Crushing Crystal Read Online Free PDF Page B

shouting pearls of wisdom like “Spring Break!” and “Party!” at the tops of their lungs. A few of them crushed beer cans on their heads and passed out in the gutter.
    Cindy and I both spotted Matt among the group at the same time.
    â€œI call the guy with the brown hair in the white shirt,” she informed our table. The policy was that the first person to call a guy was the only one allowed to pursue him. The rationale was that the girl who was most interested would naturally spot him first. A logical assumption that helped create harmony in our overcrowded hotel room. There was one exception to this rule.
    â€œJump shot,” I said as the guys came closer.
    And that was the jump shot. This simply meant that the guy would be a fair toss-up between the two and no matter who he chose, there would be no hard feelings.
    â€œBitch,” joked Cindy.
    â€œNo, my friend. You are the bitch if you stand between me and the magnificent specimen of masculinity. Bow out, I beg of you.”
    â€œI’ll do no such thing. The genetic possibilities are phenomenal with this man.”
    â€œI hate you,” I said through a cemented smile as the guys began to seat themselves at our table.
    â€œOlivia,” said their ambassador to ours. “These are some of my buddies from school. You’ve met Andy, Pete, Rich and Matt, right?”
    They go to our school. Our school! Sweet mother of God, thank you for this miracle!
    Matt sat next to me. “Hey,” he said.
    I love this man. “Hey,” I returned, hoping not to vomit on him.
    After an hour of drinking, everyone at our table was practically singing “Auld Lang Syne” together as if we’d known each other for a thousand lifetimes. Matt’s knee touched mine under the table and both of us declined to move them away. My hair follicles had a pulse beat. My pores opened so wide with terror, I swore you could stick a cork in each one.
    â€œSo I didn’t catch your name?” Matt said to me.
    Maybe not, but I just caught a jump shot.
    â€œPrudence,” I said, trying to match his coolness.
    â€œI’m Matt.”
    And I’m in loooovvveee with you! I managed not to blurt.
    â€œSo, you go to Michigan?” he asked.
    I nodded for fear of something ridiculous escaping from my lips.
    â€œI wonder why I’ve never seen you around.”
    Perhaps it was the other forty thousand students milling about.
    â€œWell, I’m around now,” I said, amazed at my own ability to flirt.
    â€œYou want to go take a walk or something?” he asked.
    Definitely the “or something.”
    I remember reminding myself to drink in this moment where those gorgeous blue eyes were looking straight at me, and that utterly delicious mouth was forming words that were inviting me to walk—or something. Matt was without a doubt one of the best-looking guys I’d ever laid eyes on, and hands-down the sexiest living creature I’d ever seen—underwear ads included.
    I would walk anywhere and do anything with you, I thought better of saying.
    Cindy watched us both get up from the table as her mental game buzzer sounded that it was all over for her.
    â€œGo get him,” she mouthed and winked. She was a good sport. Plus, three guys had practically set up campsites around her at our table, which was always a great consolation to Cindy.
    Matt and I both lay on our backs on the beach and played tic-tac-toe on an imaginary board in the black sky. Very drunk couples stumbled by us, oblivious to Matt and me. I, on the other hand, was aware of every grain of sand under my head, the smell of the ocean air and every voice that passed by us.
    â€œWhen I get you back to my hotel room I am going to fuck your brains out,” a guy told a girl as he draped his arm around her like a wounded soldier.
    â€œI haven’t got any brains left, but you can still fuck me,” she laughed as if this were the funniest