Page 28 of On His Team

She hides her smile, and her cheeks lightly turn red. “Right.” She goes back to her page.

I get water and eat two crackers standing at the counter. My phone goes off, and it’s Mara asking if we’re still hanging out tonight. I tell her yes, and she sends back four exclamation points.

I sit down at the other end of the table and get out the statistics book. I open it to chapter one. I look at it. I close it.

Lucy doesn’t lift her head. “Need help?”

“No, thanks.”

“Okay.” She turns a page.

“Hypothetically––”

Lucy starts laughing before I get the rest of it out. She puts her forehead down on her book and she is shaking.

“Frick you,” I say.

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You were waiting.”

“I just knew since the day you registered for it, that I––”

I scowl. “Are you going to help me or not?”

“Yes. Obviously.” She points the pencil at me. “I’m free on Thursday. Bring the homework.”

“Don’t tell Benson.”

She smiles. “He’s my boyfriend, G.”

I argue, “He’s actually my brother.”

“He’s going to be so happy.”

“That’s exactly why you can’t tell him.”

I open my textbook. I get about four pages in before I stop and go back to my notebook from this morning and look at the list of five things with one crossed out. Then I grab my phone and scroll for five minutes. I look over at Lucy, who’s still reading her textbook.

“I’m moving into Hawthorne,” I say quietly.

She looks up.

“Since it’s the only place all of you people ever are, I decided I’m going to move in.”

She smiles. “Okay.” She starts packing up her things.

“Where are you going?”

“Hawthorne.”

I stare at her. “You literally have an apartment.”

“So do you.”

“That’s becoming less relevant every day.”

Lucy laughs and reaches for her coat. “Come on.”