Nathan: Tonight?Probably around 6pm.Marcy will send you a zoom link when I know for sure the time.
Eve: Thank you.I'll see you tonight.
Nathan: See you then, Butterfly.
.......................
Leaving the house in a rush, I forget my hoodie.I don't even realize that I don't have it until I get to school and reach for it in the passenger seat.Mentally kicking myself, I slam the palms of my hands against the steering wheel over and over."Shit, shit, shit!"
Going home sounds like a decent idea.Unmoving from my seat, I consider giving up and just going back to Adam's house.Ada could still bring me lunch but, can I cancel on V...again?No.I am not scared.I am not scared.I am strong.I am resilient.I have a kick ass left hook.I.Have.Got.This.
A final deep breath to fortify myself and I exit Frances.My strides are long and hurried.I keep my eyes on the ground and hope that I don't crash into another human brick wall.No way in hell can I handle two of them.
My phone dings.
Adam: Are you watching Sandlot?
I pull up YouTube and scroll.
Eve: Nope.Scrolling through my phone.
Not a lie.
Adam: Good.I don't think Benny the Jet Rodriguez is healthy for you.
Smiling to myself, I put the phone back in my pocket.
Walking with my head down I make it to my first class without incident.The rest of the day and the rest of my classes go the same until my class with Cotton.They're on different days, but we discovered that I have one class with each of the guys.I haven't thought this part through.He's going to rat me out, which means I won't make it to my apartment.
I go in and make my way to my seat.Cotton isn't here yet, but it isn't long before I catch his tall, lean form.We notice each other at the same time and his eyebrows shoot to his hairline as he cocks his head to the side.He knows I'm supposed to be home.Will I even make it through this class without being manhandled all the way back to the car?
Cotton comes to sit beside me.
"No hoodie today."
Hmm.Those aren't the expected first words but I'm sure they're coming.
"Yeah.I left in a bit of a rush and forgot it at your house."
"And you came in anyway.Badass, Mason.Bad.Ass."
I can't hide my smile at his compliment.I feel badass.I am a badass.
"Not only that though, huh?"
Warily I look at him but, choose not to respond.
"You also escaped your ivory tower."He says with a quirked eyebrow and a mischievous grin.
"Are you going to rat me out?"
"Moi?I'll never rat you out, Mason.You can trust me.Just like Adam can trust me.I'm not going to insert myself into your relationship."
"He'll be mad."
"Furious.But he'll get over it.He and Cal are too busy getting their asses chewed out by the coaches at the moment to be too mad at us."He winks at me and turns to the front of the class, allowing us to sit in companionable silence.
.........................
