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Maybe Lincoln would want to date her. Then my friends could be dating. And I could hang out with them both at once. That would be efficient.

He snorts. “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not interested.”

Right. He’s into guys. I forgot. It’s not important to me.

Then I remember my new roommate's comment about being bi-sexual. Maybe Lincoln would be into him. Yeah, he plays hockey like his step-brother, which is not ideal, but they are both athletic. And having things in common which always makes a relationship better. I think. And I’m pretty sure he is attractive enough that Lincoln might like him.

I line up a fourth pen. “My roommate said he likes guys and girls.”

Lincoln’s mouth curls up. “You’re not a very good matchmaker.”

I shrug. “If you change your mind, he lives six feet from my bed.”

He laughs and shakes his head. “I’ve sworn off men.”

The professor walks in before I can reply. I open my notebook ready to take any important notes. Lincoln pulls out his own notebook and a single pen, and we don’t talk again until the end of class.

FOUR

QUINN

Lincoln decides to come with me to the cafe to meet up with Christine.

We cut back across campus the way I came. French V was, unfortunately, fine. Not hard yet. I will take it.

Lincoln walks like he owns the sidewalk. While I’m the opposite and try not to get in anyone’s way. It’s always been like that. People part like the red sea for him, and I slip through the gap he leaves in his wake.

“So,” he says. “Have you thought of bulking up? You’re so thin. Do you eat?”

“Christine makes sure I eat.”

He laughs. “Do you make sure you eat? What are you going to do once you graduate and you don’t have her to remind you that eating is essential.”

“I know eating is essential,” I scoff.

He laughs again. I eye him. He’s definitely bulked up since we saw each other last.

“You look different,” I say, because I know that noticing your friends’ changes is important to a good relationship. Not that I care that he’s changed. I don’t. He’s still the same person inside.

“MMA. They make me lift things at the gym. Repeatedly.” He grins.

“I assumed.”

He shakes his head and drops an arm around my shoulders. “I could use the company. I don’t know anyone here, except for my brother, Nathan, and my step-brother, Blue, and you know how I feel about him already.”

I sigh. I’m really not interested in going to a gym. Now, if he was talking about going to a chemistry lab, I would already be finding my goggles. But a gym…yeah not my cup of tea.

“I’m not lifting things for fun,” I say.

“It isn’t fun. That’s the point.”

“That’s a terrible sales pitch.”

“You can sit on a bench and judge my form. You love judging things.”

“I love being accurate,” I correct.

“Same difference.”