Page 59 of The Keeper
I glance at my phone, debating whether or not to call him. Eventually my fingers swipe open my screen and find his number.
“Hey,” he says, answering after the first ring.
“Hi,” is my only response, but even I can hear the overwhelming smile in my tone.
“How was studying?”
“Oh, you know. Boring and mind-numbing. After two hours I’m starting to reconsider this whole partnership thing with Thomas.”
“How come?”
I shrug, and then realize he can’t see me.
“I don’t know. I just feel like it’s adding all of this work that I don’t want to do,” I finally reply.
“Well, you shouldn’t not do it just because it’s hard,” he advises. “If anything, you should push forward because it’s hard. Because it means you’re about to do something great.”
I hum at his statement, appreciating it in sentiment, but not in my present situation.
“He also asked me out on a date.”
Mack is silent on the other end of the line.
“I’m not sure that us working together is a good idea, even if wecancreate something super cool and get top marks on the project. I just…”
Mack clears his throat lightly as I let the end of that sentence trail off. When I don’t add anything else he finally says something.
“So what did you say to him?”
“Huh?”
“When he asked you on the date. What did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything. He cut me off and told me he wanted me to think about it.”
“And are you going to?”
“What?”
“Are you going to think about it? About going on a date with him?”
“What? Why? Do youwantme to go on a date with him?”
“Of course not.”
“Mack, I was obviously going to tell him no, which is why he told me to think about it.” My response is slightly clipped, and even though I regret it slightly, I’m also frustrated at Mack’s implication.
He sighs.
“I just worry, is all.”
“About what?”
“You’re 21 and you’re in college and you should be enjoying yourself if guys ask you out. And I’m older than you and you have to keep anything between us a secret. I don’t want you to miss out on fun in college.”
I laugh. I feel bad laughing when his tone is so concerned and thoughtful, but he still clearly has a lot to learn about me.
“Mack, where are you right now?”
