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PHOEBE
Iwoke up with my knee aching pretty bad today. Probably thanks to us having the coldest weather of the year so far.
I told Hunter, and ever since he’s been pampering me all day. Running ahead of me to open the door. Demanding to carry my bookbag for me. Texting me when he knows my class is ending to ask if I need him to carry me to the next one.
He meets me outside my last class of the day, and we’re going to go back to his place to hang out. When we get to the building exit, he rushes ahead again to make sure I don’t even have to touch the door handle, holding it wide open for me.
I roll my eyes as I pass him, but a smile still flickers on my lips.
“You don’t have to treat me like I’m helpless,” I say.
“I’m treating you like you’re mine.”
My stomach flutters. There’s a warm, melty feeling in my chest.
A couple months ago, sweet and attentive are two words I’d have never dreamed of using to describe Hunter Landry. But ever since I told him my knee hurts, he’s been sickeningly sweet—and I don’t mind one bit.
As we walk back to his place, he keeps telling me he doesn’t mind carrying me if my knee hurts too bad to walk. I’m pretty sure he just wants to carry me because he likes it.
But I tell him I’m fine. I like feeling weightless as Hunter hoists me up in his powerful arms myself, but I need to get used to dealing with this knee aching on me when it gets cold.
It goes without saying that he rushes ahead of me to open the Ice Box door and doesn’t even let me touch it as I walk through. He places his hand supportively on the small of my back as we walk up the stairs.
My heart squeezes. Hunter might be going overboard with his attentiveness right now, but at the same time, it feels good to be cared for.
We reach the top of the stairs, and a door opens at the end of the hall. It’s Shane’s room. I raise my hand to sayhito him, but what my eyes fall on makes my jaw drop to the floor.
Down the hall, standing halfway out the door to Shane’s room, eyes locked on mine and mouth just as open in surprise as mine—is my best friend Casey.
Silence sits heavy in the air for a couple beats.
It’s broken by Hunter laughing behind me.
“I knew it!” he exclaims, cackling with laughter.
I haven’t remembered to blink yet.
Shane peeks his head out of his door. His eyes ricochet between Casey and me.
Finally, Casey speaks up, her voice squeaky. “We were, uh … studying.”
My lips slice into a smile. Casey’s light brown hair is messy and ruffled, like a pair of giant hands—just about the size of Shane’s—have been raking through it.
Trying to suffocate the claps of laughter bubbling in my chest, I look at Shane. “What were you guys studying?”
“Uh …” Casey falters.
A sly grin curls on Shane’s mouth. “Anatomy.”
Casey’s face turns tomato red, and I can’t hold back my laughter anymore.
Casey groans, and Shane yelps as she digs her elbow sharply into his ribs.
“I, uh, have to go,” Casey sputters, pushing past me and skipping down the steps. “See you at home, Phoebe.”
“See you tomorrow, Case!” Shane yells after her. She responds with a slam of the door.
Shane shrugs and shoots us a smile. “She’s still struggling with how much she likes me.”
