by Rebel Hart
“Well, I’m not some great tutor or anything,” I replied, “but if there’s anything I can do to help you out, just let me know.”
He grinned. “Thanks, man.”
I looked Kai up and down. I suppose I could see where someone might find him attractive. I imagined Nina and her bright smile and dorky antics and thought that he seemed a little too bland for her. I wasn’t sure who I would imagine for her, but this guy honestly didn’t seem like a good match. Still, if he was who she wanted, there had to be a reason. I wasn’t in any position to question her choices. So as long as I could help her, I would.
The high pitched tones of a phone screamed out from Kai’s backpack, and he let out a long, frustrated sigh. He unzipped the front pocket with a bit of aggression and raked his phone out. He tapped the screen and then put the phone to his ear. “Hey, babe.”
I turned my attention back to my notebook but kept my ears perked. It must have been Kai’s girlfriend. Nina had mentioned her, but from what she described of her own relationship with Kai, it seemed like he definitely liked her. Was it just a social thing that made him keep a girlfriend, even when he had feelings for Nina, or was he just a player?
“No, I told you, like, a thousand times that my dad is making me do his damn Dean’s Club thing, so I’m here until five-thirty.” Well, there was the answer to that question, at least. Kai was here by force, not will. “I don’t know, probably. He already got super amped up about hearing about my first day. He’s probably gonna drag me out to dinner or something afterward.”
I glanced up at Kai to see his expression, and he seemed annoyed. When he caught me looking, he rolled his eyes at me and tapped his fingers and thumb together in a blah-blah-blah motion. “I know, but he’s my dad, so I don’t know what you expect from me. We’ll just get dinner tomorrow night. Fine. Love you, too. Bye.”
Kai set his phone down on the table and ran a hand through his hair. He looked at me and scoffed. “Women, am I right?”
“Is she your girlfriend?” I asked.
Kai rolled his eyes and nodded. “Yeah, although half the time, it feels like she keeps me around just for the sake of it. We’ve been together since junior year of high school, though, so I must be doing something right.”
I nodded. “Must be.”
“Do you have a girlfriend?” Kai asked.
I shook my head, briefly imagining my lukewarm and generally uninteresting romantic history. “Nah. College is best when you’re single, anyway.”
“You got that right. I’m jealous,” Kai quipped back, showing me that he probably leaned more toward being a player. “She’s held me down, though, so it’s not like I can just dump her so that I can have fun times in college. She picked this school to be here with me.”
That confused me. For a minute, it sounded like his girlfriend may not be interested in him much at all, but now he’s saying she picked Presper just to be with him? Maybe Kai just didn’t understand women. “Sounds like she’s in it for the long haul, then.”
Kai shrugged. “I guess.”
For the second time in the span of about fifteen minutes, I was jealous of Kai. Due to my wanting to honor Henry’s wish to set my life on the right path and keep my grades in check, I didn’t have much time for a girlfriend. I’d dated a few women here and there, but many of them were like him, not wanting a serious relationship so that they could just enjoy college for what it was. It wasn’t until I saw Henry and Sydney together that I started to think that I might like to have something more serious. Knowing someone loved me enough to commit themselves for four years to a college just to be with me—that sounded exciting. Maybe the old saying was true. The grass does always seem greener on the other side.
I thought of Nina briefly and couldn’t stop the thoughts from seeping into my head. Kai was lucky to have a girl like her pining after him. The kiss that we’d shared, only to stave off Nina and Sydney’s nosy resident advisory, popped into my mind. For the fact that Nina was supposed to be inexperienced, the kiss was enjoyable. It lingered on my lips in a way I wasn’t expecting, and I found myself partially wishing it wasn’t just for show.
I forced the thoughts away. I wasn’t interested in Nina, but the kiss and my desire for a more serious relationship were muddling my mind. Nina wanted Kai, and I’d made it my mission to bring them together.
“My best advice?” I said to Kai. “If there’s something else you’re interested in, I say go for it. You have your whole life to tie yourself down, so don’t miss out on something amazing while chasing around something that’s sub-par.”
Kai snickered. “Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
I shook my head. “That’s just my best advice.”
Kai’s smile grew a little bit, and whether it was because of Nina or not, I couldn’t tell, but I could clearly see he’d conjured up a specific image at my words. “Might be some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten.”
I grinned and looked back down at my notebooks. There you go, Nina. Take it and run.
9
Nina
“You can’t get uppity every time we have to switch,” Sydney argued.
It was time for Devon and Sydney to swap rooms, and Sydney and I were right in the middle of studying when the time arrived. If she was living in our room as she was supposed to, it wouldn’t be an issue, but thanks to the room switch debacle, we had to stop right in the middle. My dedication was to my schoolwork, not to Sydney’s relationship, so I was annoyed. It was the end of the first week of school, and I was excited to be studying with my friend, but suddenly, it was over.
“I’m fine,” I said. “Just go. I’ll finish on my own.”
Sydney crossed her arms. “Nina.”
“Sydney, just go,” Devon cut in. “She’ll be okay.” I glared at Devon for inserting himself into the conversation, but the fact that Sydney picked up her stuff and walked out left me with relief. “How long are you gonna hold this against her?” Devon asked.
“I can tell by the disdain in your voice that you’re looking for an answer other than, ‘Every time it inconveniences me.’” I rolled my eyes. “I just won’t put myself in this situation anymore.”
Devon sat down on his-slash-Sydney’s bed. “Meaning what? You’re not ever gonna study with your best friend again because you’re gonna catch an attitude when she has to leave?”
“Well, I wouldn’t have said it like I’m the one who’s doing something wrong, but pretty much, yes.” I slid my notebook into my textbook to serve as a bookmark and set the textbook on my desk. “It’s a win-win for her. She gets to come and play besties with me and then run upstairs and snuggle up with Henry. Meanwhile, I’m out a friend and roommate. I get absolutely no benefits from that relationship.”
“Hey,” Devon responded. “You get me, and I am a treat.”
I leered over at him. “Are you being serious?”
He laughed but said, “Kind of. I’m helping you with Kai, aren’t I? You said it’s working.”
I couldn’t deny that Devon’s advice did seem to be tipping the needle a touch, but it wasn’t like I needed that. I accepted it in exchange for keeping my mouth shut. “It’s not the same. Kai still has a girlfriend. Who even knows if it’s going to go anywhere. I could just be wasting my time. All I’m saying is that what I’m getting from this fucked-up deal is a lot less than what she’s getting.”
“What about the fact that you’re helping a friend get to spend some time with a guy she’s really into?”
“Look, I don’t know that I will ever understand why you’re so dedicated to Henry’s happiness, but I like to focus on myself some, too. I can’t be as selfless as you.” I went and sat down on my bed. “You’re telling me that it doesn’t bother you, even a little bit, that Henry’s getting some while you’re being lectured by an enraged nerd?”
“I happen to find the enraged nerd’s rants endearing, and Henry has spent his whole life worrying about other people. So yeah, if he’s getting
some, I’m happy for him.” I growled at his Miss-America perfect answer, and he laughed. “Wanna hear something else you’re not gonna like?”
“Oh, I welcome the opportunity,” I responded.
Devon pointed at me. “You pick fights with Sydney because you’re trying to poke holes in why you’re doing all of this. In truth, you’re just as happy to help your friend as I am.”
I tossed Devon an annoyed, half-lidded gaze. “Don’t psychoanalyze me, McMillian.”
Devon chuckled. “We don’t know much about each other, so it’s all I have.”
Sydney’s words from earlier in the week about getting to know Devon came back to me. “So, let’s get to know each other.”
“What?” Devon asked.
“You’re right. We don’t know that much about each other, so let’s get to know each other more. I don’t want to live with a stranger, do you?”
Devon pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged on the bed. “I’ll do it, but on one condition.”
I sighed. “What’s that.”
“After this, I get to lead us in making friendship bracelets.”
“You’re an ass,” I spat back, and Devon started to roar with laughter.
I pulled my headphones out of my pocket, and Devon waved his hands. “Okay, okay, no. Come on. That was a good idea. Let’s get to know each other.”
I slid my headphones back into my pocket. “One question at a time?”
“Sure,” Devon replied. “You start.”
“Okay. Why did you choose psychology?”
Devon recoiled a bit. “Whoa. I thought we would start slow, like with favorite colors or something.”
Was his answer so serious that he’d already avoided the question? “Fine. What’s your favorite color?”
Devon chuckled. “Blue.”
“Very nice. Why did you choose psychology?”
Devon held up a finger and tutted it to either side. “Ah, ah, ah. You said one question at a time.”
My jaw dropped. “You tricked me.”
“I did not. I just made an observation. What you chose to do with it was up to you.”
“Fine. Ask your question.”
Devon thought about it for a minute and shrugged. “What’s your middle name?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“Hey, you can’t question my question. You just answer it.”
I shook my head but complied, regardless. “Sadie.”
Devon gave me a warm smile. “Sadie. That’s nice.”
“It was my grandma’s name.”
“Were you close?” Devon asked, and even though it was technically a second question, I let it go in the interest of not scaring off the actual bonding.
I pulled one of the pillows on my bed into my lap. “I never got to know her. She died the night I was born.”
“Whoa.”
I pulled at the edges of the pillowcase to distract my hands. “Yeah. She always wanted to have grandkids, but my mom was her only daughter, and she was really sick when I was born. She braved the elements and her several ailments to meet me in the hospital when I was born, and then she died in her sleep that night.”
Devon’s smile got a little bigger. “She toughed it out just to meet you. That’s a pretty good reason to be a namesake.”
I smiled at him, too. “I think so.” I held up two fingers. “You asked two questions.”
“So I did. You’ve earned two.” I opened my mouth, and he held up a hand. “Let me guess, why did I choose psychology?” I closed my mouth, and he rolled his eyes. “Fine. Um, I wouldn’t say that my parents were bad parents, but they neglected me a lot. I have a twin brother who could probably shoot someone in the face at point-blank range and still be seen as their little angel. I struggled with it. I still do. I guess I’m hoping that one day I can be someone who can intervene with a kid like me, keep him out of trouble and tell his parents to get their shit together. I guess I’m hoping that I can change the stigma around dealing with mental health, too. If my family had been in some sort of therapy, who knows. Things could have turned out differently.”
I could see why that question registered so heavily with him. It actually blew me away. I didn’t realize it was so important to him. In actuality, his playful antics aside, Devon was one hell of a guy. “That’s really honorable. I’m sure you’ll be able to achieve it with your annoyingly accurate assessments of people.”
He flashed a toothy grin. “Why, thank you, ma’am. Question two?”
I looked to the ceiling while I thought about it, then back at Devon. “Why did you choose Presper?”
“That's easy. Henry told me to.”
I crossed my arms. “Do you do whatever Henry asks you to?”
He nodded. “Pretty much.”
“Why?” Devon watched me in silence for a moment. It was weird to ask these questions that I thought were totally normal, only to see that they tripped him up. “Sorry. If that’s too deep of a question, you don’t have to answer.”
“Can I trust you?” he asked.
My heart beat a little faster. Was it that deep? “Of course. I won’t repeat anything you tell me here.”
He nodded. “I won’t go into the specifics of it, but that stuff with my brother nearly led me down a life-ending path. Henry helped pull me out. I can’t ever repay him for everything he’s done for me.”
It helped click things into place. No wonder Devon was so willing to participate in the room switching nonsense. In his mind, he was just paying Henry back. “I get it. You’re trying to ease some guilt by doing anything and everything Henry asks.”
Devon furrowed his brow, and for the first time since I’d met him, he seemed legitimately irritated. “I wouldn’t put it like that.”
“It’s not a bad thing, but are you going to do that for the rest of your life? You chose Presper because of him. You gave up your room for him. When will your debt be repaid?” Devon stared back at me in silence, and I held up my hands. “Sorry. I overstepped.”
“No, it’s okay,” Devon said, a pensive look on his face. “I guess I hadn’t really thought about it like that. He’s always telling me that he doesn’t expect anything else from me. Maybe I am just doing it for me at this point.” He smiled. “I’ve never had someone call me on my shit before.”
I winced. “Is that a good thing?”
“Yeah, Nina, it’s a good thing.” He was back to his normal, jovial self. “You asked, like, twelve questions, so I get a few.”
I chuckled. “Fine.”
“Why did you choose journalism?”
I folded my hands into my lap. “I don’t know. Because I’m good at it?”
Devon snickered. “And the most arrogant answer goes to…” He fanned his hands out to me. “Also, the most BS answer. There’s a reason you love it.”
“Okay, sure. I have a pretty good relationship with my parents, but there was a teacher at my school, Harriet, who I always looked up to. We were really close, and she led the school newspaper and yearbook clubs, so I joined them, and she told me I have a knack for it. She took me under her wing and taught me everything I know. I like it.”
“Wow, that’s pretty cool. Do you still keep in touch with her?” Devon asked.
I snickered. “Uh, yeah. She’s my stepmom now.”
“Oh…” Devon said. “Your folks aren’t together?”
“No.” I let out a deep sigh. “My dad cheated on my mom with Harriet.”
Devon’s eyes widened. “Whoa. Seriously? How did you not blame Harriet for that?”
“I did for a long time, but my parents weren’t really happy together. When I realized that, it made things easier to accept, and eventually, Harriet and I became close again.”
“I can’t imagine being able to forgive someone in that situation.” Devon shook his head. “I already thought you’re one of the strongest people I know, but that’s next level, Nina.”
Hearing Devon compliment me gave me different feelings fro
m the ones I felt when Kai complimented me. It was almost like they carried more weight. Not many people in my life were successful in giving me legitimate boosts of confidence. Harriet and Sydney were exclusive members of the club, but now Devon stood alongside them. He complimented me like he meant it, the same way Harriet and Sydney did. That’s why I forgave Harriet, and that’s why Sydney and I remained friends through all of her craziness.
“I’ll stop giving Sydney so much shit,” I said.
Devon smiled. “Where did that come from?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
He didn’t press. “Fine. So, you studied under a master. Does that make you a real smarty pants?”
“School has always been rewarding for me. I had to be there, so why not work hard to make it worth it?”
Some of Devon’s haughtiness fell away. “So, if I ever need help with studying, can you help? I don’t have good methods.”
Devon was almost coy as he asked, his hazel eyes fluttering nervously, his usually wide grin reduced to a small smile of hope. It was unbearably cute. “Sure.”
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing. You don’t normally get all soft, but you’ve done it a few times tonight. It’s adorable.”
Devon shook his head and put his cocky grin back on. He tilted his head to one side. “I play innocent to get girls. Looks like it’s working.” When he finished the sentence, he winked at me, and my whole body ignited.
“Good night.” I quickly dug myself under my covers and turned to face the wall so that Devon wouldn’t see me blush.
“Does that mean no friendship bracelets tonight?” Devon asked.
I held a middle finger up over my head. “Good night, Devon.”
His resulting laugh was low and sexy. “Good night, Nina,” he responded, singsong.
He must have reached over and flipped the light switch because the room went dark. I focused my energy on trying to cool my engines. After hearing a little more about Devon and his life, knowing already how attractive, funny, and sweet he was, I had to wonder why he wasn’t already off the market. That would have to be a question for another get-to-know-you session. I tried to wipe my mind clean of him and force myself to go to sleep, and while sleep did eventually find me, it brought dreams of Devon and us being more than friends.
