dimmy and I were struggling—I wasn't kidding. I mean, she has a job, and so do I, but we need more hours. Anyway, we're a little behind—"

"Dude," I interrupted. "Whatever you need, man. It's fine. Just let me know."

He smiled and nodded, just as I heard the front door swing open. Ethan's voice filled the room. "Oh good, Dimmy. You're home. You can meet our new housemate, this is—"

"No. Fucking. Way." I heard a familiar voice.

I whipped my head to the front door, so fast I almost pull a muscle in my neck.

"No fucking way." She repeated, her head shaking from side to side. She looked from me to Ethan. "No E, no fucking way."

"What the hell?" Ethan said behind me. He walked to stand between us.

I think I was smiling, but I couldn't be sure. My heart thumped in my chest so hard, and so fast, I could feel it vibrating throughout my body.

"No, Ethan. Just no," she said.

Ethan looked from her to me, and back again. "We need the money Dimmy, it's either that or one of us go home. You decide."

Now I know I was grinning like an idiot because she was glaring at me, eyes narrowed.

My hands went in my front pockets as I took her in.

Amanda.

My eyes roamed her from head to toe. Her dark hair was up in one of those messy bun things, and she was wearing glasses. I didn't know she wore glasses, or contacts. They're those thick black frame hipster style ones, and they make her look fucking hot. She wore a tight long sleeve top that molded to her curves. She carried a yoga mat under her arm, and when my eyes moved lower down her body, I saw it.

She was wearing my sweatpants.

My cheeks began to hurt from the shit-eating grin I wore.

"Nice pants," I told her.

She looked confused for a second before she looked down. Her eyes widened as understanding dawned.

Then quickly, she threw the yoga mat onto the floor and ripped my pants off her legs. She stood in the living room in her top and panties.

I was getting turned on.

Pretty sure I'd be on her if her brother wasn't standing in between us.

"Fuck, Dimmy!" he yelled, eyes squeezed tight. He moved to the kitchen and ran the tap.

She threw the pants at my head and I instinctively caught them. She brushed past me and into her room, slamming the door shut behind her.