Page 111 of Study Buddies

“And the nightstand and rug?”

“No, believe it or not, we found those here in the basement and cleaned them up. The only thing I brought was the bed and the dresser.”

“And the enormous pool table.”

“And the enormous fucking pool table—which they were getting rid of.”

“That must’ve been a beast to get down here.”

“It was.”

“I can’t believe that with all that happening, you still had time to help Kyle with his paper. Thanks for doing that.”

“You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do for you.” He looked away for a moment. “I hate that I couldn’t go with you yesterday.”

“You had a test.”

“Yeah, but I was the one who was there when you found out. It should’ve been me driving you.”

“Hey, I drove some of the way.”

He looked at me in mock surprise. “You know how to drive?”

I laughed. It was well-deserved teasing. I was serious about paying rent, but if the three of them wanted to keep driving me to and from campus, I wasn’t going to say no. It was more fun. And hell, carpooling was better for the environment. But I realized that Jayden’s smile didn’t quite meet his eyes.

“I wish you could have gone, too, but Lucas was really great. And… we kind of hashed some things out, which we were probably a bit overdue for. Like this conversation is today.”

“That’s good.”

“How did it go with your test?”

Before he could answer, the door opened and Lucas came out, followed by Kyle. Neither was bleeding or had black eyes, so that was a plus.

Kyle returned to the pool table, sitting with his hip on the edge. Lucas eyed the space between Jayden and me but then leaned against the support column again.

He looked at me. “I’d still prefer that you keep my room, but if you’re insistent, then until we figure out a more permanent solution, maybe sometimes you can stay down here with Jayden, and sometimes stay up in my room with me.”

“And sometimes with me,” Kyle added.

“No way, dude,” Jayden said, at the same time Lucas gave a very firm, “No.”

What? Wasn’t that what Lucas had just suggested? I looked at Kyle.

He crossed his arms and his voice grew chilly. “Just so we’re on the same page, is the problem that I’m some kind of a predator or that Tori is an empty-headed girl unable to control herself?”

Lucas’s jaw dropped.

“Yeah, I’d kind of like to know that myself,” I said, and Kyle and I exchanged a look of solidarity.

Jayden held up his hands in surrender. “Point taken. I recall my objection.”

“Good,” I said, looking him in the eye. “Because I’ve already had to give Lucas my speech about how I don’t need protecting. I’d hate to have to give it to you, too.”

We all looked at Lucas, who didn’t say anything but didn’t look away. Finally, he sighed. “I’ve heard it enough that I could probably give it to him.”

“It doesn’t seem like it’s sunk in yet,” I pointed out.

“Alright, I apologize.” His words were directed at me, but he sent a quick glance in Kyle’s direction.

---