“Why don’t you have a shower and a power nap?” I suggest. “Just two hours, and then you can get up and we can go around the campus a bitbefore dinner. I’ve got a gym session to get to anyway, so I can wake you up when I’m back.”
“That would be amazing actually.” She yawns. “Where’s the bathroom?”
I point towards the en suite and she scowls. “Of course you have a fancy room with an en suite.”
“Well, I have my own bathroom, but you forget I have to share the actual room.”
As I say that the door swings open and my giant roommate walks in. He does a double take when he sees Kath, even though I’ve told him she’s coming about a hundred times.
“Kath! It’s nice to meet you,” he drawls, emphasising his southern twang. I shoot him a scowl over her head, and he just winks at me.
“Oh hi. You must be Austin.” She jumps up to give him a hug. “It’s nice to actually meet face-to-face rather than over the phone. And I’ve heard so much about you. I kind of feel like we know each other already.”
He laughs. “The feeling’s mutual. I literally wake up every morning to a picture of sixteen-year-old you.”
Kath follows where he gestures and grins when she sees the photo of the two of us at the Paris Olympics.
“I love this photo.” She turns to me. “I hadn’t realised you packed it.”
I shrug at her. It’s my favourite.
“Aww and look at this one of your mum.” Her expression softens. “I miss her smile. You can justfeelit, can’t you? I swear it used to light up the whole room.”
I nod and look away. I don’t want to talk about my mum. Kath frowns and opens her mouth to say something, but Austin interrupts.
“You ready, man?” he asks, digging a spare T-shirt from the cupboard before lacing on a different pair of trainers.
“Give me five.” I quickly swap my T-shirt and grab my bag, popping in my water bottle and a change of clothes.
“Have a nap,” I tell Kath. “We’ll wake you up when we’re back.”
“Yep.” She yawns again. “Sorry,” she apologises to Austin. “I’m usually a more coherent person, I promise.”
“No problem, sweet pea,” he tells her, his blue eyes twinkling. I elbow him out of the door, waving at Kath, who gives another wide yawn as the door swings shut.
“Sweet pea?Really?” I grumble, and he just chuckles in response.
“Has Kath arrived? Is Fletcher pining after her?” AJ asks as we meet him at the end of the corridor, and I let out a groan. This isnothow I’d envisioned today going.
“Maybe.” Austin gives me a sideways look.
AJ turns to me. “I can’t wait to meet her. You’re always texting her.”
“I’m notalwaystexting her.”
“She was your screensaver,” AJ deadpans. “I literally thought she was your girlfriend until, like, two weeks ago.”
Austin just smirks at me. So much for my friend bailing me out then; I’ll fend AJ off alone.
“You guys know full well she’s not my girlfriend. We’ve had this conversation before. She’s my best friend, that’s it.” I narrow my eyes. “But she’s still off limits. So just remember that, and there won’t be any problems.”
“You’re being very defensive over yourfriend.” Austin smiles. “Way more defensive than I am over AJ, that’s for sure.”
I roll my eyes, reaching for my buzzing phone in my pocket. I open it to see that AJ has posted in our swimming group chat.
AJ:Fletcher’s home friend Kath has arrived and he’s already freaking out. You know the hot one who was his screensaver.
Seb:The brunette girl?
