Page 94 of A Stealthy Situation

I don’t think my heart has ever felt like this before.

My bossy GPS gets me home, and just as I’ve pulled up in one of the vacant spots out front of the DIK house, my phone goes off again. I’m assuming it’s Harrison, so when I find a notification for the student portal instead, my good mood takes a rapid nosedive.

Fuck.

This has to be my result.

I stare at my phone without seeing it, no clue how long I sit there, debating with myself over my next step. If I don’t open it, I’ll never know how bad it is. Living in delulu-land sounds like a fucking perfect decision to me because it comes with Harrison and orgasms and no knowledge of just how much I’ve fucked up my degree.

If I don’t open it, does it even exist?

I think no. Not so sure Professor Brooks would agree with me, but so what he’s a qualified professor? That doesn’t mean he’s right.

I’m on the verge of opening it when I swallow, shove my phone away, and climb out of my car instead. I know I’ve failed—there’s literally no way I could have passed—but it doesn’t stop that hopeful little voice that’s crying out for some miracle here. And that hopeful voice feels nice.

Opening this stupid result puts an end to that.

The first thing I do is creep into my bedroom, where Em is sleeping, grab some clean clothes, and then shower. I’m done faster than I thought because the house still has that pre-dawn stillness to it, and it’s not until I’m done making a shake that people finally start to appear. Brothers come in and out, getting ready for their day. Even though we don’t exchange many words, I still like this, the being around people. The company gives me a boost, even if I don’t do anything with it.

Until Big Wally walks in and grabs me in a headlock. “Dalty-boy. Make me breakfast? You shouldn’t have!” He swipes my shake and drinks half of it in one go.

What was that I said about liking people?

I pump my eyebrows at him. “How’d my boyfriend’s cum taste?”

“What?”

“Gotta get that extra protein in early.”

Wally looks from me to the shake and back again, skin slowly tinging green. “You’re fucking with me.”

“Okay. You gonna drink some more and call my bluff?”

He scowls and sets my cup down, looking disgusted when I pick it up to finish off. Fuck him. That’ll teach him to swipe something from me again.

“Boyfriend?” he finally says when he looks like he’s not going to be sick anymore. “Is that why you’ve been all sunshiny and shit?”

“What?”

He laughs. “You’ve been a real Miss Congeniality lately.”

“Fuck off.”

“The guys and I were talking about it the other day. Happy looks good on you, Ben.”

It sinks in that they’re not talking about me at all. Em has obviously been spending some time with these doofuses and ruining my street cred. I’ll have to remind him that if he wants to be me around the house, he’s going to have to learn how to scowl more.

Still, I can’t find even a shred of annoyance that Em has been hanging out with my friends as me.

I kinda like it.

He needs more people to be around.

I just wish he could do it as himself. Maybe it’s time to revisit the college conversation. I’m still struggling to believe my brother lit a fucking fire, even as an accident, but mistakes shouldn’t ruin your whole life. I mean, shit. I’m getting a second chance to make mine right.

With that thought comes the reminder of my test results, and my gut crashes through the floor again.

“Still.” Wally pulls out some cereal. “Can’t believe you’re settling down with someone. Who the hell wants to be crippled by commitment junior year?”

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