Page 78 of Meet Me at the Metro

“Stop being a wanker,”I hear Harvey softly reprimand her. “Let the girl sleep in.”

“If I don’t get to sleep in, no one gets to sleep in!”

I chuckle, throw the covers off of myself, and scoot toward the edge of the bed. I carefully set my sore ankle on thehardwood floor and inspect the yellowing bruising on my skin. While it still looks pretty rough, it’s healed significantly since I first got hurt a few weeks ago. I still have to be careful putting my full weight on it, but at least I’m able to get around without those painful crutches now.

With gentle and cautious steps, I make my way toward the kitchen.

Evie’s greeting me with a boisterous welcome before I’m even halfway down the hall. “Wakey-wakey, you sexy little kitten! I see you’re serving us some fresh-out-bed realness this morning.”

“Oh, shut your mouth! Not everyone can wake up looking like a teal-headed goddess in the morning.”

“I know. It’s truly unfortunate. The world would be such a better, brighter place.”

“Mhmm,” I nod, rolling my eyes. Harvey brushes past her and hands me over a cup of coffee. “Thanks, Harv.”

“My pleasure, Ellie-Jellie. Thought you could use some caffeine this morning.”

A knowing smirk on his face prompts me to ask, “And why do you think that?”

“Figured you haven’t slept much these last few weeks,” he shrugs.

“No shit, she hasn’t,” Evie cackles. “Her and Theo are probably at it ’til sunrise when they get the chance to see each other. He fucking you good?”

“Evie Stenhouse,” Harvey gasps. “If you don’t watch your foul mouth!”

“Sorry.Is Theopenetratingyou nicely?”

“Oh, my days!” Harvey shakes his head. “I can’t. I seriouslycannotwith you.”

I giggle and take a sip of my coffee. “I will not be answering that.”

“Oh, come on! Let me live! I haven’t had sex in months!”

“Sorry, can’t. I’ve got my new class to get ready for.” I snatch a piece of bacon from the plate set out against the kitchen counter. “I’ll make sure and let Theo know that you’re fantasizing about boning him, though.”

“Fucking gross! That isnotwhat I was saying!”

“Mhmm.I’msure it wasn’t.”

“I hope you have an awful day today!” she yells.

I’m laughing as I make my way back toward my room. Evie was always shocking people with her off-handed comments, and it felt good to give her a taste of her own medicine. “You too, bitch!”

I kick my door shut and take a quick sip of my coffee before I start undressing out of my oversized night shorts and shirt. As I do, Evie still finds a way to get the last word in. “That’s my name! Don’t wear it out!”

The first day of my new acting class went so much better than I was expecting it to. The professor leading the course seems a lot more laid-back than Henderson, or the previous instructor of my dance class, and that alone is a sense of relief. However, it didn’t remedy all of today’s lingering troubles.

I’ve been worried sick about the possibility of running into John again, scared to death of him getting enrolled in one of the same courses as me. It was all I could think about when I first arrived on campus this morning, but as the day progressed, I felt my worry subside a little more.

I honestly wouldn’t know what to do if I ran into him again. I wouldn’t know what to say or how to act. My last interaction with him proved how unpredictable he can be, and I’m scared to find out what might transpire if we run into each other again.

I force my fearful thoughts away as I gather my things and head out of myActing IIclass for the evening. As I zip up my bookbag, the professor reminds us, “Students, don’t forget to prepare a minute-and-a-half monologue before class next week. You will stage them in front of the class, and I will record grades based on your performances.”

Great… another thing to pile onto my already full plate.

Whoever decided to make college this hard really didn’t care to consider the struggle of being a new adult.

I sigh and make a mental note to scroungeGooglelater for a noteworthy monologue as I start to make my way toward myShakespeareclass. Over the past few weeks, I’ve come to dread this part of my schedule most of all. For a while, I cherished Professor Henderson’s hours-long lectures because they came with the promise of entertaining shenanigans with Connor. Now, there’s just awkward tension between us and the inevitable truth that he’s been completely avoiding me the last few weeks.

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