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Rowan
“Ithink this creative writing class I’m taking is the least creative class I’ve ever taken in my life,” Jamie complains as we walk together down the school’s building corridor. “I mean, I love writing, but this isn’t a writing class. I’m pretty sure the professor is just trying to make our lives as miserable as possible because her life is miserable. Honestly, I’m over it.” She stops talking to take a deep breath and then leans into me, nudging my arm with her own. “You okay there?”
“I’m great,” I tell her with a grin, but it sounds and feels fake even to me. Jamie’s eyebrows shoot up, and she pulls me to a stop, leading me over to one of the empty study tables so we can sit down. I feel like a zombie, so emotionally exhausted that I couldn’t resist her antics even if I wanted to.
“Alright, then,” Jamie says with a huff, falling in the chair across from me as she rests her elbows on the table to stare in my direction. “We need to get this boy thing figured out, because I’m bored with my shell of a roommate, okay? I miss you.”
“Shell? I’m not a shell. I’m a whole person.”
“Could have fooled me.” Jamie shakes her head and looks around to make sure no one is eavesdropping. Then she lowers her voice. “I’ve been thinking …”
“Uh-oh.”
“Shut up.”
“Fine. What have you been thinking?”
“I’ve been thinking,” Jamie continues, a sly smile spreading across her features. “You know those books Carly reads? The romance ones? What are they called, harem, or something like that?”
“Yeah, something like that. Why?”
“Well, think about it.” Jamie leans back in her seat, deep in thought, arms folded across her chest as she considers whatever she’s thinking about. “If one guy can have a whole bunch of girls fighting over him, why can’t a girl do the same?”
“Jamie,” I groan. “What are you even talking about?”
My friend swallows and lowers her voice again, as though she’s telling me some deep, dark secret that no one else but us should know. “Reverse harem,” she whispers. “Matt, Bryce, Dereck … be with all of them, don’t just choose one.”
I laugh, because honestly, I don’t know how else to react to that. “That’s the dream,” I say with a chuckle. “Three men to bend the knee, right?”
Jamie leans back in the chair, glaring at me. She doesn’t see the humor. “It would solve your problems,” she says instead. “Not to mention, all three of these men are crazy about you, Rowan. They might just consider it.”
“That’s weird, James.”
“It’s only weird if you make it weird,” Jamie insists. “For all you know, they could be totally down for it.”
I shake my head and reach for my backpack, ready to get up and start walking again. Then I pause and look at Jamie. “Or I could forget all three of those guys and find someone else entirely,” I tell her. “That’s the easy route to go.”
Jamie is about to get up and follow me when a familiar face walks past. Two, actually, and they both stop when they see Jamie and I at the table.
“Long time no see,” Jason says, resting the palms of his hand on the table top as he smiles at me. Beside him is, who else, Carly.
“Hi, guys,” Jamie says, always the friendly face. Although Carly has technically moved back into the house with us, this is the first time I’ve seen her since the unfortunate event a few weeks back.
“Hi,” Carly says, refusing to look at me. Jason doesn’t seem to notice the tension. I wonder why they’re even together; I don’t remember them being friends.
“Carly,” I say, and for a second I’m sure she’s going to turn on her heel and walk away. But she doesn’t. “I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I’m sorry for what I did to you. I miss my roommate. I miss my friend. Do you forgive me?”
I’m waiting for her to say no, but after a moment of silence Carly nods curtly, just once, and clears her throat. “It’s fine,” she says. “Dereck is at fault, too, and I’ve already forgiven him.”
I’m not surprised by this, just irritated that she would forgive him before me, but I know now is not the time. I’ll take her forgiveness and run with it, if I have to.
“Enough with the awkwardness,” Jason says loudly, and he slaps a sheet of paper down on the table in front of Jamie and me. “There’s a party tonight on Fifth Street. It’s supposed to be lit. Everyone is invited.”
“Ugh, parties,” Jamie says with a shake of her head. “Just an excuse for a whole bunch of idiots to get drunk and rub up on each other. Hard pass.”
“You’re missing out,” Jason says, and there’s something new about him that I can’t quite place … he’s different somehow. Less quiet and more forward, blunt, like he’s got some point to make. Only, I don’t know what it is. “What about you?” he asks, turning to me. “Are you up for a good time?”
“I really should stay home and study,” I mumble. “I’ve been slacking recently.”
