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The other girl pulls up her phone and calls for an Uber. Meanwhile, Tinker Bell nuzzles her face against my neck and mumbles. “Hmm, pillow’s hard.”
I want to cry. And laugh. But I don’t, because I have an audience.
Instead, I get a solid workout lowering both of us to the sidewalk while we wait for the ride back to campus. Tinker Bell dozes off against my back, and either she’s absolutely sopping wet, or she’s drooling on my skin. I vow to never let her live this down. But first we have to survive the night.
It takes almost a full hour to get back to campus. Only when I’m about to reach the girls’ dorms do I realize I have no idea which building or room she lives in.
“Hey.” I shake her just a bit. “Tinker Bell, wake up.”
“Stop calling me Bell. My name is Luz.”
The other girl chuckles from a few steps behind.
“What’s your room number?” I ask Tinker Bell.
I feel her stir. Her voice sounds more at my ear level when she asks, “Why do you want to know?”
“So I can drop you off and go on my merry way.” My voice comes out in a whine. My shoulders burn from holding her weight for so long. At this point, all I want is to put her down so I can stretch.
“Well, I don’t trust you.” She collapses back on my shoulder.
I give the other girl a side-eye, as if saying see?
She mumbles something. I don’t get it because her face is buried against the crook of my neck, and it’s not like my skin can read her lips moving against it. I squeeze my eyes shut and take several deep breaths. This is all doing a number on my sanity.
“What’s that?” My voice comes out choked and too deep, but all I get is a mumble.
Finally, the other Strike makes herself useful by checking something on her phone and saying, “The captain’s room is one-three-two.”
Oh, bless. That means she’s on the first building, third floor, second door. That’s the building we’re closest to, and now that I have a clear goal, I make quick work up the stairs. I’m not even too winded when I finally stop at her door and let her down slowly.
Once she’s safely inside, I’ll retrieve my T-shirt and run on to my dorm, where I can take the longest cold shower known to man to wash away the sensations of her body against mine.
Tinker Bell has other plans, though. She slides down the door until she’s sitting on the floor. Her head hangs like she’s fallen asleep.
Turning to the other girl and ignoring the amusement all over her face, I say, “Okay, I think you got it from here.”
“No way. I’m not strong enough to haul her inside and to her bed.” She gives me a shrug, palms facing up in the universal what can I do? way.
I brush my hands down my face. Never would I have imagined myself to be so patient. Crouching down, I tilt her face up by her chin. “Tinker Bell, wake up. You can’t sleep here.”
With a groan, she cracks one eye open. “Cassiano? What are you doing here?”
A groan escapes my throat. I’m definitely paying for ruining her night.
Sighing, I ask, “Can you give me your key?”
“It’s in my pocket.”
“Your jeans have four pockets. Do you want me to stick my hand in all of them to find it?” The deadpan in my voice sparks her consciousness again.
“You right.” Slowly, she tilts herself on her left side to rummage in her right back pocket. Out comes a dripping phone and a set of keys.
The other girl snatches the keys and opens the door. I hear her flip a switch, and light bathes the hallway. She declares, “Coast is clear.”
Good thing no one else will have to suffer through this girl’s mess, I suppose. “In you go,” I tell Tinker Bell.
She extends her hands. Asking for help.
