“I told him my sister is real skinny and pretended to be worried about her finding a team. Max assured me there are multiple opportunities to get her in. I just gotta give this guy a call.”
“Well fuck. It’s more than just baseball.”
“Yup.” She met my eyes with such a solemn expression that my muscles tensed. “This is bigger than I thought, Jeff, and a part of me is worried we’re going to piss off the wrong people.”
10
AMBER
I’d never given a shit who I passed on the quad leaving classes before, but now I constantly was on the lookout. It was stupid because wealthy people paying their way into college didn’t stand out, did they?
Is it the girl with the red coat?Or the dude in the parka? Or the one carrying a coffee?
Is there a look that says‘I bought my way into school’?
Someone screamed from the other end of the quad, making me jump. God, I needed to get it together. My heart raced like I’d run two miles rather than just taking an easy stroll just as Brandon’s familiar face appeared in front of me. His jolly energy was a lot to take and he practically sang. “Hey, you, how’s it going?”
“Hi, Brandon.” My mood instantly lifted and I felt silly for being so paranoid. It was not as if anyone knew we were looking into this whole scandal thing and I needed to play it cool. Brandon was a part of the web of lies I had built surrounding this and I had to keep that cover. “Thank you again for meeting me for the interview.”
“It was no hardship spending time with you.” He gave me such a genuine smile, my insides warmed and I blushed. He had such a boy-next-door look to him with his khaki pants and navy coat. I’d bet ten dollars he wore a polo underneath, too. “I was hoping we could get together again soon.”
He means for another interview, not…like that.I shook my head a little to clear that line of thought and replied,“Of course. I have some follow-up questions for you.”
He chuckled and responded with such a warm tone. “I’d like to take you on a date, Amber. I want that to be very clear.”
Oh.
Oh my.
“With me?”
“Yes.” He cleared his throat and took a step closer to me. “I know I’m younger, but I think we could have a really good time.”
“I think we would?—”
“Amber, girl, you are not gonna believe what I just heard!” Laney interrupted and threw her arm around me without a clue she disturbed Brandon asking me out. My words got stuck in the back of my throat at how awkward I felt and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. She spun her attention on him. “Hey there. I’m Laney.”
“Uh, Brandon,” he muttered, and I had never felt so embarrassed in my life. I met his eyes and hoped I gave him a sympathetic smile. His equally disconcerted look snapped me to the present and I could speak again.
“This is my crazy roommate. Sorry for her interruption, but she doesn’t know better.”
“Oh god, I’m such an asshole. I’m sorry.” She removed her arm and took a step back with a look of regret on her face. “Just punch me in the gut if I do this again.”
Brandon looked horrified and I had to laugh. “Will do.”
“So how do you know my girl, Amber?” she asked him, going into full best-friend mode.
“She interviewed me for an article on athletes and I asked her out.”
“Bold. Damn. I love it.” She made an absurd face at me that was a combination of eyebrow wiggling and pursing her lips. Then her expression changed to inquisitive. “Wait—is this the same article you’re writing on Maddow?”
“You’re writing something about Maddow?” Brandon asked, a little hurt in his voice.
Panic spread through my body within seconds. All the lies were overlapping and I had to figure out how to connect them to two major pieces that were unrelated. Shit.Shit. “I’m thinking my senior piece will be about baseball athletes and he suggested I interview you to get a different perspective.”
He didn’t look like he bought it, so I added with just as much truth as it was placating him, “It wasn’t supposed to be more than a few questions, but I enjoyed talking to you so much I kept going. That sounds unprofessional but?—”
“I dig it,” he interrupted, looking cheerful again. “You have my number, Amber. Let me know your answer.” He gave me a smoldering look, one that had me squirming, and I blushed. He winked, and left me with my roommate.
