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“Me too.”
Our last week of school for the semester snuck up on us and I was spending the final Friday afternoon at the campus coffee shop with Miss Shayna. I’d told Trask about her, about my meetings with her and the difference between a probation and a parole officer.
“My little felon.” He kissed me.
“Shut up.” I rolled my eyes.
“Never.”
He left me to meet with Shayna, sitting across the coffee shop looking serious as he continued working on his capstone project. I got this weird thrill, thinking that I got to see the other side of this disciplined man. I got to see that furrowed brow and serious expression melt away. I got to see genuine smiles that lit up his eyes, and his soft lips that pulled into a sweet expression when he slept.
“Eliza!” Shayna called when she saw me scanning the full tables of the large shop.
I sat across from her, dropping my backpack to the floor.
“You look happy,” Miss Shayna said.
“Holiday break? A’s in all my classes? What’s not to love?”
“Well, that handsome dude across the shop is another reason.”
“You saw that?” I asked, trying to quell my rising panic. “That’s allowed right?”
“Relax girl!” Shayna laughed, drinking her coffee. “Nothing about relationships in the courts. Good grief. He’s handsome. Who is he?”
“Trask Davis. Met him in an essay class. Knew of him in high school and we reconnected. Been together for a month or two now? It just happened.”
“Care to introduce us?”
“Do I have to?”
She laughed. “No, of course not. He just seems nice and all.” She checked her watch. These meetings are supposed to go for twenty minutes, and she probably figured it would be a good way to spend the time.
I liked Miss Shayna. I really did. She was a probation officer, but she was also a friend. Kind of like that great aunt that you didn’t see much but always had your back. I nodded. “I’ll be right back.”
Shayna grabbed my arm before I stood. I flinched and tried to hide it by smoothing down my coat. “Does he know about...you know? I’ll be your friend if you need me.”
“He knows,” I said. And it was a relief. I expected embarrassment to flood me, but it never came. “It’s fine. And aren’t you already my friend?” The small shake in my voice surprised me.
“Of course, Eliza. I just didn’t know if you wanted me tojustbe your friend.”
“In four months, that’s all you’ll be.”
“Counting down the days already?”
“Just the months.” I walked over to Trask. He had the graciousness to look surprised even though I knew he had been watching. “Shayna wants to meet you,” I said in lieu of a greeting.
“Is that what you want?” he asked, looking like the serious scholar he was.
“Yeah, I think so.”
He stood, shoving his laptop in his backpack, and followed me to the table. Shayna had already pulled up another chair.
Trask stuck out his hand, and Shayna grasped it. “Trask Davis, nice to meet you.”
“So, you’re the boy Eliza's been talking about?” Shayna smiled wide, her straight teeth and bright red lips were like a signature to her.
Trask raised his eyebrows and looked at me. “Has she now?”
