"We should get going," I say reluctantly. "Is our schedule similar? Please tell me we are not wandering this campus in opposite directions all day."
She fishes her crumpled schedule from her bag, and I pull mine from the side pocket of my backpack. We hold them side by side, comparing periods.
"First period, you are with me. Literature." I scan further. "Second period, same. Intro to Creative Expression."
"Nice," she murmurs, looking pleased.
"Fourth period, we also have together. History of Pack Dynamics." I check the remaining slots. "Second and third, you have Cal. Looks like Biology and Mathematics."
She nods, absorbing this.
"Two classes with Cal is not terrible," she muses. "He at least has a sense of humor and does not look at me like I am a stain on his existence."
"Cal is good company," I agree. "He will probably spend half of Biology making jokes and the other half trying to get you to share your notes."
"Bold of him to assume I take notes."
"And Rafe?"
I hesitate.
"Rafe has every single class of yours."
She groans with more despair than when she discovered the missing coffee machine this morning.
"Every class?" She drops her head back against the headrest. "Every single one? You are not serious."
"Unfortunately."
"The irony," she whines, pressing her palms against her eyes. "The absolute cruel irony. The one Alpha in this entire pack who actively despises my existence is the one I am chained to for every period of every day for six straight weeks. What did I do in a past life to deserve this?"
I laugh, unable to contain my amusement at her theatrical suffering.
"If it helps, we all have gym together. And gym days alternate between the fitness center and the rink. So on ice days, you will get to skate."
Her eyes snap open, despair vanishing in an instant.
"Wait. We get ice time during gym?"
"Twice a week, usually. The rink is shared between the hockey program and the figure skating club, so during gym blocks, everyone has access."
I can see the gears turning behind her eyes. The longing battling against the caution.
"You will want to pretend you have no clue what you are doing out there," I add casually. "At least at first. No need to reveal your secret weapon on day one."
She laughs, bright and conspiratorial.
"Deal. I will fall on my ass a few times for authenticity."
"Very convincing."
"I am an excellent actress. Years of pretending to be fine have given me award-worthy abilities." She pauses, then grins. "But that shopping spree would be incredible. I have not bought anything that was not a winter coat or a necessity in three years."
The admission hits harder than she intends. Three years of survival purchases. Three years of nothing for the joy of it.
"Then you better start those sprints on the ice," I say, keeping my voice light despite the tightness in my chest. "Rafe is fast, but he is a hockey player. Brute speed in a straight line. Figure skaters have agility, precision, and finesse."
"And we look better doing it," she adds with a grin.
