Page 5 of Yours, Unexpectedly

“Shit! I’m so sorry!”

I freeze. I know that voice. I dream about that voice. I’ve spent many nights wishing for that voice.

I bend down and pick up my phone, inhaling slowly through my nose. Immediately, I regret that decision because her brown sugar scent fills my lungs and elicits a very physical reaction down south, if you catch my drift. Pasting on the mask I use with her, I turn around.

“Baby Bardot.” I know she hates that nickname. “Long time no see. You aren’t usually on this side of campus.” She makes a face at me which makes sense, because I should not fucking know what side of campus she’s usually on. Her scowl is adorable.

“I have a class over here this semester.” Hope flashes through me. Does that mean I might run into her more this Spring?

“Well, that’s too bad for you, but great for me!” I sling an arm over her shoulder, feigning nonchalance. “Did you already get your coffee?” Holding it in the air, she nods.

I know I’ve always flustered Bex. It used to be a fun game for me and now it’s something I do to keep a wall between us. A large, adamant wall. An impenetrable wall… Which only makes me think of penetration. Which I should definitely not be thinking about.

Especially not penetration with Bex.

On second thought, her class on my side of campus is going to be very bad for me and my waning restraint. Get it together, Olsson. You’ve made it this far without crossing the line with your best friend’s sister. A line she probably doesn’t even want to cross.

I push the door open and usher her out into the freezing cold. “It’s my favorite weather: ball-shriveling cold.” Good, that’ll deter her.

Instead she laughs, a surprisingly loud snorting sound coming from such a small person. “I didn’t know you still had your balls, Anders. I would have thought some poor girl cut those off a long time ago.” And that right there is why I have an obsession with this girl. She’s bookish and reserved—until she isn’t. Until you get to know her and she uses that sharp tongue against you.

Don’t think about Bex using her tongue.

“Luckily, they are still intact.” But they are about to be very blue.

“Whatever you say,” she throws out as she starts to walk backwards down the sidewalk, away from me and presumably toward her class. I’m going the opposite way so I let her walk away, just like I always will. “Oh!” she continues. “And tell Gabe to stop sending me fan theories about how Logan is obviously the father of Rory’s baby! The reboot sucked and I don’t want to talk about it anymore!”

Well, that was the reminder I needed. Tell Gabe. I can do that because I live with him. Bex’s oldest brother and my best friend.

“Whatever you say, Baby Bardot!” I salute and turn to walk in the opposite direction, mentally shaking myself for not being able to shake her.

friend *ship emoji*

Riz

What movie do you want to watch tonight?

Doesn’t Emma Stone have a new one out?

Riz

You have always had a thing for redheads…

I’m lost. Which is a great way to start this damn semester from hell. Not only do I one thousand percent NOT want to be taking Introduction to Acting, I definitely don’t want to be taking it at 9 a.m., three times a week. Not to mention, my morning has already gotten off on the wrong foot, starting with literally running into Anders Olsson at the coffee shop on this side of campus.

I have spent the last year and a half avoiding Anders. I thought I was in the clear when he left for New York shortly after undergrad, which was right when I was starting at Hawthorne. Then two years later he showed back up in my life when he returned to HU to get his MFA.

This last year and a half, I’ve done a pretty good job of staying away from that gorgeously infuriating man. Sure, that’s meant that I generally only see Gabe when we are at Mom and Dad’s, or he stops by my apartment. You know, because I’m avoiding his place. Since he lives with Anders. As in, they are roommates. And if I am around Anders for more than three and a half minutes, stupid shit comes out of my mouth.

I was trying to have a positive attitude this morning, doing one of those affirmations Luci always talks about, until I ran into Anders at the coffee shop. The miniscule crush I definitely do not still harbor threw me off, and somehow I ended up in the wrong building. Once I finally make my way to the mother fucking basement of a completely different building, I’m almost twenty minutes late to class.

I walk in and look for a seat at the back of what appears to be a small black room, right as a man pops up from the ground of a makeshift stage, seven or so rows in front of me.

The first thing I observe is thick auburn hair. And then a matching beard and bright green eyes that lock with mine as he stands to his full height.

Confusion passes through those eyes as he seemingly involuntarily mouths, “Rebecca?”

My eyes go wide and we stand there for what feels like an eternity.

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