We part ways with awkward nods. I'm not quite sure how to categorize what just happened. Not real friendship, certainly not, but maybe a temporary ceasefire?
The fallout begins at breakfast,as I drag myself downstairs after a few hours of fitful sleep to find the kitchen buzzing with confused and irritated guys.
"Dude, the Wi-Fi is totally messed up," Mark complains as soon as he spots me. "I can't access like half the sites I normally use," Rex complains.
"What kind of sites?" The question is innocent enough.
"Just... you know, normal stuff?—"
Caleb appears in the doorway right as the excuses start flying. He freezes, coffee mug halfway to his mouth, taking in the bitching and moaning about mysteriously blocked websites.
Our eyes meet mine across the room. His are definitely laughing. So are mine, probably.
He slides into a seat at the far end of the table, quiet, but watching the whole thing unfold like it's the best entertainment he's had all week.
"So wait," Rex says loudly after I've explained the system yet again. "You're saying I can't visit certain sites anymore? That's like, censorship, man."
"No, it's like protection," I correct him. "Unless you want to spend another four hours waiting while I remove ransomware from your laptop?"
Rex has the good sense to look embarrassed. "Well, no, but?—"
"It wasn't my decision alone," I say, seizing the opportunity to share the blame. "Caleb helped design the new system."
All eyes turn to Caleb, who glares at me over his coffee mug. "Thanks for throwing me under the bus," he mutters.
"Wait, you two worked together?" Gavin announces to the entire room, grinning like he has a scoop. "Hunter and Huntington actually collaborated? Without anyone forcing them? This is historic! Somebody write this down."
"Brilliant. Can we move on now, or do you need to write a commemorative plaque? It was three in the morning. We were both awake." I don't mention that we'd been getting along before that. "You came in, saw us both working on it. Made sense to stop being idiots and actually collaborate."
"Hunter and Huntington!" Gavin yells suddenly, as if making a revolutionary discovery. "I just realized, you guys even have matching names! Hunter and Huntington. It's like you were destined to be friends!"
The coffee decides now is the perfect time to go down the wrong pipe. Coughing, sputtering, tears in my eyes while Caleb looks like he's mentally planning Gavin's murder.
"We just worked on a project together," Caleb says.
"Exactly. It was a technical collaboration."
A grinning Drew finally speaks up. "Well, I think it's great. This is exactly the kind of frat bonding stuff I've been pushing for. Different members using their strengths to help each other and the house."
"Speaking of brotherhood initiatives," Tyler interjects, "everyone remembers ice skating tonight, right? Mandatory attendance, President's orders."
A chorus of groans meets this announcement, providing a welcome distraction from Gavin's name-based matchmaking attempts. As the conversation shifts to complaints about forcedwinter activities, I catch Caleb's eye again. He offers me a small nod of acknowledgment, equals in suffering, if nothing else.
After breakfast, I retreat to my room before classes for a desperately needed nap. The whole Caleb thing has me feeling weird, and I'm having trouble figuring out why. For three years, I've carefully maintained my distance from the fraternity brothers, participating enough to be considered part of the group without forming any real attachments. It's safer that way; people who don't get close can't leave you behind.
But last night felt different. Working with Caleb was... not unpleasant. Challenging, even stimulating in its way. He thinks differently from me and approaches problems from unexpected angles.
When he laughs, really laughs without that defensive wall up, he looks almost...
I shut down that line of thinking immediately. One productive late-night session doesn't make a difference. Caleb Huntington is still a rich kid with daddy issues who got caught doing shady photo manipulation. The fact that he knows his way around code and can make me laugh doesn't change what he did.
Chapter 6
Ice, Ice, Maybe
JAMES
By evening, I've convinced myself that last night was an anomaly, a one-time thing that won't happen again. I head to the arena for ice skating with low expectations, already planning my escape strategy.
