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We fist-bumped.
“Do you live on campus?” Emil asked.
I shook my head and looked down. No way could my family afford that additional cost. “You?”
“Yeah, and my new roommate is already a complete slob.”
I grinned.Be careful what you wish for.My current roommate was Star, and she was pretty easy to deal with, especially since her bedtime was way earlier than mine. There were only two bedrooms in the trailer, but I didn’t mind it too much. For now.
Emil motioned to my bandaged fingertips. “Did you have an accident?”
My cheeks warmed. “Yeah, uh, burned myself.”
I was too embarrassed to admit I chewed my cuticles raw.
While waiting for class to start, we compared schedules, realizing we both had the same ballet period, which was cool. We also decided to meet for lunch in the student center dining area since our schedules were free around the noon hour most days of the week. The university offered paid lunch options for commuters, but it was too pricey for me, so I’d brought along a sandwich.
When the professor entered the room, the talking died down. “Good morning, class. Give me a couple of minutes.”
He busied himself with pulling out folders and notebooks from his bag while the students’ eyes stayed fixed on him. After he passed out the syllabus, we reviewed it, and I wrote all the assignments’ due dates in my calendar, hoping to keep as organized as possible.
I didn’t see Henry as I shuffled from the building behind the student center to the next across campus, trying to remain invisible as I was scrutinized by upperclassmen. Or maybe it just felt that way. I could easily spot the other freshmen, who seemed as bewildered as me.
Even though pre-calculus was considered a remedial class offered to those who sucked at math like me and didn’t meet all the requirements from high school, I would probably still struggle with the material. Why did I need this again? Unfortunately, even the Bachelor of Fine Arts required two core math classes to graduate, so this one and the next would satisfy those for me.
If they didn’t kill me first.
The professor seemed friendly enough, and instead of going over the syllabus, he passed out a review quiz that wouldn’t count toward a grade. He wanted to see what our knowledge level of the subject matter was, and given the sullen looks around the class, it was just as nerve-racking for everyone. I only got two right using the formulas provided on the board, and that was mainly due to lucky guesses.
Thankfully freshmen were automatically scheduled for a pre-calculus review period afterward using the same classroom. That should’ve been my first clue that the assignments would be next to impossible, and I was already feeling anxious that I wouldn’t pass.
We stayed seated after the first hour of class ended, and the teaching assistant explained that upperclassmen would be joining us for peer study sessions to act as mentors. Likely students who’d already aced calculus. And this was only the preview course. Anything harder seemed unfathomable.
I held in my gasp when I spotted Henry walk into the room behind the other mentor students.
When our eyes met, he studied me hard for a brief second before guiltily looking away. Maybe I was reading the situation wrong, but it sure as hell seemed like he recognized me. Otherwise, why wouldn’t he at least offer a smile or wave? Especially after I’d made a fool of myself doing the same earlier.
If he wanted to play that game, I would too—though I wasn’t sure what the reason behind it could be. Was it because his football buddies would disapprove of him being friendly with someone like me? Was he too pretentious or popular? He’d never acted that way in the hospital, which was in stark contrast to how his parents spoke to the nurses. Not exactly mean, but more like condescending.
I thought this bullshit would be over after high school, but apparently it followed you to college too. But maybe it made sense since this place was considered elite and I was only here on a scholarship. Jesus, would I be reminded of that fact every single day?
I didn’t make eye contact with him the rest of the period, as he thankfully—or maybe purposely—helped students at another table. But I could hear his voice, which now was a deep timbre and turned up the butterflies in my stomach. I had known I was into boys even back then, so it sucked that I found him attractive despite his ignoring me.
I had a break between my morning and afternoon classes, so I headed to the dining hall to meet Emil, my stomach feeling so wobbly after that non-encounter I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to eat.
“Lark,” someone called behind me, and I recognized his voice immediately—that rich tenor and deliciously deep. Nope, not going there with him.
I turned to find Henry standing there, all tall stature and perfectly styled hair, like he belonged in a catalog for hot college guys.
“So youdorecognize me,” I said, and he winced. “And now that your friends aren’t around and we don’t have an audience, it’s safe to acknowledge me?”
“I…” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. At first, I wasn’t sure if my eyes were deceiving me. You look… You’re all grown up.”
I smirked. “So are you.” I refused to take in all those muscles and the five o’clock shadow on his jaw that I could never grow no matter how hard I tried. I would probably remain baby-faced until middle age.
“I know I sound like an idiot. I just mean…” He leaned toward me and lowered his voice. “Nobody knows about me. About what I went through back then.”
I felt gobsmacked. “That you had cancer?”
