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Sydney’s exhale is half-amused, half-hysterical. “I don’t know what the hell he was thinking.”
“It’s a lot to process.”
“I know! And I’m already freaking out about it. We can’tbothbe freaking out about it.”
“You have a head start on freaking out. You’ve had a little time to process everything. He just found out. Give him a minute.”
“Well, I lied and told him I had a class and we could talk tomorrow. Then hung up.”
“It could have gone worse?”
“Yeah, I guess so. I didn’t exactly have an ideal outcome. There’s no easy answer here.”
“I know,” I say sympathetically.
I reach the steps that lead up to the Chemistry building’s entrance but don’t climb them yet. A slight breeze pulls a few strands of hair out of my messy bun. I run my fingers along the wrought-iron railing, watching other students stream in and out.
There’s muffled commotion in the background on her end.
“Can we talk later?”
“Yeah, of course. Bye, Syd.”
I hang up and rush up the stairs. I have exactly two minutes before the start of Genetics.
“Cassia!”
I glance over one shoulder as I pull the door open, smiling at Christine as she hurries up the stairs. Her cheeks are red, half of her hair falling out of the braid it’s pulled back in.
“Hey!”
“The printer in the library was jammed.” She huffs. “I just ran across campus like a crazy person.”
I laugh, then pull out my phone. “We still have one…”
“Cassia? You coming?” I glance up, finding Christine staring at me expectantly. Her face creases in response to whatever expression I’m wearing.
I didn’t even realize I’d stopped walking.
REGAN:Did you know Mom and Dad are getting divorced?
I stare at the message from my little sister, my throat tightening.
I’m looking ahead but seeing nothing.
For the first time—ever—I don’t want to go to class. I’m not excited about learning something new or anxious about the prospect of missing a lecture.
I’m numb.
I feel empty.
“Um, no. I’m, uh, actually not feeling great. So I’m just gonna…go.”
I stuff my phone into the back pocket of my shorts.
Worry flashes across Christine’s face as she takes a step toward me. “Do you want me to walk back with you?”
“No, no. I’ll be fine. I’ll call Holden. Can I just get today’s notes from you in class tomorrow?”
