Page 127 of Staying Selfless

“I seriously feel like my brain isn’t working,” Marc admits as we step into the grad dorm elevators. “It won’t retain anything. I’ve reread the same sentence multiple times, and nothing is sinking in.”

“How about we order some take-out, and I’ll quiz you until it sticks?”

“You sure?”

“Of course,” I tell him just as the elevator doors open.

“Maybe we can put the Blazers and Knicks game on in the background?” he suggests with a sly smile.

“Oh, I see. We’re done studying business management for the night then?”

“I mean, it is studying. I’ll be studying how to manage my fantasy team, hoping Damian Lillard puts up enough points for me to beat Cam this week.”

I laugh, seeing him lighter for the first time in days. Marc playfully nudges me in the shoulder as I take my room key out and put it in the lock.

But just as I do, the door across the hall from mine opens.

“That was fun,” a male voice says, his back towards us as he exits Ali’s room, facing her. “Let’s do it again soon.” He kisses her on the cheek before turning towards the hall.

His light brown hair is slightly messy, and his blue eyes shine as he casually fixes his shirt. He heads towards the elevators, walking by Marc and giving him a nod, but having no idea who he is or that the girl’s room he just left was the person Marc had been seeing since the beginning of the school year.

My eyes stay glued on Ali, but her gaze is locked on Marc. Her olive-toned face has paled, being caught red-handed in her room with someone else.

I peer at Marc as he stands frozen in the hallway. Any sign of light that was there a moment ago has quickly darkened. His features drop, taking in the scene in front of him, and keeping his eyes on the little New Yorker.

Neither of them says a word. They just continue to look at each other, speechless. Ali’s face is covered in guilt, and Marc’s is plastered with hurt and confusion.

This odd sense of betrayal rattles through me, but also sympathy for my two friends, though this has absolutely nothing to do with me. I feel for them both, but I mostly hurt for Marc, who is currently having his heart broken in our hallway.

“I think I’m going to call it a night,” Marc says to me, keeping his eyes locked on Ali.

He shakes his head in disappointment before finally breaking his stare from her, turning around and heading back to his room.

“Marc,” I call out, wanting to be there for him as I follow him down the hall.

“It’s okay, Logan.” Marc steps into his room. “I’m fine. I just need a minute.”

I stay still in his doorway, trying to get a read on him. Even though his words say one thing, his expression says another. He gently closes the door in my face, locking it behind him.

I look back down the hall towards Ali as she ducks into her room and closes the door behind her.

I march right on down to her room, not bothering to knock, as I swing her door open.

“What the hell, Al?” I ask with confusion, trying to keep my voice level, even though I want to yell at her right now.

Ali sits on her bed, her hands tucked under her thighs with her head down as I wait for some sort of explanation.

How could she do that to Marc? It’s one thing to end it. But to ignore him all week, then hook up with someone else without having as much as a conversation beforehand? I don’t know what’s going on with her, but I didn’t think she would go that low.

Finally, Ali looks up to give me an answer, but instead of words, she does the last thing I expected her to do.

Her eyes well, and her body shakes as she breaks into a full-blown sob.

My shoulders droop in sympathy as I cock my head. Ali has never once cried in front of me, and quite honestly, I wasn’t sure if she had that emotion inside of her. Whatever it is that caused her to do what she just did is clearly consuming her.

I close her door behind me before taking a seat on the bed and wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

“Shh,” I try to soothe as she places her head on my shoulder. I run a hand over her arm, attempting to calm her down, but her tears continue to fall.

---