Page 67 of Collide
“No, you idiot. Two of those girls had boyfriends.”
He smiles like he’s recounting the memory. “And how is that my problem? It was completely consensual for all parties.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. She likes Eli.” The words are out of my mouth before I can shove them back in. I wince when I see the playful expression on his face melt away.
“Westbrook?”
I nod. A shadow crosses his face, but it's gone almost instantly. He’s quiet for the rest of the hour, and I don’t bother prodding, aside from occasional homework questions.
By the time I finish studying, it’s time for my first class of the day. Tyler turns to the East Hall, and I walk down to my class.
Kian Ishida drapes his arm over my shoulders, looking sullen.
Anything but pure happiness is rare for him. “What’s wrong?”
He exhales an anguished sigh. “You think you know people, but they all end up being the same.”
What I learned from being friends with Kian is to never ask him to elaborate. I nod, though I have no idea why his mood is so sour. When we pass the student aid center, Dylan comes out with an ice pack on his face. He waves at us, and I notice the new shiner on his jaw. “Ouch, what happened to you?”
“Let’s just say I deserve it,” Dylan says, heading in the opposite direction.
The last time I saw Dylan, he had a busted lip, and he said the same thing. I thought it was a one-time thing, but it seems like he’s made himself an enemy.
I turn to Kian. “Who did that to him?”
“A guy on the basketball team. Dylan slept with his grandma.”
I choke on my spit. “You have to be joking.”
“To be fair, she’s still pretty young. Can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same.”
“You’re—”
“Hot? Smart? Extraordinary?”
“Disgusting.”
“Not the adjective I would have picked.” He shrugs. As we pass by the quad he makes a weird noise. “I seriously can’t believe you dated that guy.”
I follow his line of sight to Donny setting up for a chess event. “It was freshman year, and he wasn’t always like that.”
“So, he just started being a preppy douchebag now?”
“Uh no, he always presented himself that way. I think it’s because his mom still does his shopping.”
He laughs. “Then I guess he’s your Tabitha.”
“Tabitha?”
“You know, like your one dating mistake.”
I’m sure there is a story there, but I only shrug. “Yeah, I guess.”
“So, are you coming to Aiden’s birthday?” he asks as we descend the steps.
“It’s his birthday?” He hasn’t brought it up, not that we’ve talked after what happened.
“Well, not really. It’s January 5th, but since our games are mostly away at the beginning of the term, we celebrate it later.”
