Page 18 of True Blue

“Um, can you grab the cookies at the top of that cupboard?” I nod toward the area Mira and I store our dry food. I had to get a little step stool to reach the top shelves in the upper cabinets, but at his height, Axel can probably grab it without assistance. He steps toward me, chest practically touching mine as he slides past in the small space. He reaches up, opening the cabinet and stretching to reach the cookies. My eyes stray to the flash of skin that shows between his tank and low-slung shorts.

“You let me win,” I accuse, dragging my eyes back up to his face.

He grins conspiratorially. “I just played the only card I had, Blue.” He squeezes past me again, our eyes locked as he passes, and heat licks up my skin.

I stand in the kitchen for a second after he heads back to the living room, practicing my breathing. “Hurry up, J,” Layla calls. “I want to kick your ass this time.”

I release a big breath, grabbing the chips and dip and heading back out to play another game.

8

Ipluck my favorite plum tee shirt out of the second drawer in my dresser and pull it over my head. It feels like I should wear it today, like there’s something coming that I need good luck for. Lacing up my grey sneakers, I grab my bag and walk out to the living room. Bentley stands near the door, typing something on his phone and I watch his fingers glide over the screen and his soft green and brown eyes track their movement. His dimples show as he smiles down at the device. The veins on the backs of his hands strain as he types, and my mouth dries a little. Being attracted to my roommate would have been a lot easier if he was more of a dick. But I’ve yet to find something not to like about Bentley.

“Ready?” Bentley asks, looking up from his phone. His hair catches the light, revealing strands of gold intermingling in the coffee-colored waves. “No pattern today?” he jokes, nodding toward my shirt.

“Nope, it’s a purple kind of day,” I say, falling back into my practiced jovial demeanor.

We head out for our Wednesday history class, walking side by side along the familiar route. People fill the sidewalk, as perusual at this time in the morning, but I notice one in particular, weaving her way through the throng ahead of us.

I watch Janette walk, straightened hair spilling down around her shoulders and back, much longer than her usual curls. Blonde highlights catch in the sun, the color not quite as golden as the ones I noticed in Bentley’s earlier, but more like caramel dripping down from her crown.

“I don’t think she likes me much,” Bentley says, eyes watching Janette move ahead of us as well.

“Oh, come on,” I say. “I’m sure she’d like you fine if she got to know you.” Bentley squints a bit, thinking about it. “Maybe not as much as Cassie likes you...” Bentley shakes his head, side eyeing me as I chuckle. “But J is easy to get along with.”

Bentley adjusts his bag on his shoulder, right hand swinging in time with his gait in between us. “She’s my best friend’s roommate.”

“Mira?” Layla asked where she was while we were playing our fourth round of Uno, much to Christopher’s disdain, and Janette had said something about a birthday party in her hometown.

“Mmhmm.” Bentley watches Janette disappear into Riggs. “They’re butting heads a bit. Or, well,” he pauses, looking over at me with furrowed brows. “I guess they’re not butting heads so much as not really communicating at all. Mira tends to be nonconfrontational with strangers and I sort of stepped in on her behalf on move in day when she and her boyfriend were being rude.”

I snort. “Yeah, Chris is an ass. What’d you do?” I try to imagine Bentley yelling at Christopher or even Janette and can’t picture him starting a fight, though given his muscle mass, he could probably take Christopher if he needed to.

“I called her a snob,” he says, as we walk through the doors of the building Janette entered a few moments before.

My eyebrows raise, chest puffing a bit as I prepare Janette’s defense.

“They were both dismissive of Mira and then Janette made a comment about me not being her type.” His fist clenches at his side and all the air leaves my lungs. “She seemed relieved when her boyfriend left though.”

Taking a quick breath, I shake my head. “I don’t know why they’re together,” I mutter. “Lay and I hung out with them this weekend and he was the worst. She could do way better.” Bentley and I climb the stairs in silence but when we reach the top, I see a frown on his face. “Come on,” I say, leading the way down the hall and toward the seminar room. “You’ll like her once she puts down her defenses.”

Bentley follows me into the room, not really agreeing or disagreeing. Janette sits in the same spot she occupied in the two classes last week. I walk down the center aisle, hearing Bentley’s footsteps continuing behind me.

“Hey guys,” Cassie calls from her seat in the upper level as we pass. She waves us over to the empty seats around her.

“Hey, Cass. We’re gonna sit down here today.” I keep walking, feeling a little bit of guilt when her face falls at my words.

Bentley whispers, “Sorry,” but keeps walking behind me.

We get to the bottom of the steps, and I turn toward Janette. She has her head bent over her phone, a swathe of hair blocking her face from view as we walk up. I drop into the seat directly beside her, causing her to jump and blink rapidly as she looks around. Bentley slides into the seat next to me, pulling his stuff out of his bag.

“What are you doing?” Janette asks, looking between the two of us with panic in her eyes.

“Figured we’d sit with you today, Blue.” I pull out my notebook, clicking my multicolor pen to green for today. “You’vealready met Bentley, from what I’ve heard.” I nod toward my roommate, and he glances over at her and nods awkwardly.

“Janette,” he says.

“Bentley,” she responds icily. Looks like the snob comment stuck with her. “You don’t have to sit with me, Axe.” Her tone softens when she looks to me. “I’m fine on my own.”

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