Page 137 of Love Sick

“Yeah?”

He nods. “We got married that fall, so it all worked out in the end.”

I return my gaze to the floor. “Good for you, man.”

Maxwell pats me once on the shoulder. “You’ll be okay.”

That evening, after dinner with Maxwell and his admittedly lovely wife, I drive home under a deluge of rain, thankful its presence will likely keep Grace from straying outside. We’ve had no less than five awkward run-ins on the stairs. My search for a new apartment is well underway.

Changed into dry shorts, I fall onto my couch and ignore Netflix to scroll through Insta—which inevitably leads to a rabbit hole of pictures of Grace. After a few minutes, the family chat lights up.

Tori:You feeling any better, BB?

Me:I’m fine

Me:You don’t have to keep checking on me

Me:She’s just a girl

Bethany:Am i gonna have to cut a bitch

Sabrina:we will fuck her up BB

Me:I

Me:Am

Me:Fine

Lauren:I think this is real you guys

Tori:BB do you need us? I’m there in a heartbeat.

Me:Please don’t come here. I’m not a child.

At didactics Thursday morning, I try my hardest to ignore Grace. While Kai took the space beside me, Alesha sits alone at a corner of the conference table, typing furiously. Raven is still on maternity leave. She sends daily pictures of her new son. Baby Derrick is unbearably cute—enough to give me a boost each time I receive one.

Didactics is the only time I’m forced to see Grace—a blessing and a curse.

She’s beautiful.

There’s no sign of sleeplessness. No tightness to her smile or shuttering of her eyes.

She’s fine while I’m wondering if my insides have been put through a food processor and replaced in the wrong order.

The only upside is all her forcing me to study has finally paid off—I know most of the answers when I’m pimped.

My distraction and concentration issues from earlier this year have returned to their normal borderline ADHD status. Maybe her presence in my lifewasbad for me.

I consider that for three full seconds before I laugh inwardly.

Nope. She’s the only reason I know as much as I do. Grace was the sun and now I’m cold and shivering in the dark.

Pathetic.

Between lectures, the room bustles. Asher sits across from me, huge smile in place.

“What?” I ask him when he meets my eyes.

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