CHAPTER 8
PARKER
As I sit in class, I think back to this morning. Mason was sound asleep beside me when I was finally roused from my own deep sleep. His dark red hair hung in messy waves across his face, his lips plump as the pillow pushed his cheek up and out. It’d taken everything inside me to not reach out and touch, to not take something from him in his sleep that would be a violation. But I respected Mason too much to even attempt it.
Halfway through class I’m yawning and wishing I’d stopped to grab a cup of coffee. Once class wraps up, I rush out and head toward the campus coffee joint. A whistle in the air stops me in my tracks, and I wait for Jacob to catch up to me.
“Sup?” Jacob asks as he jostles me to the edge of the sidewalk.
“Just finished class, you know, as is required to maintain our scholarships.”
Jacob rolls his eyes so hard it looks painful. “I also attend class. You and Hayden need a new schtick.”
“Don’t lump me in with Hayden.”
“Ughhhhh.” Jacob pushes me again, this time making me stumble into the grass that still hasn’t yet recovered from the bite of winter. I freeze and glare at him until he rolls his eyes again. “Fine. Sorry. Listen, Reid was serious about Dante’s birthday party. We’re having a game night tonight.”
I really do not want to go to this party. Perhaps I’ll make something up. Sometimes when I want to be left alone, I tell Jacob I have a separate mission, assuming he won’t mention it to Hayden because Hayden is the one who gives me the missions. This sounds like a perfect time to do that. My next mission isn’t for a few more days, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“All right, but I’ll have to leave early because I have a separate mission.”
“Always a separate mission,” Jacob grumbles under his breath.
“Do you have a problem?”
“No.”
Jacob follows me into the coffee shop like a lost puppy. I order us both Americanos from the sweet barista behind the counter. With a smile and grin, I join Jacob where he stands scrolling through his phone at the pickup counter.
“I get the vibe Dante doesn’t enjoy surprises, so I don’t think this is going to go over real well.”
Jacob snorts in agreement. “You and I both.” He pockets his phone and stares hard at the menu. “I oddly think Reid is good for him though. Those two have some toxic codependency thing going on, but Dante is definitely less angry than he used to be.”
I grunt but don’t deign him with an answer. I don’t like to gossip about Dante. We’re… friends? So I try to keep things hetells me in confidence even from my own brother. Just like I respect Jacob’s privacy. I’m a steel trap but I’m also Switzerland. No information goes in or out and no side is ever taken.
“Reid doesn’t know whenourbirthday is, right?”
Jacob looks anywhere but at me. Oh hell no.
“Jacob.”
Jacob grimaces and rushes forward to grab our two drinks. I grab mine from him with a deep frown, patiently waiting for him to explain himself to me.
“Listen… Hayden knows when our birthday is, and he told Reid.”
What the hell? “Why does Hayden know?”
I’m met with silence and the sight of Jacob’s back as he flees the coffee shop. Now I’m getting irritated.
“Fuck you, Jacob Chambers! Why does Hayden know our birthday?”
I hustle after Jacob because I’m going to get the truth out of him no matter what. Finally, he stops close to the quad, where we’re out of earshot from the small number of afternoon stragglers between classes.
“Hayden made me tell him. He wanted to know everyone’s birthdays.”
I blink slowly. “Okay… but why does Reid know.”
Jacob makes a noise somewhere between a grunt in disbelief and a snort of annoyance. “Are you serious right now? They’re, like, best friends. You do not pay attention.”
