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“Chug that any quicker and you’re going to get brain freeze.”
Allison giggled. “Leave her alone. We’ve been sitting here sweating our butts off for almost an hour waiting on you guys.”
Michael kissed her temple. “I’m sorry we were so late. Had I known traffic was going to be that bad, I would’ve just walked it.”
Then Clint kissed my temple. And the action was so stunted and empty that Allison furrowed her brow.
“You okay, Clint?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. You just seem… off?”
Michael grinned. “Off like a camera? Or off like a horse?”
“Wait, huh?”
Clint and Michael burst out in laughter as I sat there, staring blankly at Allison. Another inside joke. They seemed to have a lot of those.
Allison snickered. “What--what does off have to do with a--?”
Michael held his hand up. “Had to be there. Holy shi--hoo! Had to be there.”
Clint snorted. “Your father’s a fucking mess, you know that?”
For some reason, I felt more alone than when Clint and Michael weren’t here.
Allison rolled her eyes. “Anyway… Rae, you ready for orientation?”
Michael cleared his throat. “Yeah. You waiting until orientation to figure out whether or not to stay on campus?”
I shrugged. “I figured I’ll end up staying on campus. For at least the first semester, to get my bearings.”
Clint stopped laughing. “Wait, what?”
I looked over at him. “What?”
He furrowed his brow. “You’re staying on campus? Since when?”
I shrugged. “Since you won’t make a decision on where you want to live. I have to turn in the paperwork. Might as well do it at orientation since it’s around the due date. The last thing I want is to be left without a room because I didn’t make the decision on time.”
He stared at me blankly before Michael interjected.
“Any good frat parties going on at this thing, you think?”
Allison smacked him playfully. “Michael. Stop it.”
“What? I mean, Rae can go there. Meet her new peers. Fraternize with new people. Get her party on a bit.”
“We’re not there to party. We’re there to support her.”
I kept staring at Clint. “And maybe party a little bit.”
Michael reached over, slapping Clint on the shoulder. “I mean, if he can keep his nose out of his notebook long enough. Am I right?”
It wasn’t until Clint looked away that I settled back into my seat. But I felt his arm move from around me. I sipped on my milkshake as I gazed out over the ocean, and I felt someone’s leg press against mine. I looked underneath the table and saw Allison’s shoe. I looked up at her and found her casting me some sort of a pity glance.
Well, I didn't want her pity.
