Page 201 of Finding Us
“Jade?” he mumbles.
“Go back to sleep,” I whisper, kissing his cheek again. “It’s still early.”
He shifts onto his other side as I sneak out of bed, closing the door behind me. I go in the kitchen and make some coffee, then take my phone to the couch and call Harper. With the time difference it’s 9:30 there, so I’m sure she’s awake but she could be in class. She hasn’t sent me her schedule yet.
She picks up on the third ring. “Why are you calling so early? It’s the crack of dawn there.” She’s laughing. She sounds happy.
“It’s 6:30. It’s not that early. And I missed my best friend.”
“Jade, don’t start. You know I cry every time you say that.”
“Sorry, we’ll talk about something else. How was your dinner last night?”
Harper went to dinner with her tennis team. They do it every year to welcome everyone back and introduce the new team members.
“It was fun. We didn’t get back until late so I didn’t call you because I wanted to get to bed. I have an 8 a.m. class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It sucks but it’s the only time it’s offered.”
“So did you get the same dorm room this year?”
“Yeah. Basically, everything’s the same except you and Garret aren’t here. Oh! Guess who else isn’t here this year?” She uses the tone that implies she’s got juicy gossip.
“Katy? Or maybe Jessica?”
“No, it’s not someone on the tennis team. Sorry, I should’ve said that. It’s someone else you know. Guess.”
“Um, Sierra?”
“No, she’s still here. She’s in my French class. Guess again.”
“Ava?”
“No, unfortunately she’s still here. I saw her yesterday.”
“I’m out of guesses. Just tell me.”
“It’s someone who really annoyed you last year. Actually, last semester. Someone Garret hated.”
I think for a moment. A lot of people annoyed me but Garret only hated Blake and he wasn’t there last semester. Then I remember who else Garret hated.
“Carson?”
“Yes! A girl on my tennis team wanted to go out with him and she looked him up and found out he doesn’t go here anymore.”
“That’s weird. He always said he liked it there and that he liked living in Connecticut. Do you know where he transferred to?”
“I have no idea. I just know he doesn’t go here anymore. So how was your first day of class? Do you like Camsburg?”
“It’s okay.” I try not to be too negative since Harper’s dad recommended it.
“You don’t like it, do you?”
My tone must’ve given me away. “It’s too soon to tell. I think the classes will be challenging, which isn’t a bad thing. I like being challenged. But I haven’t found the people to be very friendly.”
“I forgot to tell you, one of my friends from high school just transferred to Camsburg. She was a year ahead of me so she’s a junior. Her fiancé, who’s the guy she’s dated since she was 17, got a job in the marketing department there. He graduated last May and this is his first real job. Anyway they moved there a month ago. I haven’t talked to her for like a year, but my mom ran into her mom at a charity thing last week and that’s how I found out she’s going to Camsburg. You have to meet her, Jade. You guys would totally get along. And I think Garret would get along with her fiancé.”
“Give me her number and I’ll see if we can meet for dinner or something. Garret and I could really use some couple friends. People here act like we’re freaks because we’re married. We were just saying how hard it’s going to be to make friends.”
“I’ll send you her number as soon as we get off the phone. Her name is Brook and her fiancé’s name is Dylan. I’ll call her and tell her about you and give her your info if that’s okay.”
