That’s a date. Is that a date? Like, everyone has to eat and on campus, all the food is out, so, therefore eating out is not a date.
As Sophie didn’t answer, he hastily amended, “I know it’s a long drive. A Lumberjack’s home game is closer. Unless you’re not into hockey.”
“I only went when my mom got tickets from work. She’s a nursing assistant and the health department always had really cheap tickets to Dorney Water Park and the PA Renaissance Faire, the Reading Phillies, and the Phantoms. B-but I like hockey. I think.”
“I’m not entirely convinced,” Jesse chuckled. “We don’t have to go, you know.”
“No! I want to go. I— What’s your last name?”
“Smith.” His thick dark brows rose and hid under his tumbling bangs. “What’s that have to do with—Oh! You didn’t know my— We never did the formal introductions?”
“You’re in my phone as Jesse. Junior Jesse or Jesse Junior looked weird.”
“I’m Jesse Smith.” He suddenly swung his body around so he was in front of her and held out his hand, his smile wide and his eyes laughing. “And you are?”
“Sophie Usman. Freshman.” She shook his hand, her smile growing.
“Okay. Sophie Usman, Freshman music major, would you like to go to a hockey game with me? Taco bets are totally optional.”
“Yes, I would and I’m okay with taco bets. Taco bets are cheap.”
“Yeah, tuition is a necessary evil.”
“No, it’s not that. I need to find a job. I still haven’t. If I don’t have one by Thanksgiving, my dad is going to flip. He doesn’t like the idea of ‘lazy college students. He wanted me to work during high school but my— my mom talked him out of it. She said the part-time job would detract from studying and studying would get me a scholarship and a part-time job wouldn’t equal the same amount of money as a—Oh. Sorry. Rambling. Heh.”
“It’s cool.”
They were side-by-side again, hand-in-hand again. The carpet of November leaves crunched under their sneakers as they made their way from her dorm to their usual haunts of Chinese or tacos. “Are you going home for Thanksgiving?” Jesse asked.
“Absolutely. If I don’t, my mother will kill me.”
“Wow. Then you’d better go. We can’t have that.”
“What about you? Big family dinner?”
“Nah. It’s just my mom and me these days. We’ll visit from family friends, too.”
“I know how that is. The last few years, since my grandma passed away, it’s just been my parents and me. My parents have siblings, but they don’t live in this country. My dad is from Nigeria and my mom is from Armenia.” She waited for the noises of surprise or the comments about ethnicity. They didn’t happen.
Jesse’s eyes narrowed slightly as he squinted into the lavender sky. Polaris and a thin sliver of moon were the only lights in the heavens at twilight.
“I’m adopted.” Sophie felt like she had to explain, even though he hadn’t questioned.
“You mentioned that before. I think it’s neat. If I have kids one day, I want to adopt. Actually, I um— I have to adopt. I’m not uh— genetically suited for parenting.”
“Then don’t adopt. Adopted parents are still real parents,” Sophie said, heat in her normally relaxed tones.
“Sorry. I meant I’m notableto have kids. I have a genetic problem that means my fertility prospects are at zero percent.”
Sophie’s eyes widened. “Oh. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Jesse.” Her mind raced and her tongue tapped her teeth before she blurted, “Do you think I have it, too?”
He turned his head, dark eyes piercingly bright even in the shadows that were falling. His fingers caressed her wrist for a moment. “No, I don’t think we’re entirely the same inside. We just look the same.”
Her ribs were shrinking, cutting off her air as his eyes bored into her and his hand dragged a gentle path up and down her arm.What’s going on? What happens next?She wanted to demand answers but her voice was absent, along with her breath.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking,” Jesse murmured, words seeping out slowly.
“About what?” she managed to squeak.Oh, God. Minnie Mouse voice. I think I liked it better when I was silent.
