“Why are we running?” he asks, out of breath.
I laugh. “No idea. Just keep going!”
We burst out of the building, still laughing. “Seriously, Nova,” Sam says between gasps, “why are we running?”
I shrug. “Because it’s fun. Besides, we skipped our morning run, so... cardio achieved.”
He grins, and just like that, I remember the very first time I met him. It was two and a half years ago, my very first biochemistry class. I was late, the lecture hall was packed, and my phone—of course—blared Avril Lavignes’sSmilesong at full volume the second I walked in. Heads turned to see me as my boots clacked too loudly on the stairs. There were no seats left, so I ended up on the floor at the back.
That’s when Sam stood up from his perfectly good chair, slid down next to me, and said, “I’m Sam.” like it was the most normal thing in the world.
He offered me his laptop so I could take notes, even though he was clearly more invested in Animal Crossing on his phone than the professor’s monologue. I tried to be diligent for about ten minutes before I closed his laptop, looked him in the eye, and asked, “So, what are you playing at?”
He grinned. That was it. Instant partnership. From then on, we sat together in every class.
And not just that—we ran together almost every morning in Golden Gate Park. At first it was just for fun, but then it turnedinto training. A challenge. Two chaos magnets preparing for the New York City Marathon.
That’s what Sam and I are: partners in crime. I create messes, he makes bigger ones, and somehow we balance each other out.
He grew up under the spotlight, son of a record label giant and the host of a famous cooking show calledMy Famous Chef”. Money thrown at him, fame forced onto him, expectations he never asked for. He hates it, though he doesn’t mind burning through his father’s cash out of spite.
And I’ve lost people. Important ones. But I’ve also found love, friendship, and loyalty in Steven, Maggie, Will... and Sam. I love them all. They’re my family and they have a special place in my heart that no one will ever take away from them, but Vincent has his own place in my heart too. Even if he left me. A place that no one else could ever take. He was the one who pulled me back to life when I wanted to give up completely.
“Hungry?” Sam asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“Hm?”
He points toward the hot dog stand across the street, our usual Wednesday-and-Friday ritual. “We better hurry. Line’s already building up. And you know I hate waiting around with assholes. My nose is still sore from last time.”
I laugh, remembering too well. Last week, some jerk kept kicking his dog in line. Sam and I intervened, and while I got spit on my boots, Sam got punched. The dog, thankfully, bit his owner right back and the vendor rewarded us with free hot dogs. Justice served—messy, but served.
We start heading that way when I freeze. A familiar figure, familiar hair, familiar way of slouching forward like the world is heavier than it should be.Vincent.
He’s at the department bulletin board, wrestling with a stack of papers and some thumbtacks.
Sam notices I’ve stopped and doubles back. “Who are we spying on?” His eyes follow mine, and then he smirks. “Oh. That’shim?”
I fold my arms across my chest. “Yeah,” I murmur, not tearing my eyes away.
Vincent drops a paper, curses under his breath in and tries again whatever he was about to do. His stubborn hair sticks out everywhere. Something in my chest twists. Sam just grins wider. “Go talk to him.”
I shake my head. “No. What about you? What about the line? And—you say it like it’s easy.”
“You’ll regret it if you don’t. And honestly, Nova, I doubt you’ll get a better chance to talk alone. If he’s hanging flyers here, maybe...” He waggles his eyebrows. “Maybe he even hoped to see you.”
I roll my eyes, but he’s right. “Okay, but can you grab a hot dog for Steven too? I’m sure he’s forgotten to have lunch again. Oh, and a can of lemonade as well.”
I dig through my purse for my wallet, intending to give Sam cash for lunch, but it’s empty.
Fuck.
I’ve I’ve got three crumpled dollars, not even enough for a single hot dog. I’ve had stuff to pay for. A lot of stuff. Groceries, I wanted to buy a gorgeous present for Asher’s birthday, bills, stray dog kibble... life has a way of draining my wallet faster than I can blink.
I try to laugh it off. “Guess I’m not hungry anymore.”
Sam sees through it, of course, but just nods, still whistling like nothing’s wrong. “Okay.”
Vincent fumbles with another pin. I take a deep breath, step forward, and call out, “Need a hand, Cooper?”
