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Her smile lights up the otherwise empty quad, and I mentally make a note to shower her with all the meaningful and priceless gifts I can think of.
“It’s weird how quiet the campus is during the break,” I say, delaying the inevitable question.
She sucks in a breath. “Yeah, it gets rather eerie.”
Here goes nothing. “Have you heard anything about that internship?”
The corners of her mouth dip to a frown. “Nothing yet.”
The worry in her eyes is a punch to the gut. I know how much this means to her, the late nights cramming, the endless flashcards scattered across her bedroom floor, all for a shot at her dream.
“Waiting’s the hardest part.” I intertwine my hand with hers. “But you’ve got this. You’re the most determined person I know.”
Amanda offers a slight smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. The tension in her shoulders tells me she’s balancing on the edge of hope and fear, a place I know too well.
“Thanks, Blake. It’s just ... it would open so many doors for my schooling.”
“Anyone would be lucky to have you,” I say, meaning every word. There’s something about Amanda, constantly pushing, always striving. She deserves this.
I want to do more and say more, but words feel like empty gestures. Instead, I squeeze her hand, silently vowing to be there no matter what news the internship brings.
* * *
As we enterthe pizza parlor, soft strains of classic rock play in the background. It’s a seat-yourself place, and we can find a private area quickly enough.
It isn’t long before the server sets the pizza down before us. My stomach growls from the pepperoni and warm cheese wafting into the air.
“Was Drew upset that he didn’t beat you after all that smack talk?” Maddy asks.
I quirked an eyebrow, wondering how she knew about that. “Nah, he was fine. Though I worry about him.”He just seems … I don’t know, more reckless.
“It’s just not in you to go easy on us, is it?” Ryan asks as he digs in.
“Not in the slightest.” I laugh and shoot Amanda a wink. She knows the reason I couldn’t slack today. “If you recall, I almost lost.”
“Please, I had total faith. You were pure magic out there,” Maddy says before sinking into her slice.
I bite back my surprise. Is Maddy giving me a compliment? Now that’s shocking. Maybe she’s coming around since Amanda and I have grown closer. But me being me, I won’t let that comment go unanswered.
“Pure luck,” I say, shrugging off the praise, but my chest swells a bit. “But it doesn’t hurt to have a bit of magic in your stick.”
Amanda rolls her eyes, but there’s no missing the pride there. “Magic, right? That’s one word for hours of practice and natural talent.”
“Ah, you’ve uncovered my secret,” I joke, but my gaze lingers on her.
“Speaking of magic, we need to make some during the away games,” Ryan says.
I grimace, not wanting to dwell on our recent string of poor performances. “I’ll gather the team and give them a pep talk. Those losses were tough, but we hung in there.”
“Just some bad luck. It’ll be easy to turn it around.”
“Truth.”
Leaning back against the worn leather of the booth, I take in the bright lights highlighting the red and white checkered tablecloths and walls lined with pictures of classic Italian landmarks.
I turn to Amanda, about to ask if she’s ready to ditch when the buzz of my phone vibrates against the wood of the booth. I fish it out of my pocket and wince at Easton’s name flashing across the screen.
“This can’t be good,” I say to no one in particular as I swipe to answer.
