We spent the whole class debating clear-cutting old-growth forests. Even when I brought up jobs and economic development—the kind of shit that could’ve helped Goldbend when the mine went under—she wouldn’t budge.
Part of me envies that certainty she has, that black-and-white view of right and wrong. Must be nice, having everything figured out like that.
But then I think about Dad’s medical bills piling up on Mom’s desk, about Megan’s soccer dreams, and I know better. Life’s messy as fuck, full of impossible choices and shit you have to do even when you hate it.
Alex digs through her bag—probably looking for one of her thousand weird pens—and pulls out some container that screams “eco-friendly.” Probably costs more than my textbooks.
“Homemade granola?” She holds it out like she’s offering me gold.
“Let me guess—organic, locally sourced, blessed by a flock of woodland creatures?”
She rolls those big brown eyes at me. Fuck. “Just try it, you dork.”
I grab a handful because, well, it looks pretty damn delicious, and I am starving. Even her hippie health food turns out perfect. Which is both impressive and annoying as hell, like most things about her. “Fine, you win. This is actually good.”
It’s weird how peaceful it feels back here, like we’re in our own little world away from the cafeteria chaos. Thesemoments with Alex are starting to feel dangerous—too easy, too comfortable. Like something I could get used to.
I shake off that thought and go for distraction. “Alright, Lexie, here’s one for you. Mining: good or bad?”
“Bad,” she snaps, her face going all serious. God, she’s cute when she’s righteous.Wait, what?
I laugh to cover whatever the hell that thought was. “Come on, Lexie. Nothing’s that simple.”
“What?” Alex snaps. “It's destroying the environment! Have you heard about Mount Polley in Canada? The tailings dam collapsed in a few years back and released millions of cubic meters of toxic waste into pristine lakes and rivers. The damage is still visible today, and they got away with barely a slap on the wrist!”
I point at her iPhone—the latest model, because of course it is. “Okay, but what about that? You seem pretty attached to it.”
She glances down at her phone, confusion crossing her face. “Yes, of course. What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Well,” I lean in, because fuck if I’m not enjoying this rare moment of having the upper hand, “hate to break it to you, but all those fancy components? If it wasn’t grown, it was mined, Lex.”
Watching Alex Ford, champion of lost environmental causes, struggle for words is like watching a short circuit in action. Her mouth opens, closes, opens again. “That’s... that’s different,” she manages.
“Is it though?” God, I’m being a dick, but I can’t help it. It’s too much fun watching her squirm. “Look, I’m not saying the mining industry deserves a gold star for environmental friendliness. But unless you want to go full caveman, we kind of need this shit. Phones, computers, cars—where do you think it all comes from?”
Alex does that thing where she scrunches up her nose when she’s thinking. She opens her mouth to argue, then closes it again. For a moment, she looks genuinely conflicted. Then she shakes her head, a determined glint returning to her eyes. “Okay, smartass. You’ve made your point. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do better. There have to be more sustainable ways to get the resources we need.”
I nod, weirdly proud of how quick she bounces back. “Now that’s something we can agree on. So what’s the master plan to save mining, Professor Lexie?”
She rolls her eyes at the nickname but can’t hide her smile. Fuck, I like making her smile. “Give me a few years at GSRI, and I’ll figure it out.”
Alex starts fidgeting with one of her weird-ass pens—seriously, who needs this many pens with flowers and shit on them? But then she looks at me all shy, and something in my chest does a backflip.
“You know, I’m... I’m glad you were there today. In class.”
I raise an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.
She takes a deep breath. “When Professor Bam asked that question about ecological succession, I froze. But then I saw you smirking, like you were about to say something infuriatingly clever, and I just… I couldn’t let you have the last word.”
I chuckle, remembering the fire in her eyes as she’d responded in class. “Well, I live to serve. Someone’s got to keep you on your toes, right?”
She rolls her eyes, but she’s fighting a smile. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t get cocky, Donovan.”
I grab more granola, trying to distract myself from how much I like the way she says my name. “Meg would love this hippie shit. She’s always on my case about eating better.”
Alex perks up at the mention of my family. “Your sister? I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned your family before. What’s she like?”
And there it is. The moment where I either keep playing the role of carefree college guy who argues about mining over fancy granola, or I let Alex see the mess underneath. Let her see the guy who lies awake wondering if his soccer-star sister will have to give up her dreams because Dad’s medical bills are eating the family alive. Part of me wants to keep it locked away, to stay in this perfect bubble where I’m just Freddie, the guy who can keep up with Alex in debates and make her laugh. But something about the way she’s looking at me, all open and earnest, makes me want to tear down every wall I’ve built.
