“No, I do.” Coop didn’t know what he meant that night. The words came out as a stop gap, but he knew that he didn’t want Matty out of his life.
“Good. We can’t just say we’re going to be friends.”
“Do you have a single? As a freshman?” Coop poked his head inside to glance at Matty’s room with new bed and an air conditioning unit that could cool an entire floor.
“Yeah. All engineering students do.”
“Lucky duck.” Coop snapped back to what mattered. “I want us to stay friends, too.”
Matty stepped aside so Coop could enter and fully see how sweet Matty had it. He was even jealous of the carpet, which was clean and springy, unlike the flat, worn stuff in his and Rafe’s room. Coop didn’t know how Matty felt about people sitting on his bed, so he remained standing.
“So what’s new in the land of computer science engineering?”
Matty shut the door and itched at his head. “I got my first B.”
Yeah, I know. Thanks to the asshat in front of you. You’re welcome.Coop put on a happy face. “It’s okay. B’s are good.”
Matty raised his eyebrows, which Coop found irresistible.Yeah, I cantotallyconvert this crush thing into a friend thing.“I don’t get B’s.”
“Well, you do now. What about the curve?”
“How do you know about the curve?”
Coop shoved a hand deep into his pocket and pinched his leg. “I have cousins who were in the engineering problem. Years ago. They said that all the teachers used a curve.”
“It’s true.”
Saved by the imaginary cousins.
“I didn’t want to rely on the curve, but I guess it’s not the worst thing in the world.”
“It’s not. It’s okay to get help sometimes. No one’s perfect. And besides, who cares if it still counts as an A?”
“You’re right. There’s no need for me to be apoplectic.”
Watching this kid’s mouth pucker as he saidapoplecticwas the cutest thing to Coop. “Trust the curve. The curve is your friend.”
Matty seemed to relax. He put a tentative hand on Coop’s shoulder then removed it just as fast. He, too, was still figuring out this friend thing. “Thanks, Coop. I feel a lot better about the curve. I’ll just have to study harder next time.”
“Or not. I mean, an A is an A. Your robots will still fly regardless.”
“My robots don’t fly.”
“Or at least they’ll be able to jump really far, like they did inThe Terminator.”
“You’ve never seen a real-life robot, have you?”
Coop proudly shook his head no. This was probably the time to either leave or make out, but neither could be an option for him now. Coop brushed a finger on his laptop. “Show me.”
“Okay.” Matty walked to the door.
“Where are you going?”
“I can show you the real thing.” Matty’s lips twitched with a mischievous smile. Coop looked into those dark eyes like they were a bottomless hole.
Matty opened the door. “You coming?”
Chapter 16
