***
To River: I had a good time getting to know you last night. Have a great day. Hope we can talk some more. Not project related talk just in case you were wondering.
I type out the message to her while Nash drives us to school.
“So, did you get her to send you a picture?” Nash asks, as he comes to a stop at the light, flipping on his turn signal.
“Didn’t ask,” I reply, stretching my legs and lifting my hips so that I can slide my phone in my back pocket. While I’d love to see what she looks like, I don’t want to spook her by asking for a picture.
“Why the hell not?” He scoffs. “What if she’s ugly as sin? Or a stalker. I mean, if she’s hot, I don’t think I’d mind being chased through the woods and tied up by her. Just as long as she isn’t batshit crazy like that woman in the movie Misery.”
“You really are insane, you know that?”
“Yeah, but it’s why the ladies love me. You see the way they flock to me, beg me to walk them to class.” “I wonder if it has anything to do with your knot.”
Nash just waves me off as he pulls into a parking spot and turns off the car.
“I’m glad it’s fucking Friday.” Nash moans, as he reaches into the floorboard of the back seat, picking up his backpack.
“Me too. We have that estimate to do with Roman tomorrow, then I plan to be a vegetable,” I add in, opening my own door and getting out. I sling my backpack over my shoulder and we head to the main building.
I’ve barely made it out of the parking lot before I hear my name being called by a familiar voice. Henry.
“Holden,” he calls out to me again, and we stop to wait for him to catch up.
“Dude, does he have a LowJack on you or something?” Nash whispers a little louder than he should because a student walking back laughs at his question.
“Seems like it,” I mumble.
“Hey man, shit, I’m out of breath.” Henry gasps between his labored breaths, barely able to speak.
“You might want to think about getting on an exercise program, man.” Nash announces not even caring how crass it may sound.
“Yeah, I probably should.” He wipes the sweat from his forehead before turning his attention to me.
“We’re on our way to class. What did you need?” Nash asks.
“Are you sure you don’t want to swap partners for our assignment?”
“I told you yesterday, no. Why are you asking again?” I let out a heavy sigh. As much as I like Henry, this is really frustrating me. Like suck it up and get to know your partner.
“We’re just not meshing with her. I think you’d get along great with her, and you’d do a killer assignment. I can talk to the professor, let her know it’s more of a compatibility thing and that you’re feeling the same way about your partner.” He smiles, like what he’s saying actually makes sense and I should fully go along with what he’s saying.
“Henry, it’s been one day. How can you know you’re not compatible in that short time? And you keep saying we. This is a class assignment, notlet’s find a new pack member.I’m not switching.” I don’t even wait to hear his reply. I nod at Nash, and we both turn and head toward the building. I can hear Henry call my name, but this time I ignore him. Why he has this need to switch partners is beyond me. This isn’t his normal character. It’s this new group he’s hanging around with, hoping to join theirpack. One I’ve warned him about already. I just hope he heeds my warning before it’s too late for him.
“Henry’s got a hard on for your partner,” Nash whispers.
“That’s an understatement.”
“I bet you he will ask you again,” Nash says playfully.
“Not taking that bet. Because I know I’d lose if I bet against you.” We reach the end of the hallway and turn in different directions, each of us heading to our own class.
Pulling my phone from my pocket. I open my messages with River. She hasn’t read my last one, and I’m suddenly feeling a little bummed.
Chapter 21
Nash
