Reeve Gupta
Heads up - Jeff is rallying support for his cause to stir up trouble about your relationship.
My stomach falls as I read it. I close my eyes for a minute before typing back a response.
Roux Kipler
What does that mean?
Reeve Gupta
He’s targeting his friends and those he feels are bothered by this news and attempting to sway them with the idea that if they give a united front, then something will be done about it. Petition style, I guess. I don’t know. He approached me earlier, and I told him I want no part of his scheming. I don’t care who you’re sleeping with.
Roux Kipler
Thanks. I appreciate it. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.
Reeve Gupta
Don’t be. He’s doubling down because the lineup was released, and he’s convinced it’s not his own shortcomings that have him on the second line.
I don’t answer. I just stare at the screen and spend the last half of the class debating what I’m supposed to do about this. Is there anything Icando? Am I supposed to just let it go? Let them throw their tantrum as Zarek said they were doing.
When class is over, I stop at my dorm to grab my lunch then jog to the athletic building. I shove the doors open and race down the hall until I’m standing in front of Alka’s door, knocking. He answers it a moment later and smiles when he sees me.
His smile drops when he looks at my face. “What’s wrong?”
Alka pulls me into the room and wraps his arms around me. Another set of arms comes around us, and I jerk a little before l realize it’s Oscar. “I didn’t know you were coming,” I say.
“You’re out of class early,” Alka answers. “I was going to text you right before you were released.”
“We were let out early,” I explain and take a step back. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I hand it to him with the conversation with Reeve open.
Alka reads it, a frown forming. When he’s done, he kisses me. “I’ll be right back. You bring your lunch?”
I nod.
“Good. Stay with Oscar. I’ll be back in a minute.” He leaves the room, but he doesn’t go far. I hear his knock on Coach Harper’s door, but his voice is muffled.
Oscar takes my hand and brings me to the desk where their lunches are laid out. “How was class?” he asks as I take the third chair that’s already waiting there for me.
It makes me smile. “I don’t know. I zoned out for nearly the entire thing.”
He chuckles. “Hopefully, it’s an easy one to catch up on.”
“Calculus,” I say, making a face that has him grinning again. “Not easy but I’ll manage. I hate having to take classes I have no use for.”
“How do you know you have no use for them?” he counters.
“I’m not going to be a mathematician. I get that you use math and mathematical principles in a lot of careers, but I’ll have the internet, a calculator in my pocket, and I can phone a friend if I need help. Mark my words, I’m not going to remember this a year from now,” I argue.
Oscar laughs. “I get it. I couldn’t help you there if you needed it, and I took three years of calculus.”
“Why?”
He shrugs. “Once, I thought I’d go into scientific research. I like the idea of experiments and finding answers and stuff. But…” He shrugs again.
“You have more fun with your dick out?” I ask, trying to keep a straight face and failing.
