I wasn’t sure I knew how to be just friends anymore.
Family Weekend started off like a zombie apocalypse.
At least it did in my mind. The morning was normal, like any other Friday morning. I woke up, went to class, and got coffee and a bagel before going to Intro to Physiology.
Marcus didn’t glare at me. Thank goodness. I never knew what I was going to get with him now. We were making progress. He now mostly ignored me, which was fine. I ignored him back. Afterwards, I brought Shayla with me to lunch with Avery and her friends. Claudia even smiled at me.
If that had happened a week ago, I would’ve considered it a clear sign of the apocalypse, but I had other issues on my mind now. Caden, mainly, but also, Sheila and my dad called early this morning. They were coming, and so were a lot of others, it soon became apparent. I went to the library with Shayla for a study session, and when we left, parents were everywhere.
People were hugging. Moms cried as dads stood awkwardly to the side. Dads cried. Others shrieked their reunions. Soon I was back in my dorm room, ready for my own hugging/crying/shrieking parents to arrive.
Someone knocked on my door, and I plastered on a welcoming smile as I opened it.
It was Kevin.
My smile faded. “What are you doing here?”
He gave me a crooked grin, raking his hand through his hair. “Mom called and said to meet here.” He walked in, his hands in his pockets, and glanced around. “This is nice. You didn’t end up with a roommate this year, huh?”
I eyed the door. To close or not? Gah! I would’ve been all for that a few weeks ago. Close the door, be in my room with Kevin, hope someone would make a move… That seemed so far away, and not far at all. That damn hole inside me started to burn again. I left the door open and sat at my desk. Kevin continued looking around the place like he was the health inspector.
“Do you know what your mom has planned tonight?” I asked.
He flashed me that rakish smile again.
I scowled.
He sat on my bed and sank backward to lean against the wall, his legs sprawled over my entire bed.
Well, just make yourself at home.
“You know my mom. She’ll have something elaborate. I’m guessing dinner tonight and then private box tickets for the football game tomorrow.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
“What’s right?”
“I forgot we had a football team.”
“Family Weekend usually coincides with Homecoming. The football game is a big deal.”
“Huh.” Now I remembered Caden talking about the game. “That makes sense. There were a lot of extra people on campus today.”
“They do a lot of reunions this weekend too. It’s kinda a big free-for-all, but there are parent and family activities planned.” He leaned forward. “You know about the big brunch before the game tomorrow, right?”
“Uh…”
“Your resident advisor should’ve told you about it.”
Avery and I had other things to talk about. “It’s all good. I’ll look it up. I’m sure there’s information online. I can print out an itinerary.”
“You have to reserve tickets ahead of time.”
“Oh.” I glanced down. “Maybe we shouldn’t mention the brunch to Sheila.”
“What brunch?” she called from the doorway.
Too late.
She and my dad had appeared, grocery and Target bags in their arms and on the floor by their feet.
Family Weekend had officially begun.
I welcomed them with open arms, and after the barrage of hugs, Sheila beamed at us. My dad started bringing in the bags, and she said, “Okay, we have a dinner reservation in thirty minutes, but we wanted to come here first and drop everything off.”
Kevin peeked in one of the bags. “Any of this for me?”
She swatted his hand. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“Are you going to tell me where you’re living?”
He froze. “What do you mean?”
“I know you’re not in the frat house. I called there one morning for you.”
“Oh.”
Shit.
He didn’t say it, but I heard it.
Sheila wasn’t amused. She crossed her arms over her chest. “So where have you been?”
“Uh…”
“That’s what I thought.” She rested an arm around my shoulders and pulled me in for a side-hug. “At least with this one, I always know she’s safe and not living with some boyfriend she’s not talked to me about.”
Kevin fought a smile.
I coughed and stepped forward, disengaging myself from Sheila. “Traffic can be a bitch. We don’t want to be late for that reservation, do we?”
The reservation was at a trendy restaurant. All the waiters wore pink, as did the hostess who seated us. She also wore a hard-on for Kevin, flirting and smiling coyly at him. When she had to return to her stand, her hand trailed over his shoulder. He glanced back, giving her a secretive smile, which wasn’t that secretive at all. I saw it. She returned it, and when he looked back to the table, his eyes went straight to mine.
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“What?” He picked up his menu.
Sheila glanced between the two of us. “What’s going on?”
I ignored her. “Is it the five-month mark?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know.” I shrugged. “Aren’t you a little early? You still have two more months, don’t you? Maybe my counting is off. When did you move in with Maggie again?”