“Ryan Gardner is in love with you.”
“He is not.”
She shrugged, as if she had figured I would put her down like that. “Maybe not yet. But I can see the strings all coming together.”
“He’s not. He doesn’t even know me.”
“You sure about that?” Vadika asked. “I mean, he did know where to find you in the library. He knew a whole lot about you that I’m not sure you told him. Correct?”
That was oddly accurate. I hadn’t thought much about it.
“Sounds like someone has had a crush on you for some time now.”
A spark of hope flared in my chest. Stupid hope.
“And it looks like it isn’t one sided?”
I stared at my friend. “Shut up, Vadika.”
She laughed.
“His leg is better anyway,” I said. “The crutches are gone, and so I’m sure he’s back to his normal life with his fun, normal friends.”
“Please do not tell me you just referred to yourself as a literal crutch for Ryan Gardner.”
I shrugged.
She shook her head, blowing out a breath. “I’m just saying, I hear he has abs too.”
He did.
“Among other things.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“Really? You don’t know?”
“Know about what?”
“The rumors about Ryan,” Vadika said, finally sitting down.
There were rumors about Ryan? The confusion must’ve shown on my face.
“What rumors?”
Vadika contemplated for a moment, kicking her feet up onto a third seat with my bag sitting on top of it. “Two or so years ago, I think?”
“That was a while ago.”
“Yeah,” said Vadika. “Still, it stuck around my building here for a few months, if I remember correctly. But that was our first year, when none of these nerds were having any luck in getting laid.”
Even the rumors of us getting frisky in the library had died down a bit by now—unless I just wasn’t paying attention anymore. I was, however, paying close attention to Vadika now. Getting laid?
I waved her to go on, feeling a tightness along my ribs.
“Some chick—I don’t remember her name. She was one of the girls who hung out with your charming roommate at the time?”
“Lauren?”
