Page 46 of Study Buddies

“I’ll pick you up at your place tomorrow at seven?” He tried to say it with a straight face, but it was pretty funny given the circumstances.

“My place is your room,” I said with a laugh.

“Then I have no excuse if I’m late.”

“Unless you get lost on your journey from the living room.”

He laughed at that. Then he checked his phone and started gathering up his things. “Should we head downstairs?”

“Yes, I guess it’s time.”

We walked toward the elevators, his arm close to mine. This time, I felt the urge to take his hand, which was absurd, considering I’d thought the same thing about Jayden an hour earlier. What the hell was going on with me? That wouldn’t be an easy question to answer.

And there was Jayden, waiting for us in the basement, leaning against a bookcase that had probably been new a hundred years ago. His jaw was tight, his expression unreadable.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show.” He glanced at Lucas, his eyebrows raised. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucas nod. Okay, so Jayden had known what Lucas was going to ask me. Did that mean he was okay with it? Guilt washed over me, because if Jayden had been the one to ask me on a date, I would’ve said yes to him, too. What the hell was wrong with me?

Lucas and I kept going, but then Jayden intercepted Lucas. “There’s something I need to tell you,” he muttered, and I slipped past him since he hadn’t been talking to me.

I barely had time to wonder what Jayden needed to say before I rounded the corner and froze.

Amanda and Roger were there, holding a conversation with a dark-haired man.

Kyle was back.

17

TORI

“When’s thelast time you went on a date?” Hailey’s voice came through the speaker on my phone as I got ready for my dinner with Lucas.

“It’s been a while.”

“There was that guy, Fred, who was in your Psychology of Education class last year. How many times did you go out with him?”

I didn’t answer as I stared in the mirror over the dresser, carefully applying eyeliner. I hoped it looked smokey, and not like a child went wild with a black crayon. “It was Frank from Philosophy of Education, and three times, I think?”

Hmm, maybe a little more eye shadow? It wasn’t like I was trying to seduce Lucas, but I wanted to look nice for him. And maybe also for me. It wasn’t often that I had a reason to dress up.

“What happened with him?” Hailey asked. “Did he ghost you?”

“It was kind of a mutual ghosting. We never set up a fourth date and started texting less frequently, and that was that.”

“And that history major?”

“Just one date.” I laughed. “He’s ancient history.”

Hailey giggled. “Funny. Tell me about what you’re wearing—no wait, is there a full-length mirror there? Snap a picture and send it to me.”

“I’m in my underwear right now, so probably not a good idea.”

She laughed. “Regular underwear or sexy underwear?”

“Moderately sexy? A strapless bra and matching panties.” I didn’t have anything really risqué.

“But it’s something you wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen in, right?”

I rolled my eyes. “No one’s going to be seeing it tonight except me.”

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