We spend thirty minutes talking to Maya, who's delighted about the relationship and has approximately one million questions. She's funny and sharp and clearly adores her brother.
"Okay, serious question," she says eventually. "Dadknows, right? I got a very angry voicemail this morning about Carter 'making poor choices' and 'being distracted by inappropriate relationships.'"
Carter's expression hardens. "Yeah. He knows."
"What did he say?"
"That I'm throwing away my future. That Lennox is using me. The usual."
"And what did you say?" She asks Carter.
"That I don't care what he thinks anymore."
Maya's quiet for a moment. "Good. That's really good, Carter. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks. That means more than you know."
"Just promise me something? Both of you?" She looks between us seriously. "Don't let him ruin this. He's going to try. He always tries when someone threatens his control. But you guys are good together. Don't let his bullshit break that."
After we hang up, Carter pulls me close.
"She's right. He's going to push back harder."
"Let him. We'll deal with it together."
"Together," he repeats, like he's testing the word. "I like the sound of that."
***
The next two weeks are the best of my life.
We're not hiding, but we're not broadcasting either. Just existing as a couple, figuring out how this works.
Carter comes to my dorm sometimes. I go to his apartment more often because it's private and has better coffee.We study together, though "studying" often turns into make-out sessions that derail all productivity.
"You're a terrible influence," I tell him one night when we've abandoned homework entirely in favor of sex on his kitchen counter.
"You're the one who started it." He kisses me, which makes me smile. "You were eating a banana suggestively!"
"I was just eating a banana!"
We're laughing and kissing and completely gone for each other.
His teammates notice. Some are supportive, Tyler actually apologizes for being hostile early on. Others are skeptical, worried I'm still looking for problems to expose.
"They'll come around," Carter assures me. "Once they see you're not the enemy."
"Am I not?"
"You never were. You were just asking questions they didn't want to answer." He’s always trying to make me feel better.
My friends are supportive too. Isla and Ivy love hearing about the relationship, living vicariously through my newfound happiness.
"You're disgustingly in love," Ivy observes one night. "It's adorable and nauseating."
"I'm not in love?—"
"Lennox. You have his hoodie on right now. You've been smiling nonstop for two weeks. You're in love."
