“No, I’m not upset at all,” Dad interrupts and he sounds ecstatic. “I’m glad. I think applying for uni is a fantastic idea.”
“I’m not sure if I’ll end up going,” I quickly explain. “But I might as well try, right? If I get in, I can defer my offer and still have a gap year. Jasper thinks I can get a good enough score to go…”
“You will, Kieran. I’m proud of you. You’ve been trying so hard at your new school. I know it was rough and abrupt, sending you to Easton, but you’re making the most of it.”
“I’m glad I came here,” I say.
*
Even though it was Jasper who organised the time and date for our lunch, Senior insists on making the food. He’s in the kitchen, making sandwiches with Turkish bread. I stand beside him, attempting to be helpful by slicing tomatoes, listening for the doorbell to ring.
When it does, I drop my knife onto the chopping board. “I’ll get it,” I say, and rush to the front door.
Jasper smiles at me when I open the front door. “Hey.”
“Hi.” I quickly kiss him before leading him inside.
In the kitchen, I resume slicing tomatoes. Senior and Jasper make small talk about the upcoming final term and exams, and Jasper looks composed, but from the way he glances at me, I know he’s nervous.
It’s going to be okay,I try to say with my eyes.
Senior finishes making the sandwiches and puts them on three plates, and we take them to the table in the reading room to eat.
“So,” Senior begins once we’ve all sat down. “What did you want to talk about with me, Jasper?”
Jasper glances at me. “It involves both of us.”
“Oh?” Senior smiles pleasantly. “What is it?” He picks up a sandwich slice. Neither Jasper nor I touch ours.
“Well,” I say, watching Senior eat. I don’t want to say it until he’s finished swallowing, in case he chokes in shock.
“Yes?” Senior asks.
He’s swallowed his bite. Time to talk.
“Basically,” Jasper says, bringing his hands together like we’re in a formal meeting. “Kieran and I are…” he takes a breath. “Dating.”
Senior nods and takes another bite.
I stare at him. Jasper’s brow creases before he suddenly slumps, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Don’t tell me you already knew.”
Senior shrugs and chews.
“I don’t understand…” I say.
Senior swallows his second bite, puts the slice down, and wipes his fingers with a napkin. “Well,” he begins, “I didn’t know for certain.”
“Juliet said practically the exact same thing,” Jasper says.
“However, I did notice that you two seemed particularly close when we all had dinner all those weeks ago. Then there was the time I saw you sneaking out of Kieran’s bedroom one morning,” Senior says to Jasper.
“Huh? When?” Jasper asks.
“Not long ago. It was the night you got into that nasty fight,” Senior says, looking at me.
Right, Jasper slept in my bed the night of Imogen’s party. He’d already gone by the time I woke up, but…
“You saw me?” Jasper asks, looking mortified. “You didn’t say anything.”
