Page 39 of Collide
“I do, but that’s for Wednesday.”
“Right, cause you can’t stray from your calendar even a little.”
“As someone whose head only has a puck running through it, I don’t expect you to understand,” she snipes.
“Trust me, I have a lot of things running through my head.”
“I’m sure the daily influx of nudes you get on a daily basis keeps you occupied.”
My attraction to her insults is mildly concerning. I’d talk to a therapist about it, but I’d rather not divulge that. I chuckle, and I can see her lip tip up before she looks away again.
“If you thought I’d shift around my schedule so you would be off the hook this week, I can’t. So, feel free to leave.”
“I’m good right here.”
She appears dubious. “Trying to get on my good side after sticking us with Donny?”
“Fingers crossed.” I notice a crumpled paper under her textbook. “What’s this?”
She tries to snatch back the flier. “Nothing.”
I hold it away from her reach. “Mental health initiative for athletes?” I glance at her. “You set up an event?”
“Kind of.” She shifts uncomfortably. “It was supposed to be once a semester, but the last one did terribly, so I’m scrapping it.”
“When was the last one?”
“December. Only the extra credit students were there. No athletes showed. Except for Tyler.”
That’s the one Coach was pissed at me for missing. It was Summer’s event. “You should do it.”
She laughs. “And get humiliated again? No thanks.”
“I’ll come, and I’ll tell everyone I know about it.” I’d be ignorant to not recognize the influence I have on campus. There’s a certain reputation that comes with being captain.
She gathers her hair and tucks it to one side. “No way. I don’t need you advertising my event and people thinking we’re something we’re not.”
My head tilts. “We can’t just be friends? I don’t have to be fucking you to go to your event.”
She frowns at my brashness. “We’re not either of those things.”
“Don’t change the subject. Are you doing it or not?”
She looks away. “No. It’s a lot of work.”
“Since when do you shy away from work? You took me on.”
“You annoyed me into taking you on.” She reaches for the paper again.
I don’t give it back. “You should do it. It’ll look really good for your application.” She bites her lip, mulling it over. “Come on, you know you want to.”
I almost think she’ll refuse again, but she sighs. “Fine. I’ll check with the department, but I can advertise it on my own. Thanks for the offer.”
Satisfied, I lean back in my chair. “Look at us, agreeing on something without bickering.”
“We did bicker.”
“That wasn’t bickering.”
