“Kidding, man. It’s just a bit of fun.”
“Not for me.”
Dan’s grin faltered. “Right. Sorry.”
“Don’t do it again.”
“Okay,” Dan said, and for once he left it there.
The TA waved them in. They did half an hour of problems on whiteboards. Bryce put his shoulder into it and let numbers take the space.
After, Harry drifted back over. “Coffee now?”
Bryce thought about it. “Sure.”
They cut across to the campus cafe and, once there, Bryce ordered a black coffee. Harry got something with foam and caramel. They found a small table against the window and sat. Harry peeled the sleeve off his cup and placed it on the table.
“So,” Harry said. “You going to tell me to mind my business again, or can I ask one thing?”
“Depends on the thing.”
“Is Sage your boyfriend?”
Bryce looked at his coffee. “We haven’t put a label on it.”
“Okay.”
“We’re together.” Bryce shrugged and glanced at Harry, then back down at his coffee.
“Okay,” Harry said again. “If anyone gives you crap, do you want me to say something?”
Bryce didn’t answer right away. He watched a bus hiss by and the two kids racing it to the stop. “I can handle it,” he said. “If you hear Dan being an idiot, tell him to shut up.”
“Done.”
They drank in silence for a minute before Harry asked, “You good?”
“Yeah. I’m good.” Bryce nodded, surprised at how right the words felt.
Harry nodded. “Cool.”
Bryce checked the time and stood. “I’m meeting Sage.”
“Tell him I said hi.”
“I will.”
Harry grinned. “Tell him I want a rematch onMario Kart.”
“He’ll destroy you.”
“I know,” Harry agreed, chuckling softly. “But one day, I will beat him.”
***
Sage was already at the soup place, hat off, hair a mess. He’d grabbed the corner table and had two paper cups in front of him with a split baguette on a napkin between them.
“You beat me,” Bryce said as he sat next to him.
