Page 139 of Study Buddies

Kyle straightened up and grinned. “Times change, bro.”

“We’re almost done,” Tori added.

“Good.” Jayden squeezed her shoulder and let go, sitting in a chair opposite them. “Because I’m thinking pizza tonight. Any requests?”

“Pepperoni,” Kyle said, his attention back on the screen.

“Tori?” Jayden asked.

“Anything but pepperoni,” she said with a grin, elbowing Kyle in the side.

“Okay, one with pepperoni, one without. Lucas?”

“I’m good with anything.”

“Where should we get it from?” Tori asked.

“Enzo’s. Tell you what—you order it, and I’ll go pick it up.”

“Deal,” she said, pulling out her phone.

It chimed before she could do anything else. She swiped open the screen, read for a moment, and then frowned.

“Something wrong?” I asked.

“They want me to come to a meeting on Monday at the English Department. With my advisor and Professor Abrams.” She looked worried. “Do you think they’re mad that I insisted on taking the Adolescent Development course?”

“If they had any brains, they’d be glad you’re doing what’s best for your career,” Kyle said.

Then his phone chimed as well. He thumbed it open, his attention still on Tori—but then he looked at the screen, and his face turned pale.

“I’m supposed to go to that meeting too,” he said slowly.

Tori looked utterly confused. “Why?”

Kyle didn’t say anything. His mouth was a thin line.

Tori put her hand on his arm. “Did they say why?”

Finally, he nodded. “Yes. Because I got an F on my second paper.”

“What?” Tori said. “No, that can’t be. It was really good.”

Jayden agreed. “Yeah, the part I read was well done, man.”

Kyle was still staring at his screen. “They changed my grade on the first one to an F, too.”

I got a sinking feeling in my stomach.

Tori was still perplexed. “What? How can they do that?”

Kyle set down his phone, pressing his hand on the table so firmly that his knuckles turned white.

“They think I cheated.”

37

TORI

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