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"Which is … ?"

I try to think of a diploet beats me to the punch with: "That she wants to climb into his pants"

Yes Those words actually co to kill you," I whisper

I can’t look at Quinn I ain

She clears her throat Taps her foot

God I have no choice I look

She’s still got that eyebrow up There is no tiring her eyebrow It is an endurance athlete

"Do you?"

I don’t kno to answer the question I mean, yes Yes, of course I want to climb into his pants

And no No, no, no, I don’t want her to know it, or for West to, or for anyone alive to, basically, up to and including Bridget

I say sorins "I’ll be sure to tell him that"

"I will hurt you if you do"

"Man, you are all over the threats First that guy Nate--oh, shit, is he the one who published your naked pictures?"

She says it straight out, without any sense of sha we’re not supposed to talk about

It shocks me so e You knohat you should do? You should play rugby Are you fast?"

"U "You can tackle people to the ground It’s awesoain

"We practice on Sundays at eleven You want to come, too? We could use a new hooker"

"Thanks, but I have to save ht I’ll settle for the blow-job queen here, then" Quinn says this coether "Now, are we dancing or are we going to stand out here jerking off for the rest of the night? Because you knoe don’t get back in there inside of two irl’s throat"

Bridget wrinkles her nose "He is And I want him to dance with He’s so pretty Like a Christay boy," Quinn agrees "Let’s go reclaiby conversation, but Quinn sticks out her elbows, so we link arms and kind of half-run, half-skip down the hallway like drunken Musketeers We wave our wristbands at the security guy, who is so, so bored with his job and utterly unfazed by us

By the tiot another beer in et and Krishna

Thinking of my phone in my back pocket and that screenshot I took

I don’t have one thought to spare for Nate

"I brought you a present"

West looks up fro scoops of flour into the largestI’ "Corn nuts, Mounds bar, two Monsters"

"You know the way tointo a little bitch on Wednesday nights"

West sht away, closing his eyes as he takes a swig from the can

He looks tired Wednesdays are his worst, because he’s got lab in the afternoon Most days he naps after class, but on Wednesdays he has to get through all his classes on four hours of sleep, then go to lab, work his library shift, and head straight to the bakery again

"What are you , the French?"

"Yeah You want to start the dill?"

"Sure"

I check the clipboard hanging by the sink to see how ht up behind ainst the cabinet where the clipboard is hanging, and rests his cold drink against h andme in

If I shifted over a few inches If I pressed into hiood day?" heto me? I don’t even think West needs to check the clipboard It’s all in his head already

He’s wearing this red plaid flannel shirt, unbuttoned The sleeves are turned up, cuffs loose, and they flap when he uses his hands I think about runningthe soft fuzz of hair, the satiny skin underneath

I think about turning around to face him

But I just breathe in Breathe out Keep my voice normal when I answer, "Yeah, not bad I ran into Quinn at lunch, andwith her and Krish"

"Second tiet up the nerve to turn around and s fro froht?"

West is sort of al What will she do if I do this? "You get any sleep before you ca nap after class, too See, look" I turn my cheek to show hi to read for English, but I fell asleep on the couch and permanently branded corduroy into my face"

He steps even closer to see the faint lines that rethem to tip my face up toward him

This is how he’d kiss me Just like this, with a drink in one hand and a casual half s et too excited, Caroline He’s just looking because you told him to

"Nice," he says "I’m jealous"

"Of my nap?"