Page 34 of Choosing You

“If he pisses you off, why do you hang out with him?”

Garret adjusts the rear view mirror which I moved when I was driving. “Just forget about it, okay?”

“What did he mean about your dad?”

“Jade. I asked you to stop talking about it. Just drop it.”

I turn away and stare into the darkness. We go to the burger place and Garret insists on eating there instead of taking it back to our rooms, but he doesn’t say anything all through dinner. He seems distant, like his mind is somewhere else. I don’t ask him about it because I’d rather not know what’s causing this. I’m hoping it’s just Blake and that he’ll get over it soon.

People are right about first impressions. From the minute I met Blake I knew I didn’t like him. And this just confirms it. Even Garret doesn’t seem to like the guy. I wonder why they’re even friends.

CHAPTERTEN

On Tuesday morningthe dining halls are finally open. As I’m getting ready to head down there for breakfast, the phone rings.

“Jade, it’s Frank. How’s it going?” His voice is strong which I take as a sign he’s getting better.

“Hey, Frank. How are you feeling?”

“I’m good, but I called to ask about you. Are you doing okay out there in Connecticut?”

“Yes. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”

“We sure miss you. It’s just not the same without you around.”

I wish he wouldn’t say that. I miss them, too, but I can’t keep thinking about it. “I’m sure Ryan’s keeping you company.”

“Yes.” Frank hesitates. “But he and I aren’t really speaking right now so—”

“You’re fighting? Why?” I ask, although I’m pretty sure of the answer.

“Ryan dropped out of school. Did he tell you that?”

“Yeah, but it’s just for a semester.”

“He made it sound like he’s taking the whole year off. He’s ruining his future. I tried to tell him that, but he won’t listen. He’s stubborn, like me. I was thinking maybe you could talk some sense into him.”

“I already tried to talk him out of it. He wouldn’t listen to me. I’m sure he’ll go back in the spring.”

“So classes start tomorrow?” Frank’s tone brightens.

“Yeah, I have orientation this morning. I was gonna grab some breakfast quick. The dining halls are finally open.”

“Ryan mentioned they’ve been closed. He said some boy has been taking you out a lot.”

“Just a few times.”

“Be careful, Jade. I want you to have fun, but just be careful, okay?”

“Yes, Frank. I’ll be careful.” For crying out loud, the way Frank and Ryan lecture me you’d think I was going to college with a bunch of criminals. They act like every guy I’ll ever meet will try to harm me in some way. And that I’m some helpless female who can’t defend herself. It’s really getting annoying.

“Well, it sounds like you’ve got a busy morning, so I’ll let you go. We’ll call you later in the week to see how classes are going.”

We hang up and I hurry over to the dining hall. I was expecting a crowd, but the place is almost empty. Apparently I’m the only one who’s excited about the arrival of on-campus dining. I grab a tray and get a couple donuts along with a hard boiled egg for some actual nutrients. Then I fill a glass with soda and sit down at a table by myself.

“Jade.” Harper appears, looking much better than the night before. “Can I join you?”

“Of course. How are you feeling?”

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