“But?”

“You and me? We’re going to stay gold—together. Can you see it?” My breath catches.

A slow smile curls his lips. “When all this is over, I’m going to tell you about a dream I had once about my dad—maybe not a dream, whatever—but yeah, I see it. Gold. It feels good, baby girl.” He kisses me soft and easy, taking his time, his tongue tangling with mine as my hands curl around his neck.

24

The next day, I head up the steps to class. I can’t stop smiling. There’s a girl in front of me, lingering on the steps. She’s wearing a mini skirt and heeled Chucks that match her hair. I slide in next to her, feeling the tingles at her proximity. We don’t speak, our hands brushing as we walk inside and head to the elevator.

I let her get on first, then follow. She slaps the button for our floor. I drop my bag, back her against the wall, and tilt her face up. We kiss, my lips eating at hers, my hunger ratcheting up, to feel all of her, to consume her. I want to take it slow, to savor us, but it’s hard.

We didn’t leave Carl’s until after three in the morning, all of us loopy with exhaustion. Anastasia was hesitant to go, but June was exhausted after a tour of the RV. Carl had it parked on the back of his property surrounded by trees. I knew about it because he’d told me about how he’s always wanted to drive it out west to find Area 51. It had been vacant for a while. Anastasia changed the sheets on the bed and shook out rugs while Carl, Benji, and I moved some of the comic books he’d stuck in there to his garage.

June was quiet, always watching, but I saw hope in her eyes, that look of It’s going to be okay. She worked out a deal with Carl for ‘rent.’ She said she’d keep a watch out for spaceships, and he said that would work. Is it a permanent place for her? Time will tell. It’s a good start, and maybe Carl needs somebody too. Loneliness has followed them both. Friends are a definite possibility.

Afterward, I drove Anastasia home, then Benji, then I went back to her place and crawled into her bed. We didn’t have sex—I’m waiting for something special—but I held her as we talked about nothing, and everything. I told her about my dad’s ‘visit’ to me when I was fifteen. She wept, part sorrow for me, part happiness that I experienced seeing him, part amazement that he said her name. At seven, I went home, worked out, showered, then woke up Crew and Hollis so I could see their faces and tell them goodbye. I also told them my decision about school. I’m not coming back. Talking to my mom and sister on Thursday and then the scout? It made everything crystal clear.

And Anastasia? Leaving her?

I can’t think about it without freaking out, so I’ve shoved it way down.

“I wonder if a Delta will get on the elevator today?” she murmurs as we pull away, her lips swollen from my kisses.

I push a strand of hair out of her eyes. “They’ll be taking the stairs.”

She smirks. “I can’t believe you threatened to blacklist them. Got your paper?”

I nod. “You?”

“Mhmm.”

We walk into class and wait in line to hand in our essays. There’s no lecture today, just turn it in and it’s over and done. It’s anticlimactic after the turmoil this class gave me for four months.

“You never told me why you took this class,” she says with a searching look.

“Because you did.”

A small smile curls her lips, her eyes dancing. “And it took you all semester.”

“Baby girl, now, you know you wanted me from day one—”

She punches me in the arm, and I laugh.

Whitman sits at his desk, his head lowered as I hand mine over. His beady eyes sharpen as he looks from me to Anastasia.

“Your work, Mr. Tate?”

“Always,” I mutter.

He takes it with a grunt. “We’ll see.”

“What’s it worth if I don’t do it myself?”

He raises an eyebrow. “You’ve had things handed to you. I’m not the professor who passes you because you’re a famous jock.”

Huh. Maybe I’ve had a few things handed to me. I grew up with two amazing parents who loved me. We had money. On the other hand, I lost my dad and I might lose my mom.

“Life is tough, Mr. Tate. You’ll figure it out once college is over.”

Oh, man, he went there.

“Agreed, life is rarely fair.” I nod as I stick my hands into my pockets. “But the next time you know a kid has issues in your class, maybe try some understanding. I’m not talking about an athlete like me. They might be a regular person, the kind who’s talented in other ways, but if someone asks them to read, their throat closes up. This class was a mountain to me, Dr. Whitman. I climbed it. Fair and square.”

He frowns. “Mr. Tate…”

You can’t change assholes. Usually. But I tried.

“Think about it. Have a great Christmas.”

He sputters and I keep walking, letting the next person up to his desk.

I walk to where Anastasia waits. She bites her lip. “You didn’t toss a pen at him, but still epic.”

I grin, feeling confident. She read my paper last night. She said it’s good. Do you know what it means to know I wrote something and she thinks it’s good? It makes me feel like I can take on anything.

Benji practically runs into the room, his shirt on inside out, his hair a mess. He slaps his paper on Whitman’s desk then saunters over to us like he’s cool.

I laugh and Anastasia joins me. I think we’re both running on a strange energy, but clearly, Benji is not.

“Morning,” we say at the same time.

He groans. “I barely made it. What a night, but hey, today’s the end of the term. What time’s your flight, Ana? Ours is at five in the morning. Shit. Y’all wanna hit the bar for a few hours after classes?”

Anastasia tells him hers is at six at night. “Um, I’m busy. Got to pack and check on June.”

Benji looks at me. “Plans today? I need a buddy.”

“Packing and…stuff,” I say vaguely.

He squints as he darts his eyes between us. “Ah, I get it. Packing is code.”

“No, I have to pack,” I insist.

“Uh-huh.” He blows out a breath. “Guess the days of me and you running game are gone, and that’s cool, I approve. I can rope Parker into going to the bar with me. He’s a good time.”

I slap him on the back, we say goodbye, then Anastasia and I head out and get in the elevator.

She’s in my arms before the door shuts. She kisses me like crazy and my heart pounds. I want more of her, so fucking much…

The elevator opens and we separate. We leave the building, bracing ourselves for the cold wind as we walk to her next exam. Before she goes in, I take her hand and lace our fingers together.

“I’m going to tell him. Before he leaves for Atlanta.”

She nods, relief on her face. Like me, she wants this over so we can really begin.

He’s in his room at his desk typing when I knock on his door and step inside. There’s an open suitcase on the bed, clothes draped around the room, books everywhere.

“Hey,” I say. “What’s up?”