“This won’t come down on you.”
“I’m not worried about me,” Ollie argues.
“Wait, are you really gonna get in trouble for this?” I ask.
“It’s fine,” Rory tells me. “I want you, and you’re coming.”
Ollie smiles, this bright, wide…incongruous smile. “Okay…” he says, “then it’ll have to be fine.”
“Exactly.”
He starts the car and goes down the driveway, one hand shooting out and playfully swatting Rory’s arm.
“Hey, what was that for? You’re supposed to be the sweet one.” Rory grins at him, and something twists in my gut. It’s not jealousy…exactly. I don’t care that he smiles at Ollie that way. I just…fuck, I think I want Rory to smile at me that way too.
“Why didn’t you go to school this morning?” Ollie scolds.
“I was tired from yesterday! We did…stuff in Boston, and then Shai kept me up all night.”
“Hey, don’t blame me. If I knew you had school, I could have set an alarm.” But I also don’t really get why he has to go to classes. “Mafia heirs go to college? Don’t you have like, a lot of money and a built-in career?”
“That’s what I’m saying!” Rory throws his hands up.
“He should go because education is important, and there’s nothing wrong with a backup plan or accomplishing a goal that has nothing to do with—wait, he knows about the mini mob?”
A laugh tumbles from my mouth. “You’re called the mini mob?”
“No, we fucking aren’t. Only Ollie calls us that. If you say it, I’ll cut out your tongue.” I roll my eyes, but Rory continues, telling Ollie, “Didn’t Cil make it obvious we’re not quite like everyone else when he pissed all over your leg at the Pizza Palace?”
Ollie blushes. “He didn’t pee on my leg.”
“Shai doesn’t know anything that everyone doesn’t know.”
“Fine. Back to the school discussion. I think you’ll feel really good about yourself if you get your degree, Rory. I know you don’t think so, but you can do it, and I want you to see you can do it.”
Rory looks over his shoulder at me. “He’s too sweet for us.”
“Ugh. It has nothing to do with being sweet. I just care about you.”
Rory sighs. “I know.”
And it’s clear he does, that both of them do. A pang oflonging lands in my chest.
“What about you?” Ollie pushes his glasses up his nose. “What are your plans for the future?”
“Um…we’re supposed to have those?” I ask, making Rory laugh.
“See why he’s my pet?”
“I do. Guess I’ll have to straighten him out too.”
“There’s no straightening me out,” I joke. “Gay as they come.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“Well, when it comes to futures, I don’t have one. I didn’t even graduate high school.”
His eyes meet mine in the rearview, sorrow in them. “I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t offend you.”
