“I thought you’d be ready to get it over with so you can actually have some free time,” Krista teases.
“Please, I wouldn’t even know what to do with free time.” Yes, I work in the coffee shop and as a tutor for a few of the finance courses for the money because, well, money makes the world go ‘round. But between the two jobs and hockey, classes and homework, slip in some time with friends and hooking up with Mason, every single hour of my day is accounted for. And that’s the way I like it.
The door to the library flings open and crashes against the outside wall with a loudbang. Krista and I both whip our heads in the direction at the same time as the librarian shoots a scalding warning to the perpetrator. But I relax as Logan comes striding in, arms stuffed to the brim with gallons of milk and a winning smile on his face.
“Bag secured!” he calls out, fully ignoring the librarian.
We laugh as he makes his way over, and all my earlier annoyance and frustration at the rough start my morning had melts away.
The morning passes quicklywith a steady stream of students needing their fix. I chat with the familiar faces that come through from years past and try to settle the nerves of anxious freshmen as they take everything in with big eyes. By ten o’clock, I punch out, make a coffee for myself, and head across campus for my first class of the day. My course load this semester is fairly light since I’ve completed most of my gen ed courses previous years and can now focus primarily on accounting.
I reach Bolton Hall, where the majority of the finance classes are, and immediately am greeted with a sea of familiar faces. Many of us have been in the same courses for the last couple semesters, and Haulton is small enough that you get to know your classmates.
“Killer!”
The nickname has me turning my head, looking for the culprit in the busy hallway, as Bryant emerges. His head is freshly buzzed, and his skin is an even deeper shade of brown after the summer.
“Hey, you!” I say as he pulls me in for a side hug as we walk down the hall. “I didn’t see you last night.”
“You were over at our place?” Bryant is one of Mason’s roommates, along with one of their other teammates.
I nod. “But I came over late.”
He smirks and I elbow him. My relationship, or more like casual hookup situation, I have going on with Mason is no secret.
“Where are you headed?”
The open staircase comes into view, and I point up. “209.”
“Hell yeah. Be prepared for me to steal your notes again.” Bryant grins.
We make our way upstairs and into the lecture hall, where I find two more friends from previous classes sitting up toward the front. I plop down next to Chloe, and Bryant sits on my other side. As students file in, chatter fills the air until our professor strides to the front of the room and takes her place behind the podium.
It’s syllabus week, so the lecture is short and sweet. I have two more classes in the same building, each just as easy as the first. In my final class, my phone buzzes, and I peek at it, seeing a text from my roommate and best friend.
Grace: Wanna meet up by Merrington before practice and walk over together?
Me: Yep. Should be out of here in 10
Grace: *thumbs up*
“Missed you at home this morning,”Grace chides as we walk side by side across the courtyard.
I shield my eyes from the sun and bump her shoulder. “I texted you that I wasn’t coming back last night.”
“I know, I’m just messing with you. But I am surprised that you slept over. What was with all that talk over the summer that you weren’t going to do that this year?”
“I meant it, and I still do. Technically, the semester started today, so that rule isnowin effect.”
Grace smirks knowingly. “Whatever you say. You already know how I feel about him.”
I roll my eyes. “I know, I know.”
I’ve been hooking up with Mason since the start of junior year, and at the beginning, I was hopeful that it would turn into more, even as he always insisted that it was casual. I thought eventually he’d change his mind and want a more serious relationship, but in hindsight, it’s a good thing he never did.
There’s no time for a serious relationship in my life, and even if there was, I’m confident it wouldn’t be with Mason. We have fun together and share a lot of the same friends, but beyond hockey and our social lives, we’re completely different people at our core.
We approach the rink and head straight to one of the conference rooms we often use to watch game tapes. Coach always likes to start the season off with a meeting before we all get on the ice.
