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Cass (12:47 p.m.): Looks like I’ll be in town a couple extra hours. Wanna hang out again, maybe have an early dinner or something? My treat this time ;) I’ll be done here around 4

He bit his lower lip and stared at the phone. That didn’t sound too much like he was asking Ash on a date. Did it?

Groaning inwardly, he clicked back out of the text chain with Ash. Then he quickly sent an apologetic text to Joe, attaching the same screenshot showing his delayed flight time and new expected arrival time. Joe immediately texted back with a thumbs-up, followed by a message that said it was no problem, he’d see Cass around ten. He sent a similar text to his dad, though his dad didn’t respond right away. And when all of that was done, he finally set his phone face down on the table and made himself take a few bites of his lunch, though most of his appetite was gone.

The other students around him were still chatting and eating, and he managed to jump into the conversation, which had somehow turned to the preservation of ancient artifacts and scrolls. His stomach was in knots, though, and he kept turning his phone over every few minutes, hoping to see a response from Ash.

Just after one o’clock, the group cleaned up and started back across campus for the second part of the orientation. Cass followed, now deep in conversation with one of the other students, and it wasn’t until he sat back down in the lecture hall a few minutes later that he looked at his phone again.

He tensed as he saw a string of multiple messages pop up, and he quickly opened his messaging app and started reading.

Ash (1:09 p.m.): Hey, sorry, Bri and I were out hiking

Ash (1:09 p.m.): Tiger Mountain in Issaquah (to the southeast), take a look

Under the text was a selfie of Ash with Bri up on his shoulders. They stood at what looked like the peak of a heavily forested mountain, miles and miles of wilderness stretching down and out behind them. Bri was giggling, both of her hands on top of Ash’s head, and Ash’s smile was broad and beautiful and full, his eyes lit up to almost match the color of the sky.

Cass let out a shallow breath and kept reading down the text string.

Ash (1:11 p.m.): Sorry your flight is delayed

Ash (1:11 p.m.): We can be free this afternoon :)

Ash (1:11 p.m.): Did you have anything specific in mind?

Ash (1:14 p.m.): There’s a café and a little park on the north side of Portage Bay, about a mile from campus, might be a good spot? The café is Mexican food, tacos, burritos

Ash (1:14 p.m.): How about we pick you up from campus at 4, and after, we can drive you to the airport?

Something about the progression of Ash’s texts felt almost cautiously hopeful to Cass. He glanced up toward the front of the room, where several faculty members were congregating, getting ready to start the second part of the day. Then he looked back down at his phone and scrolled to the picture Ash had sent. And he let himself stare again.

Ash’s sparkling blue eyes, broad smile, and flushed cheeks sent some pleasant warmth through Cass’s chest, and for a second, he felt almost breathless.

The thought briefly crossed his mind that Ash could’ve sent just a photo of the view from the top of the mountain. He hadn’t had to send a selfie.

But, god, Cass was sure glad he had.

Blinking, Cass scrolled back to the bottom of the text chain. He closed his eyes for a second, then typed a short message in response, unsure whether he hoped Ash understood the underlying meaning.

Cass (1:21 p.m.): Incredible view

He took a deep breath and then responded to the rest of Ash’s texts.

Cass (1:21 p.m.): I didn’t have anything specific in mind. The café and park sound perfect. And the drive to the airport would be really great, if it’s not too much trouble

Cass (1:22 p.m.): I’m at Kane Hall, done at 4

Ash (1:23 p.m.): Great

Ash (1:23 p.m.): About to start driving back from Issaquah. We’ll see you at 4. There’s a little roundabout just outside Kane Hall, I’ll pick you up there :)

Up at the front of the room, the dean of the Information School stepped up to the podium, introduced himself again, and started talking about what they would be doing for the rest of the afternoon.

Cass glanced back down at his phone and responded with a thumbs-up emoji and a quick “looking forward to it!” Then he stuffed his phone back in his pocket, and for the next two hours and thirty-seven minutes, he tried his best to pay attention.

Grant (Wednesday, September 21, 2022 – 2:47 p.m.): Yo, what’s your class schedule again? We should get together next week on campus. Text me back, dude!

Chapter Twenty-Five