“God, no.” I huff out a laugh. “We just don’t like each other, is all.”
“So then why were you texting him?”
“Because we got stuck together as partners for our psych lab. We’re doing this six-week project and most of the work has to be done outside of class.”
“If you don’t like him, why didn’t you request a different partner?”
“Oh, trust me, I did. The professor basically told me to get over it, that he wasn’t going to switch partners.”
“Sounds like an asshole.”
“He’s actually one of the nicer teachers I have. He just clearly has no sympathy.”
“Well, if this guy gives you any trouble...”
“He won’t. And if he does, I can handle him.”
“If at any point you can’t...”
“You’ll be my first phone call.” I smile.
“That’s all I ask.”
“Well, here we are,” I announce as we pull up outside his apartment building. I find a spot at the back of the lot and quickly pull in.
“You can drive my car back to the dorm. I can get it back from you tomorrow. I don’t like the idea of you walking across campus by yourself after dark.”
“One, it’s barely dark. And two, I do it all the time. Trust me, I’ll be fine.” I kill the engine, throwing open the driver’s side door before quickly climbing out of the car.
“Mais...”
“I’m serious, Kai. It’s like a ten-minute walk. I’ll manage. You forget I have one hell of a kicking leg. If someone is stupid enough to mess with me, I’ll have their balls so far up inside of them they’ll have to have them surgically pulled back out.”
He cringes slightly.
“Remind me never to get on your bad side.” He chuckles.
“Don’t worry. I want little Kais and Lyrics running around one day. I would never do that to you.” I wink.
“Somehow that’s not all that reassuring.” Laughter chases his words.
“Tell Lyric I said hi.” I toss him his keys. He catches them without breaking eye contact.
“Will you at least let me know when you’ve made it back to your dorm?”
“Yes, Dad.”
“And please don’t call me that.”
“I’ll stop calling you that when you stop acting like my father.” I smirk, giving him a little wave as I head off in the direction of my dorm.
