Page 27 of Give In To Love
“What?” I asked, feeling defensive.
“We’ve barely heard from you since the semester started.”
“What do you want me to say? You know I’m not a talker.”
“Honey, we know that.” Drea reached over and pulled my hand into hers. I couldn’t help but notice how much more delicate it felt compared to TJ’s. Somehow, my thoughts always managed to circle back to him. “But when you don’t give us more than a word or two, we get worried.”
“I didn’t want to bother you. I figured you were busy.”
Her eyes softened. “You get that we care about you, right? Like we actuallywantto know how you’re doing.”
I did know that. Kind of. They’d never given me a reason to suspect they didn’t want me around. I just…had a hard time believing it sometimes. “I’m sorry,” I said, unsure what else to say.
Drea squeezed my hand. “So…tell us all the things. How are your classes? How’s your roommate?”
“Classes are good, I guess. I have allAs. My advisor says that even with the transfer, I should still be able to graduate a year from this spring.”
“That’s great news! Then we’ll be student teaching at the same time!” Mandy was studying to be an elementary school teacher.
Someone called my name from the counter and I hopped up to get our food, returning shortly with a tray laden with bowls of steaming ramen. If I’d thought the disruption to the conversation might be enough to move on to another topic besides me, I was mistaken.
“So what about your roommate? What’s he like?” Drea asked as she blew on her spoonful of soup.
A flush bloomed up my throat and into my cheeks as thoughts of yesterday’s jerk-off session flooded my mind. I could feel the heat radiating off my face like a sunburn.
Mandy gasped, eyes twinkling with excitement. “You’re blushing! You have a crush on him, don’t you?”
Damned fair skin. I’d never been able to hide a blush.
“No.” It might have been the most unconvincing “no” I’d ever uttered.
Drea narrowed her eyes but surprised me when her question went in a different direction. “What’s his major?”
“Theater education. But he has a music minor and he’s a dancer as well. He’s actually teaching dance classes right now.” I stopped, clamping my mouth shut, realizing I’d given them more than was necessary.
Both girls leaned forward, but it was Drea who asked, “Which studio?”
Mandy and Drea had danced in high school, but Drea was a business major with a dance minor, hoping to run her own studio someday. I tried to remember if TJ had ever mentioned where he taught. I didn’t think so, but I did remember seeing him in a hoodie the other day with a logo on it. D-something. “Dana’s School of Dance? Or Diana, maybe?”
Drea snapped her fingers. “Donna?”
“Yeah, that could be.”
“That’s a good studio. We competed against them a couple of times in high school.” I was filled with pride. Which was odd considering I’d had nothing to do with it. “But you said he’s a theater major? Is he doing a show this fall?”
“They’re doingRent. He’s playing Roger.”
“No shit? That’s a great part! He must be really good.”
“I didn’t know you were into musicals,” I said, looking at Mandy.
“I was a dancer forTheMusic Manfreshman year of high school, but I can’t sing for shit, so that was as far as I ever got. I love to watch them though.”
“Plus, Idina Menzel is hot as fuck inRent,” Drea added.
I had no idea who that was, but I figured I could take her word for it.
“So he’s heavily involved in performing arts. What else?”
