“You do realize I have an actual life, don’t you?”
“Tuesday, then.” I’m practically begging.
She sighs. “Tuesday it is.”
“Is it me, or are you getting easier and easier to grind down?”
“Don’t start getting any ideas,” she warns. “I’m just thinking the sooner we see each other again, the sooner we can wrap this up.”
I choose to ignore that one. “Want me to drop you off at South Hall?”
“I could get used to having my own private chauffeur, you know.”
ODDLY ENOUGH, THE TRAFFIC ISsmooth for a Saturday—we get to campus faster than I’d hoped, and I fight back a flicker ofdisappointment. Spending time with her felt good. It was nice to get out of my own head, for once.
“What should I read while I wait?”
“It still freaks me out hearing you ask me that… I’ll send you a list. What’s your email address?”
I whip her phone out of her hand and stab in my details. “I’ll add my number, too.”
I send myself a text from her phone so I’ve got her number.
“Don’t go spamming me,” she warns, taking the phone off me.
“I always dreamed of having a confidante,” I say, placing a hand over my heart.
She laughs. “Never going to happen.”
“You could drop me a line whenever you read something you think could be useful to me. I’m open to sexting, too, if it helps with the homework,” I add.
“What an offer.”
She unclips her seat belt and brushes back a loose curl that escaped her bun. I suddenly wonder what she looks like with her hair loose.
“You better get going—don’t keep those fangirls waiting!”
“Where are we meeting on Monday?”
“Tuesday!”
I laugh. “Worth a shot.”
One hand resting on the roof, she leans down to meet my gaze.
“I’ll be in touch on Tuesday morning. Have a good weekend.”
“I’ll text tomorrow evening to tell you all about it.”
She flips me the finger and slams the door shut, and I watch her head up the street.
I don’t know what’s going to come of this crash course, but I haven’t felt this good all summer. In fact, I’m pretty sure I haven’t felt this good in years.
9CARRIE
Since that afternoon with Wolinski, time has basically evaporated. It’s already Tuesday, and the past three days have been… weirdly peaceful. Including no fights with my dear mother, which leaves me thinking that spending last weekend with her actually helped. A small part of me hopes she might be getting herself back on track after all.
My phone buzzes.Speak of the devil…
