Page 6 of Of Pranks and Passion

I debated admitting that I didn’t give a shit about the course load and would only do enough work to pass, but I’d need this professor again for another major requirement. Instead, I said, “The kid who sits next to me. He’s gone. I’ll partner with him.”

She raised an eyebrow at my refusal to answer her but didn’t comment. “That’s kind of you. He didn’t email me about missing class today, but sometimes that happens when someone has to go to the clinic. Do you have a third in mind?”

“No.” I wasn’t interested in finding someone else to join us. We could handle it on our own. And since the rest of the class was already grouped up, she couldn’t argue with me.

CHAPTER FOUR

GARY

I’d only intendedto take a break between classes. After the morning from hell and completely bombing a test, I felt close to tears, and I just wanted to go somewhere quiet for a bit. I didn’t think I’d fall asleep. I woke up slowly, a knock at the door waking me just enough to be aware without bringing me fully awake. Thankfully, Carter was home, and he answered the door so I didn’t have to.

“Yeah?”

“I’m looking for Gary.”

The voice was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. I was too tired. I just wanted a few more minutes of sleep.

“He’s out of it right now. Are you a friend of his?”

Footsteps signaled the visitor joining us in the room. “Yeah, sort of. Is he sick?”

The familiar voice was closer now, like he was standing over me. I tried nudging my brain to wake up, but it felt like I was wrapped in cotton, and I couldn’t move a muscle.

“Dunno. He seemed fine last night. He wakes up before me, though. I don’t know if he woke up feeling sick. Hey, I’ve got practice. You good here?”

The voice grunted in response, and I heard the footsteps as Carter grabbed his stuff and left me with a stranger. Alarm bells went off in my head, and I tried to force myself awake again, but a warm hand settled on my forehead before I could peel open my eyes.

“Relax. We’re in a group project together. I’ll tell you about it when you wake up.”

Well, that made no sense, since I didn’t have any group projects currently. But I was too emotionally exhausted to stay awake, and I passed out again the second he pulled away.

When I woke up again,it was dark outside. That was disconcerting, and I blinked at the open windows for a minute before my brain caught up. I sat up in a rush, sucking in a sharp breath. I missed class. I missed several classes! Oh god, I was going to fail out and be forced to go back home!

The door to my room opened, and the grungy guy stepped inside, a plastic bag in one hand. He glanced at me and did a double take.

“You’re awake.”

Awake and in full panic mode. Excuse me while I completely lose it in front of a stranger and embarrass the hell out of myself.

“Wha– Why–”

He shrugged, dropping into my desk chair like he was completely comfortable being in a room he wasn’t invited into. I’d kill for that kind of confidence.

“You missed class. I came to let you know we were put in a group project together, but you were passed out.” He lifted the bag in his hand. “Figured you could use some meds. My friend told me which ones based on how you looked this morning.”

There was a lot to unpack there, but my brain decided to latch on to something insignificant. Because of course it did.

“I’m not sick.”

He raised an eyebrow at me. Now that we were face to face, and I wasn’t sneaking peeks at his profile, I realized he had another piercing in his eyebrow. Was that new? I didn’t see it the first day he showed up.

“Did you get a new piercing?”

My awkwardness was in full armor today. Great. Because today couldn’t get any worse. I felt my face flush, grateful for the limited light in the room. He’d left the light off and only the small lamp on my desk made it possible for me to see him.

A hint of a smile pulled at his lips. “Yeah. If you’re not sick, why did you miss class?”

My stomach twisted uncomfortably. I didn’t really want to get into it, but he went out of his way to buy me medicine, so I figured he deserved an explanation. “I… I had a really rough morning, and after completely failing that test, I just wanted a break. I figured I’d take some quiet time to myself before going to my next class. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

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