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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Gotta Grow Up Sometime
“I TOLD YOU I didn’t want to make a big deal about this,” Wade says as he takes my hand as I exit the cab in front of the dorm building.
“You’re graduating from college,” I reply, punching him in the arm. “That is a huge deal!”
Wade grabs onto his arm as if I really hurt him. “You know I have tender skin.”
“Is this better?” I crash into him and wrap my arms around him.
“Much better,” he says into my hair.
He releases me and we walk up the steps into the student housing. It’s the end of the semester and students are moving out; furniture and garbage bags litter the hallways. We have to sidestep someone carrying a large bean bag chair down the hall that almost crashes into us because he can’t see around it.
“Reminds me of the squat,” I say and look behind me at the shredded papers littering our path.
“It’s always like this at the end of a semester. Everyone uses their term papers as confetti.” Wade waves a hand and indicates that we’ve reached his room.
The dorm room is really nice with large windows and a desk, but what really gets my attention are the bunk beds.
I start to laugh and Wade gives me an annoyed look. “Just don’t,” he warns me.
I double over, resting my hands on my thighs. “Who’s the top?” I can barely get out.
“Fuck off, Mia,” Wade huffs.
“Oh God, I’m sorry.” I try to stifle my laughter. “I knew you shared a room with someone, but bunk beds? Really? I was fucking with you before you left.”
“I wanted the college experience,” he states, narrowing his eyes at me. Wade could have afforded to rent an apartment near campus, but he chose to stay in the dorm.
“And it looks like you got it.” I set my bag down. “Good thing I got a hotel room. I don’t think your bed could hold both of us.”
Wade grumbles.
I look at my watch. “I can’t check in until 3 o’clock so what should we do?” I look at him expectantly.
Wade smiles sympathetically. “It’s good to hear you laugh.” The mood turns somber and I could kick Wade for turning this into a pity party, but I love him too much.
Cash was suffocating me at home, and attending Wade’s graduation was the perfect excuse to get away. As far as Wade knows, I am still nursing a broken heart over losing the baby. I am, but my diagnosis has overshadowed that and I’m glad for the distraction.
“Let’s go grab some lunch,” Wade suggests, placing my bag on his bed. “We can come back and grab that later.”
“Sounds good,” I agree and link my arm in his.
“There’s a great Thai place nearby we can walk to.”
The weather is cooler than Southern California, and I pull my jacket tighter around me as we walk through the Berkeley campus. Most of the buildings we pass are made of imposing dark brick, with beautiful gothic-style windows. I wonder what it would have been like to go to college here. Hell, I never graduated high school which is weird, thinking about it now. I made a pretty good living, despite not having a diploma. Mrs. Grundy, my algebra teacher, can fuck off.
I look at Wade who is wearing a nice brown suede jacket and button-up shirt with his jeans. His dark hair is cut short and brushed back. He looks so different, and I’m not sure I like the change. I miss my wild friend who wore ripped jeans, dyed his hair, and styled it into elaborate spikes. Maybe I just miss those days when we were young and carefree. It feels like Wade is leaving me behind, like he caught lightning twice and he gets a second chance at a new life, and I am stuck in the same one.
I take a moment to tousle his perfectly styled hair. “When did you become an adult?” I ask nostalgically. He seems happy in his own skin, and I try not to be resentful.
Wade pushes my hand away, annoyed. “Gotta grow up some time,” he says, eyeing my combat boots and black jeans.
“I will wear these until the day I die.” I turn my nose up at him, the ominous tone not lost on me.
I look around at the green grass and mature trees. “It’s a beautiful campus,” I say. “I’m really proud of you.” I squeeze his arm tightly.
