Page 108 of June

“What?”

“We both kind of knelt on it,” Caroline revealed.

Jodie laughed, and Viv walked into the aisle.

“Hey. Are you guys ready?” she asked.

“Uh… Yeah,” Jodie replied. “I got you those gummy worms you like.”

“Oh. That’s nice of you. Thank you,” Viv said, smiling wide at Jodie before she walked over to them and stood next to Jodie, not Caroline. “I got you that orange banana juiceyoulike,” she added.

“Thank you,” Jodie said with a smile.

Caroline watched their exchange curiously. They were smiling at one another, and it was sweet. She didn’t say anything, though, and the three of them walked to the checkout counter and paid before they walked back to the dorm with their purchases. Caroline walked behind Viv and Jodie and watched them talk and laugh, wondering what was going on there. When they got back to their floor, Jodie went into her room, and Caroline followed Viv to theirs.

“Hey, are you really sure we’re okay? I’m sorry about the whole sex-with-my-girlfriend thing you walked in on.”

“I’m sure,” Viv told her and flopped onto her bed. “I’m over it. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t really want to see it again. But I wasn’t here, and it’s your room, too.”

“Okay,” she replied. “It just seems like you have something on your mind.”

Viv sat up then and said, “I’ve made a decision for the fall semester.”

“What about it?”

“I’m getting that single,” Viv said.

“Huh?”

“The room. I’m getting a single. I got the call yesterday. I had put my name on a waitlist at the beginning of the summer, and someone else decided not to take the room, so it’s mine now.”

“Oh,” Caroline let out and sat in her chair. “Is this because of me and you, or because you want your own room?”

“Mostly the room thing,” Viv replied. “I meant what I said, though, Care: we’re okay. I don’t still have feelings for you. Itwasweird, seeing you with Enid, but it’s fine. You’re allowed to have sex in your own room. I know you’ve been walking on eggshells with me to try to keep me from getting hurt. I appreciate that. I really do. I’m also ready for my own room. I’ve thought about the apartment thing, but I’ve been in student housing this long. I might as well just do it for all four years. Besides, there might be an RA position available. I’m applying later today, so if I get that, room and board is free, and my mom said she’d put more money in my post-grad fund.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ll need to go to grad school, and I want my Ph.D, at least for now, so if she’s not paying for my dorm expenses, she said they’d just put that money away for me to use however I need. I can’t live in the dorms forever. There aren’t any graduate dorms here, so I’d need an apartment. It could all work out.”

“You’re going to stay here for grad school?” Caroline asked.

“Probably. Even if I don’t, though, I know I’ll want an apartment for grad school. I’ll be ready to cook my own food by then,” Viv said with a little laugh.

“Then, I hope you get the position,” Caroline replied. “I think you’d be a great RA. You’re so level-headed. I know you keep me and Jodie in line a lot.” She chuckled.

Viv blushed a little, and Caroline wondered why for a second before it finally hit her. She smiled and looked away. Viv hadn’t been mad or acting weird around her because she was upset thatCarolinehad had sex with Enid or had once done that with Jodie. She was mad because Caroline had been withJodie. Viv didn’t like the fact that Caroline had been with the girl on the floor, whom Viv wanted to ask out.

“How are your gummy worms?” she asked.

“What?” Viv asked back.

“Your candy that Jodie bought you.”

“Oh. I don’t know. They’re still in the bag. Why?”

“No reason,” she said, trying to hide her smile because Viv was blushing even harder now. “I’m going to run to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Viv replied and reached for her book.

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