Page 8 of Forging Chaos

“I…never considered the people on athletic scholarships.”

Another sniff from Odin. “You and a lot of other people. I’d love to have time to take harder classes. We spend almost 40 hours a week on football stuff and still have to take 12 credits.”

The fridge hums to life in the uncomfortable silence as we both realize I’ve been sanctimonious. Again. “Okay, so what’s the topic, then? Pathways to college for kids with low-income families…”

“Ethics of athletic scholarships.”

“Ethics of tuition at all?”

“Oh!” He sits up. “My mom loves talking about how community college should be free. I guess that’s different than universities?”

“I’m not really sure, but I’ll write that down. Community college should be free. We can look at what other countries do and charge?”

Odin grins. “We can work with this.” We each dive into internet research, making a list of sources and potentialargument topics until an alarm goes off somewhere in Odin’s apartment.

He sits up and claps his hands, swinging his casted foot around to rest on the coffee table. Then he winces when I guess that puts pressure on his heel. He blows out a breath and grabs a bottle of pills from the table, swallowing some with another grimace.

I chew on the end of my pen. “You all right?”

“Don’t,” he says, his voice sharp. He must see me flinch because he runs a hand through his hair and fiddles with one of his earrings. I never realized he had his ears pierced before this. I wonder what else I never knew about Odin Stag. “I’m pretty beat,” he says. “I’ll look some stuff up and text you, and we can get started with an outline.” I stare at him. “What? You didn’t think I knew how to outline?”

“Are you kicking me out of your house?”

He furrows his brow. “No, but I am going to go to sleep. So, unless you want to sit here alone while I’m snoring…”

I sniff and shove my notebook back in my bag. “We really can probably do most of this over email.”

“Huh-uh,” he barks. “I hate that shit. Back and forth, ten thousand messages when a three-minute conversation would solve it all. We should meet in person.”

“How’s that going to work? We both have insane schedules.” From talking with Fern, I know that Odin and all the athletes are up before dawn for weight training and have team commitments until late at night.

Odin gestures at his leg. “I don’t know if anyone told you, but I’m not exactly running sprints with the starters right now.”

I bite my lip, and my cheeks heat. Of course, his schedule must be a little more open now. He said as much. I try to cover. “How was I supposed to know your schedule for follow-up treatment? Anyway,myschedule is still insane.”

“You’re here now,” Odin declares with another shrug. “Just come back at this time on Monday.”

I snort and shake my head. “That’s too far out. I willcallyou tomorrow when I get a chance.”

“Fine,” he says, and closes.

“Fine!” I mutter as I slam the apartment door and walk away, grinning despite myself.

CHAPTER 7

ODIN

I haven’t beento class since my injury. How long has it been? A week? A year? I only left the apartment once to follow up with my surgeon, and it was such a debacle getting up and down the stairs that I haven’t bothered since.

So, I don’t know why I’m up and dressed and slithering down the stairs on my ass to wheel myself to this arguments class. I pretty much decided to withdraw from the semester and finish later. I have nothing else to do in the fall. Except if I withdraw now, that leaves Thora without a partner.

We’ve hung out together daily, working on this project when she has time between her classes and her grueling schedule at the bar. She wants to take over and do this whole project herself, on her timeline, and…I don’t want to let her do that for some reason. The girl gets under my skin. So maybe I’m dragging myself up Forbes Avenue to prove something to her.

I growl in frustration when a car is parked too close to the corner, blocking the curb cut, and I can’t get my knee roller up without a hassle. Some jagoff honks at me when the light turns, and I question every one of my life choices to date.

Despite all of this, I’m always on time for class and events.People think I’m really laid back, but I guess growing up in a house with world-class athlete parents rubbed off on me. I’m disciplined about my schedule when I care, which I did until I got hurt.

I park my roller in the back corner of the class and wedge myself into the too-small desk, sprawling my cast into the aisle but unable to do anything about it. Thora walks in, and I watch her eyes widen at the sight of me. She hurries to a desk in front of me and sinks into the seat, her dark hair flouncing over her tiny shoulders. She really is a small person.

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