“I know you won’t. Do you even have a wild bone in your body?”
I roll my eyes and wrap my arms around him. Lix hugs me tightly. For a minute, we stand just like that. “Have I thanked you for taking care of this transfer for me?”
“Yes.”
“Okay then… Have I thanked you for this summer on Kala?”
I can hear his smile when he answers, “Yes.”
“Have I thanked you for last summer and the transfer to Longwood U?”
“You thank me a lot, Roux. Yes.”
“I appreciate everything you do for me. Someday, I’m going to be able to show you that.”
“You already show me that.”
Not what I meant, and he knows it. Someday, Iwillbe able to do something for him. Something special. Something where he knows just how much everything he’s done for me, especially over the last year, has truly helped me.
A key in the outside door has my heart jumping. My roommate’s back.
Because this is my third year, I’m considered anupperclassman. That means I’m in the dorms that are more like mini apartments. We’re talking seven hundred square feet at most. Two bedrooms, joint bathroom, and a small living area.
Classes start tomorrow, and since I’d only just found out about my transfer four days ago, I’m obviously a little behind. My roommate was already here but notherewhen I arrived and while Lix and I moved my shit in.
I take a step back from Lix and hold my breath as the door in the other room opens. I can barely see the edge of it from here as I stare out into the common room we share. It closes with asnap. Footsteps.
Then his face appears, and I almost jump. Maybe I do jump. However, I release the breath I was holding in relief. This isnotTrevor. This guy has red hair, freckles, and bright blue eyes.
“Hey,” he says with a big smile. “You made it. I thought I’d be living in this big place all on my own.”
“I’m a late transfer,” I tell him.
“That’s cool. I’m Booker Byrne,” he says as he comes closer to my door.
I wipe my hands on my pants as I walk toward him. We do the whole fist bump greeting. “Roux Kipler,” I say. “This is my brother Lix.”
“Lix,” Booker says, his smile widening. “Awesome name, man.”
Lix chuckles. “Elixon. Most people usually call me Lix. Less vowels and less complicated.”
“No, fair. Hey, I’ll let you get settled. I’m just grabbing my license so I can get on the roster for borrowing school vehicles.”
I nod. “Cool.”
“We’ll catch up later,” he says and heads for his room.
“I may be gone later,” I tell him. “I have soccer, then I’m going to have dinner with my brother before he drives back to L.A. in the morning.”
Booker comes back out of his room. “Soccer, huh?”
I nod.
“Have you seen Coach Lennon yet?”
I shake my head.
“Mm, mm, mm!” He shakes his head. “Beautiful man. Oh, and the assistant, Harper. I go to the games just to see the staff. Stunning.”
