Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
EMMA
“It’s a fish!” Levi yells at Kamila. She shakes her head and redraws something on the board that Levi brought from his apartment.
“Lips!” Kami nods and moves her hands. “Okay, it’s a movie, five words.
Horror is in the title. There’re lips involved.
” He jumps up from the couch. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show!”
“Yes!” Kami yells, and they high-five.
Jake rolls his eyes. “And that is seven to three.” We exchange glances.
“We really suck at this game.” I pout.
“Do you guys forfeit?” Kami waggles her brows.
I wave my hand in the air. “Yes, Ms. Competitive, we forfeit. Congrats on winning again.”
Kamila does a little dance with Levi, and I smile as I walk past them to the fridge.
I open the freezer and look for what I made last night after a long day at the soup kitchen, trying to distract myself from the most intimate and awkward moment Grayson and I have had to date.
It was the first time we’d ever been caught, but Jake, being who he is, didn’t say a word after I asked him not to.
“Who wants orange margarita Popsicles?” I hold out the tray to offer it to everyone, and the three of them stop bickering about what movie to watch.
It’s the second Sunday game night we’ve managed to have this semester, and it’s been fun.
Except that every semester, there seems to be less and less time for just the four of us.
Pushing that thought aside—like I’ve done so many times before—I move the tray again, and they each grab one.
“Careful,” I warn. “They may taste sweet, but they’re strong, and you’ll get tipsy with just two of them.
“Pfft, speak for yourself,” Jake says.
“Stop being an asshole and go put on the movie,” Kami says in between licks of her Popsicle.
He walks away and hands Levi a Popsicle as he reaches the couch. Knowing Levi, he’ll only want two since Stevie can’t drink, and he’s never liked getting drunk. The man loves her and would quit drinking for her completely if she didn’t insist he have the whole college experience.
“Emma, you’re the final vote.” Levi flips between two movies on Kamila’s and my screen in our dorm suite. “Inception or The Shining?”
I place the tray of Popsicles back in the freezer. “Both are great, but I’m not in the mood for horror.”
“Inception it is.” Levi sighs as Kami and Jake high-five.
An hour later, we’re all snacking and focused on the movie. My choice is strawberry ice cream, as usual. I’m cuddled next to Kami on one end of the couch when my phone vibrates, which can only mean I either got a text from my editor or an email.
“I thought we said no phones,” Kami points out without looking away from the screen.
“Sorry, must be Amelia.”
Jake and Levi both let out a loud sigh.
“How is Amelia doing?” Jake cracks his neck.
“Fine, and she’s still off-limits. The rumor is that she’s seeing someone.”
Jake looks at me with an approving nod. “Good for her. She’s a nice girl.”
“And waaaaayyy too smart for you,” Levi mumbles before Jake slaps the back of his head.
We all laugh quietly.
“Seriously, though, tell her to let you take one day off.”
I don’t bother to answer. Kami doesn’t say anything, knowing how tough campus jobs and extracurriculars can be.
Levi also works, but he only gets messages when a parent needs to cancel their kid’s guitar lessons.
He also takes most Sundays off. Jake is the only one who doesn’t work or have any extracurriculars…
Honestly, we’re not really sure what he does when he isn’t with one of us, which is only about thirty percent of his time. Still, that’s a lot.
Like always, knowing less is better when it comes to his personal life.
Unlocking my phone, I see I received an email, not a text. Instead of it being from my editor, it’s from Grayson. My heart pounds loudly in my ears as I open it.
Subject: Next week’s class
Ms. Haywood,
I hope your Sunday is going well and that you found the soup kitchen to be educational.
I’d like to speak with you alone for a moment after my lecture on Wednesday.
Professor Hayes
My jaw hangs open as I hold my spoon of ice cream halfway to my mouth.
That is the most cryptic message he’s sent me this semester. Is he trying to apologize again? To deny what I know he’s feeling, again?
He’s so lucky I liked the people at the soup kitchen, or I would’ve dropped this piece. Still, he’s hesitant to tell me about his parents, which is partly why I told him about my cousin. And partly because I knew he’d understand as someone else who’s experienced loss.
Yet, he didn’t tell me more or open up, and I guess he needs more time. But he didn’t need more time to touch me the way he did yesterday.
God, he drives me crazy.
One moment he’s grumpy and angry, the next he’s all laughs and smiles, then he’s flirting with me, and afterward it’s right back to being grumpy and serious.
Oh, we are definitely going to have a talk, and this time, I’m not letting him off so easily.