Page 105 of Whistle

“Here,” he said, laying it on the table in front of me.

I looked at it and then back to him. “A dorm room keycard?”

He nodded. “It’s my room at Peregrine Hall. Just a few doors down from the one you stayed in.”

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“You need a room. I have one. It’s better than couch surfing at Coach’s.”

Before I could decide how to react to that, he went on.

“And there’s no wanker of a roommate there to hassle you. You’ll have some space. A quiet place to study.” He paused, a slight curve tugging at his lips. “You still like to study?”

I rolled my lips in and shrugged.

He chuckled.

Warmth pooled in my belly. Not the kind I felt around Emmett but one I had missed.

“But don’t you already have a roommate?” I asked.

“It was Lars, but he moved in with Win.”

I nodded.

“And now I will too.”

The words took a moment to sink in, and even then, I replayed them, trying to understand. “What do you mean?”

“Me and Landry are moving in with Lars, Win, Wes, and Max,” he explained, and the bottom fell out of my stomach.

No. My entire stomach dropped out of me and landed right there under the table. Splat!

“Y-you’re moving in with Lars?” I questioned.

He nodded. “Yeah. They have an extra bedroom. You need a dorm. I need to not see Coach and his whistle every morning at four a.m.” He grabbed up his cup. “It works out.”

I tried not to look dejected. But how could I not look the way that I was one thousand percent feeling?

Rush must have noticed because he lowered the cup from his lips. “Bodhi…”

“I, ah, thought you were going to be my roommate.” I thought we would be friends again.

Completely mortified and, to be honest, hurt, I jumped up and raced out, leaving my coffee and untouched burrito behind.

Outside, the chilly air slapped me in the face and made my eyes sting. I sniffled and gazed around the lot, wondering where to go. Undecided, I just started walking, following the sidewalk where it would eventually give out to the road.

“Bodhi!” Rush called, his footsteps heavy behind me.

I ignored him and kept going. I was done with this conversation. I’m so stupid.

“Bodhi!” His hand slammed down on my shoulder, pulling me around.

I wrenched free and snarled. “Leave me alone.”

“C’mon, Bodhi. I didn’t mean—” He stopped, cursed beneath his breath. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to imply… I didn’t think you’d even want to room with me.”

I laughed.

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