“Why was she upset?”
“I don’t know, but I offered her a hug. She took it like she was desperate.”
I wasn’t sure if my mouth was hanging open. “Youhuggedher?”
“Jesus, man, I didn’t fuck her.”
The hit was solid, but he barely moved. He rubbed his jaw from where I punched him.
“Fuck.” I hung my head. “Look, I’m... Fuck, I’m sor—” His punch landed hard. I waggled my jaw, sure it was broken, and glared at him. “I was fucking apologizing!”
Noah half shrugged. “Mustn’t have heard it.”
We resumed walking. Noah spat on the grass. I rubbed my jaw. We exchanged a glance, and we both grinned as we looked away.
I lasted maybe five minutes. Five minutes of pretending to scroll my phone, of replaying every snap from practice in my head, of telling myself that Noah was full of shit.
Except he wasn’t. I knew he wasn’t.
“Aw fuck, I need to go see her,” I said to him, slowing down as the dorms came into view.
“Not really sure what you’re waiting for.” He kept walking. “Catch you later. Tomorrow I’ll tell Coach you need the PT. Your right arm’s definitely lacking power.”
“Asshole.”
I laughed when he gave me a one-fingered salute.
Turning around, I headed to the shed. I had a good feeling she’d be there. Why was she upset? Was it me? I didn’t love the thrill of delight that gave me.
I cut across campus, hood up, earbuds in with no music playing, just the buffer of looking occupied. The night was damp, heavy with the smell of rain that hadn’t fallen yet. Lights spilled out of the library windows, but I didn’t even slow down.
The light was on in her shed. My knuckles rapped against the wooden door before I could second-guess myself. No plan. No excuse. Just the weight in my chest that wouldn’t ease up unless I saw her.
Silence.
Then the scrape of a stool, the clang of glass against metal, and finally her voice, muffled and cautious. “Who’s there?”
“It’s me.” My tone came out rougher than I intended. “Open up.”
A pause. Long enough for me to think she’d ignore me. Then the lock clicked, and the door cracked open.
Savannah stood there, cheeks flushed, safety goggles still perched on her head, sparks from the grinder dying out behind her.
“So Noah gets to call you Savvy, but I don’t?” I pushed the door open, not really that gently, letting myself in. “Does he get to fuck you too, or is that just for those you tutor?”
She folded her arms, the movement tugging her sweater off one shoulder. Her eyes narrowed. “I’ve had a reallytryingday, so I’m going to ignore that and not tell you to go fuck yourself. I’m going to ignore that you’re acting like an insecure, petty,jealous, immature boyfriend. Noah can call me Savvy becausehe’smy friend.”
“I’d hate to hear what you’d have said if you weren’t ignoring it.” My brow lifted when her glare narrowed so sharply that I was sure she was plotting my demise. “Why? Why him?”
“Heisn’t a colossal dick.” She tilted her head, sharp and sure. “Is this why you’re here? To ask me why your roommate can call me Savvy? Are you serious?”
I shrugged.
“Whyareyou here?” She turned and walked away from me. “Just go away. I don’t have the energy.”
“Why?” I moved closer. “Noah said you were upset. What happened?”
“Like you don’t already know.” She picked up a sharp-looking object and then dropped it. “Did you laugh about it?”
