Eli
“Tellme why we’re here,again,” my best friend, Cody, says with a sigh.
“To study.”
“We can study at home. Why do you keep dragging me here? These study rooms give me the creeps.”
“The creeps?” I frown at him. “That’s a bit extreme, don’t you think?” He doesn’t respond, he merely stares at me. “Look. If we go downstairs, you know people are going to bug us. We won’t get a damn thing done and I’ve got a paper to write.”
“If we go downstairs, yes, we’ll get attention, but the right kind of attention––from the laaaaadies.”
“You”—I jab my finger into his chest—“need to study. You’re failing your biology class, remember?”
“How can I forget? Coach has been up my ass about it.”
“Which is why we’re here. I’m looking out for you.”
“Suuuuureyou are.”
“Believe what you want, but this is the best place to focus on our homework. When we’re done, I’ll buy you a beer.”
“Fine.” He sighs. “Deal. But none of that cheap domestic shit. I want the good stuff. An import.”
Slapping him on the back, I approach the desk doing my best to act nonchalant. I’ve been here the last three days hoping to see Emma again, but no such luck. Maybe today will be the day. Or, hell, maybe she only works weekends. I scan the area looking for her or for anyone who can get us a study room. Whenshecomes around the corner, I smile. “Emma.”
I must have surprised her because she jumps about a foot off the ground. In the process, she spills whatever she had in the cup she was holding.
“Balls,” she mutters as she wipes off something brown from her light-colored top.
I chuckle at the expression.Balls.“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
She looks up at me. “It’s okay. I’m super clumsy.”
“What was in your cup?” I say “was” because most of it is either on her university sweatshirt or on the floor.
“Hot chocolate,” she says, swiping a hand down the front of her oversized top. She mumbles something else, but I can’t quite make it out.
“I’m sorry.” And I mean that because I swear, she looks like she may cry over the loss of her beverage. Hell, I’m tempted to drop everything and run down to one of the campus coffee shops and get her a new one.
“Who’s this?” Cody asks, stepping up to the counter.
“Nobody,” I mumble.
Ignoring me, Cody smiles at Emma. “Hey there, munchkin. Can we get a study room?”
Munchkin?What the ever-loving hell?
Her sad face suddenly morphs into something else. Irritation. “Please don’t call me that.”
“What?” He looks surprised. “Don’t call you munchkin?”
“That’s derogatory.” You’d think Emma is the one who said that but nope, it was me.
Cody slowly turns his head until we make eye contact. With only his mouth, he silently forms the word“Derogatory?”
“It is.” I shrug.
“Fine.” He sighs. “I’m sorry, shortcake.”
