“Rebecca,” says Lukas, cutting off any further arguments and looking over at me, “we’ve unfairly been monopolizing the conversation.”
“No, no. I’m loving this. It’s like watching siblings give each other grief.” I’m hoping to keep them talking about themselves so they don’t start asking me for fun anecdotes about my own life. I don’t have any. I don’t have siblings, and I’ve always spentmost of my time studying. Any fun stories I could tell are more Ronnie’s than mine. Even if I was there for them, the funny things always happen to her, not to me.
“Still,” says Sebastian, “why don’t you tell us about the homework you’re working on today?”
It’s not exactly a riveting topic, but at least it’s something I can talk about. “I’ve been working on my psych assignment this morning, but I’m nearly done. And I have the book I’m reading for my lit class, so I’ll probably read some of that this afternoon once I finish with psych. I’m pretty much caught up, but it won’t hurt to read ahead.”
“True,” agrees Sebastian, nodding sagely. “It gives you a buffer if you have a day when you need to take it easy.”
“And you’re working at the newspaper as well?” asks Felix, leaning forward to look at me around Elliot. “Your schedule sounds very busy.”
“Well, it’s an internship, so I’m only part-time for college credit,” I tell him. I don’t want to really let them know how rough the job actually is or how much my editor dislikes me.
“What’s your work schedule then?” Lukas pulls out his phone, his thumbs hovering over the screen.
Is he adding my work schedule to his calendar? Or, more likely, their joint calendar? That’s … I’m not sure how to feel about that. “Uh, Sunday afternoons. And then I usually go in again on Mondays and Wednesdays for a couple of hours too.”
“Is it the same time every time or does it change?” asks Lukas.
“The same time. Sundays I’m there from two to five but a lot of the time I stay longer. During the week, I usually go after my last class for the day. So four to six.”
“Is the newspaper close enough for you to walk?” Felix asks.
“No, I normally take the bus.” I’ll need to save up and buy my own car after graduation, especially if I don’t get a position at theTribuneand end up moving somewhere else, but luckily right now there’s good public transport.
Elliot frowns. “You’re taking the bus by yourself a lot?”
I huff a laugh. “I mean, not really by myself. There are other people on the bus too.”
Racking my brain for a way to turn the conversation away from myself, I come up empty. I haven’t had a chance to compile more interview questions yet, and my on-the-spot thinking is failing me.
I’m saved by their internal clocks. They all get up from the table at the same time and take their plates up to the sink, rinse them off, and place them in the dishwasher. I stand to carry my own plate over to the sink, but Sebastian takes it from me.
“You’re our guest,” says Sebastian. “You shouldn’t be cleaning up.”
I stand there stupidly in the middle of the kitchen while Sebastian puts my plate in the dishwasher and Lukas and Felix put away the food and Elliot wipes down the table.
I feel useless, and I don’t like it.
Once the kitchen is reset to perfect condition, Elliot pulls me into his side and kisses the top of my hair. Assuming this is a precursor to more checklist activity, I feel my body tighten with a combination of nerves and excitement. Elliot guides me back into the dining room and over to the chair where I was sitting before, then pulls it out for me. Okay. I guess … we’re just going to go back to studying? No list-checking-off? I’m surprised to find myself disappointed.
The others all file in and take their own seats at their homework stations, opening up their books and pulling their notebooks closer. Guess it was just me who felt that moment of possible tension in the kitchen, and then had the thought that we’d be fooling around now.
I absolutely cannot start going boy crazy now. Or ever. But I have to finish my psych homework and read part one of1984. I need to do well in my classes so that I can graduate with honors to compensate for the likely lack of recommendation from my editor.
The guys are all studying now, so I drag my laptop closer. I can always ask them about the list later. I’m sure they’ve already scheduled out the timeline on their calendar, and a rotation for it too. At least if I know when to expect the next encounter, I’ll be able to relax until then.
Maybe.
Chapter Twelve
An alarm going off breaks my focus, making me jump in my seat. None of the guys seem bothered, though. Lukas pulls out his phone and turns off the alarm before they close up their books and stack up their notebooks.
I guess study time is over. Now what happens? I glance at the time on my own phone. Five p.m. Wow. I hadn’t intended to stay this late at all.
They had suggested that I stay for another movie night, but just in case they’ve changed their minds, I should give them an out. “If you guys want to drive me back to my dorm now, you can still be home before it’s too late.”
They all frown at each other.
