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“Thank you, by the way,” she says bashfully “For helping ain for the collision in the hallway”

“You’re welcoh…” I pause briefly, and she takes that as an indication that I’ for per for For some reason, I just feel an instinctual need to e her

“Shoot”

“Where exactly were you headed?”

“Ohh,” she says, rolling her lips into her mouth “You mean because the fire was in here?”

I nod, laughing as I do

She lifts her shoulders helplessly “I panicked” The pillowy texture of her bright pink comforter fluffs as she plops down onto her bed “And, apparently, when ht instincts kick in, I just run for the freaking hills”

The corners of h “I guess that’s how so as you’re not ”

She grins up at me “Art major, actually”

“Well, thank God for that” I s in several painted canvases above her bed and resting along the wall beside a bookshelf I don’t know a lot about art, but I know these are good Fascinating creations with every color of the rainbow So s the a viewpoint that rees I sahen I took an art class in high school and the teacher waxed poetic about Monet “Did you paint these?”

She licks her lips, nodding just slightly before averting her eyes to her feet

I open es the subject by standing up and holding out her hand toward me “I’m Ava Lucie, by the way”

“Luke London” With her hand in mine, I don’t miss how soft her skin feels as we punctuate our introduction with a gentle shake

“Are you a freshman too, Luke?”

“Yep” I nod

“Cool What’s your ht instinct?”

I smirk

“Engineering”

“Dayuent situation It probably takes up your whole dang skull if you got into Coluram”

“I do okay,” I respond, actually blushing at the compliment I slide both of my hands into the pockets of my jeans and try to return the sentiet into Coluram”