“I’m serious, it’s no big deal,” he insists. “I’m having trouble imagining you carting this around all day. You don’t get just how big this place is. Think of it as my last good deed, okay?” His eyes travel down my body, taking in my outfit. “Honestly, you already look like you’re living out of your car, so do yourself a favor and leave your stuff with me.”
I know it’s true. My sweater is flapping around my lower thighs, and there’s a hole in the knee of my black leggings. I’m a horror show.
“And how am I supposed to find you again?” I ask sharply.
“Campus Drivers, Heartbreak. Download the app and DM me.”
“Dude! Get your ass over here.”
I turn to look at the group of guys waiting beside a bright red car. These must be his friends. Fellow car nerds.
“Meet the rest of the team,” he whispers by my ear, his voice low.
His breath brushes the curve of my neck.
“It’s a privilege. A real honor.” I mockingly wipe an imaginary tear from my cheek.
He chuckles, and when I glance at him, his eyes are already on me.
“Why are you doing this?” I ask suddenly.
“Doing what?”
“Helping me out. If this is your way of trying to…”
“Trying to what?”
“Like, if this is some kind of move. I just… I need you to know, I’m not interested.”
His faces freezes. And then he breaks into loud, husky laughter. He drops the trunk and continues cackling as he steps closer.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, Heartbreak. But flirting hadn’t even occurred to me. Flirting with you, anyway.”
Of course not. Who would want a loser like me? Just like Kirk said, I…
“Just making sure,” I mutter. “Okay, I would like to leave my stuff here, then, yes.”
He flashes me two thumbs-up and slams the trunk shut. All I can do now is cross my fingers and pray that he isn’t a kleptomaniac. Or that he doesn’t have a fetish for mismatched underwear.
He starts stepping back toward his friends. “Have a great first day.”
“Thank you. And thanks for last night. And… Thanks for everything, really.”
He places a hand on his chest and dips into a ridiculous bow. Then he turns on his heel, and I watch him walk away.
“Okay, Lois,” I whisper, facing the looming campus gates. “You’ve got this.”
I slide my sunglasses back onto my nose and head for the crowd. Safely hidden behind the dark lenses, I scan the sea of students, searching for a glimpse of Kirk.
And sure, I can admit I’m desperate. Just a little.
You know—the kind of little that weighs a ton.
3LANE
I stuff my hands deep in my pockets and stroll over to my friends.God, I love college!I toss a casual “hey” to two skaters and wink suggestively at the girls walking by. They smile at me and shake their phones.Hell yeah. I really love college.
“Heyyy!” Lewis offers up a fist that I bump.
