“So, basically we’re all bisexual disasters.” Kellan laughed.
“Speak for yourselves,” Josh said with a sniff. “Anyway we should go home. I—”
“Have homework,” Kellan and I said simultaneously.
“You two are so annoying.” Josh whipped around and marched toward the door, leaving Kellan and me no choice but to follow.
On the way to the car, I couldn’t help but think about Grey in the bathroom. He’d looked so sad, so… small. I wondered what had happened between him and Carina.Is it anything beyond what he led me to believe? Are they having actual issues? Why am I thinking about it?
Just a friend,I told myself again.Until he comes to you, it’s not your place to worry.
Chapter 14
Request
The encounter in the bathroom turned out to be a fluke rather than the rule. Over the next three weeks, Grey and I played the picture-perfect representation of friends. We chatted after our shared class, helped each other with homework, and even got coffee once in a while when our schedules permitted it. I got so good at being his friend, it didn’t even bother me when he texted Carina anymore. Well, not as much as it had. I was still human.
Whatever had been going on between them the night he’d talked to me in the bathroom seemed to have blown over because he didn’t bring it up again.
School projects came and went, and one evening, on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break, we sat at the cafe before Grey had to jet off to band rehearsals. We’d caught up and ordered some food, and a comfortable silence had fallen between us. My computer sat open on the table, but I’d finished my assignments already.
“It’s weird,” I was saying. “I know I’ve caught up on homework, but I feel like I should be working onsomething.”
“You’re a workaholic like me,” Grey said. “I’ve watched you pour hours into those writing projects when your first drafts arebetter than anything I’d call a final draft. You just aren’t used to having nothing to do.”
“It’s a weird feeling.”
“Maybe you should work on a project you’re passionate about,” Grey said. “If you could write any story right now, what would it be?”
“Well, I have this story about two guys getting sucked up into a Narnia-type situation,” I said. “But then, I’ve had that idea since I was twelve. It had vampires and dragons and dwarves.”
Grey laughed. “That sounds awesome.”
“Don’t make fun of me.” I gave his arm a playful push. “I started on another one recently where this space cowboy goes around and fixes random people’s problems, and his biggest enemy is his old best friend, but they end up together in the end.”
“Best friends who end up together,” Grey said with a mischievous look. “Nowthatis interesting.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. I’d gotten very good at ignoring any implications in his words over the past few weeks. I refused to fuck up my streak now. “I think you’re going to be late for rehearsal.”
Grey checked his phone and swore as he scrambled to collect his things. He was in the middle of cramming his laptop into his bag when he paused, looking like he was chewing on the inside of his mouth. “Would you mind walking me to rehearsal?”
I didn’t exactly have anything better to do. “Sure.”
I shoved my stuff into my backpack and followed Grey out of the cafe. The cold afternoon air greeted us, and I suppressed a shiver as we made our way across campus. No one approached us today. Actually, I’d noticed in the past couple of weeks that fewer and fewer people came to pester him when we were together. I could only assume that it was due to waning interest as the novelty of seeing him around wore off. As we walked, Greyscratched the back of his head, something I’d come to recognize as a nervous tic for him.
“I have a favor to ask of you,” he said. “It’s kind of big.”
“Okay?”
“Are you doing anything this Saturday?”
I shook my head, the nervous energy radiating from him making me uneasy.
“So, my cousin is getting married this weekend,” Grey said. “I know it’s last minute, but would you want to come with me to the wedding?”
I stopped in my tracks, too caught off guard by the question to walk and talk at the same time.
He stopped next to me, his mouth twisting into a nervous and guilty smile. “See, Carina was supposed to go with me, but she had to cancel, and my mom wants me to have a plus-one.” He flushed. “You can say no if you want,” he added quickly.
