Page 88 of And They Were Roommates

“I just hope Valentine Academy is giving back to you as well. Is it?”

“I’m sorry?”

Mr. Stern leans back in his chair, his cheetah-print blazer shifting around his shoulders. “You’re taking advantage of the facilities? The research labs? Meeting with other instructors after hours? You can’t just give and give, and not gain anything.”

“Um. Sort of.”

“What are you gaining, then?”

This suddenly feels like a quiz. “The Student Teaching Remediation Interdisciplinary Program keeps me busy—especially with having to study so much in between—so not as much as I’d admittedly like? But I love the writing gazebo by the lake. And the library. Oh!” I toss up my hands. “I want to try to read every book back in those stacks before I graduate. They’re endless. It’s like a forest.”

“We have the best collection in the nation.”

“I believe it. My middle school never had anything evenslightly comparable. Or my online school, obviously. Everything at Valentine is so incredible.”

“I’m glad to hear you’ll enjoy these next few years.” He smiles.

I smile back, even with the threat of losing my scholarship looming over me. I have to keep at PE, the ranks, and everything else standing in my way. I have to stay.

“All right, Mr. V, you’re free to go,” Mr. Stern says.

“Okay.” I rise out of my chair.

“Oh, Mr. V?”

“Yes?”

“I’ve noticed a change to your writing compared to your original Excellence Scholar essay. More exploration of the human condition, I suppose. Emotions. Keep leaning into that.”

I rub the nape of my neck. Of coursehegets brought up one way or another. “That’s probably because of Jasper. He’s been teaching me a bit about that.”

“My two best students are close, it seems.”

I raise a defensive hand. “We’re just in STRIP together. And roommates.”

Then I remember. Not anymore.

That’s for the better. Because I like Jasper. I can’t deny that anymore. Sharing one room with the only person I’ve ever felt that way toward, and who won’t ever feel the same, would be torture. Besides, I don’t suddenly trust Jasper tonevertell his aunt what I’m hiding. My brain knows better. Things can change.

Still, a pang remains in my chest. With one last wave, I head out the classroom door. As I turn the corner, I slam into something hard.

Jasper’s shoulder. He grins. “Talking about me?”

My face shoots with heat. “You were eavesdropping?”

“I gave you a head signal that I would wait for you.” He starts down the hallway. “Robby’s waiting around the library already. He said he would hunt down Blaze.”

I clench my hand at my side as if that’ll squeeze out all my embarrassment, then follow Jasper through the academic center and into the Halo.

“Jasper! Charlie!”

Robby and Blaze sit along the library steps, and we join them.

“I’m guessing we all found the timing of those signsnotgreat,” Robby says, squeezing his binder like a stress ball.

“You believe someone saw us that night?” Jasper asks.

“Xavier and I stood guard on either side of that booth to keep watch. No one was around that close to lights-out.”

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