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“You can look it up,” I confirmed.
Cage looked at me not knowing what to think. Slowly pulling out his phone, he typed in my name.
“What’s your last name?”
“Toro. Quin Toro,” I said feeling a sharp pain in my chest.
Cage’s face shifted as the search results came up. He was overwhelmed by it all. He silently searched page after page scanning articles before going to the next one.
“It’s true. You’re a genius.”
“And a freak,” I added.
“No. You’re amazing,” Cage said looking up at me in awe.
A warm wave washed through me. I could have cried. It took everything in me not to. I came with so much baggage. Yet, he didn’t seem to care. More than that, he saw them as something positive. I never felt more in love with someone in my life.
“Why didn’t you mention any of this before? If I had what you have, it would be the first thing I told people.”
“It wouldn’t be.”
“Oh, I think it would be,” he said offering me his first smile in what felt like forever. I was getting addicted to them.
“It wouldn’t be,” I said unable to hide my sadness on the topic. “But thank you for saying that. Maybe we should get to work?”
“Oh right. We have an exam tomorrow.”
Cage paused staring at me.
“Do you have the entire textbook memorized?”
“That’s not the way it works. At least, not for me. I have to study like you do. It just comes easier.”
“Oh. Okay,” Cage said turning his attention to the books in the bed between us.
Filling him in on the last of what he missed before he joined the class, I found it hard to stay focused. Every so often he would look up at me. When he did, he would give me a smile that would melt my heart.
I pushed through because Cage needed to understand the material for the exam. But, it was hard not to melt in his gaze. I never wanted to be apart from him again. Knowing I couldn’t have that ripped my heart out.
“That’s all of it. I think you have it,” I told him when he repeated the last of it back to me without having to refer to the textbook.
“I think I do,” he said proudly. “That took a while.”
“Did it?” I asked pulling out my phone. “It’s 1:30?”
“Time flies when you’re having fun,” he said looking as charming as sin.
“Do rideshares still run at this hour?”
“They do in the city. But, you’re not going to be able to get one to come out here.”
“A taxi maybe.”
“You could stay over. I have practice before class tomorrow. I could get you back early.”
“Stay over?” I said feeling my heart race. “I guess I could sleep on the couch.”
“You’re not gonna sleep on the couch. Besides, my dad probably fell asleep out there.”
