Page 6 of June

“That’s because she’s into you. She also has no social life, so she’s mad that you had fun and is thinking that you hooked up with someone who’s not her.”

“She’s right sometimes,” Caroline said, shrugging.

“So, are you coming with me or not?”

“Fine. But I’m getting back to my room by eleven.”

“Viv is your randomly assigned roommate for the year, not your mom.”

“It’s just really awkward right now, Jodie,” she replied. “When we were first paired together for the spring semester, things were fine, but then, she asked me out the first time, and I said no. It was already a little awkward after that, but she did it again a few weeks later, and now, it’s really, really weird. I wanted to bring a girl back to the room last weekend. I wasn’t even planning on having sex with her or anything. I was thinking maybe we’d make out for a while. But I didn’t because I didn’t want to be a jerk to Viv.”

“I get it. Still, she needs to get over it, right? You’re not into her, Caroline.”

“She’s nice.”

Jodie laughed and replied, “Doesn’t mean you have to go out with her.”

“I know. I need to decide what to do for the fall. We’re stuck together over the summer because she’s TA-ing a few classes and is taking a couple herself, but I only have a month before I need to confirm my residency for junior year.”

“Why don’t we talk about getting that apartment again? We thought about it a few months ago but dropped it.”

“I’d have to ask my parents,” she replied. “I don’t have a job to pay for it myself, and the dorm comes with the food plan.”

“Still, it’s probably cheaper to just live off-campus and have them give you an allowance or something. Dorms aren’t cheap, and you have to share a room. In an apartment, you’d have your own bedroom, and so would I. I wouldn’t care if you brought girls home. You wouldn’t care ifIdid.”

“True. Let me think about it,” she replied and closed her book. “Now, if we’re going out tonight, I’m going back to the room to take a nap because, knowing you, there’s no way I’m getting home by eleven.”

“You know me well,” Jodie replied, laughing. “Hey, any chance you want to come to my room tonight? Skip the Viv judgment?”

Caroline lifted an eyebrow at her and asked, “And sleep where, exactly? I think your roommate will be in the bottom bunk.”

“I’ll make room for you in the top one,” Jodie said with a smile. “And if we end up fooling around quietly while she sleeps, I won’t mind.”

“That was one time,” Caroline noted.

“I know. And it can be two times or three, if we want. It’s not like I want to date you or anything.”

“So, just sex, then?”

“I saidfooling around. I know how to treat a lady.”

Caroline laughed at that. They’d met at the beginning of their freshman year in a class they had shared, and they had formed a friendship. Then, a few months into the first semester of their sophomore year, they’d ended up falling asleep in Jodie’s bed after watching a movie, and Caroline had woken up to Jodie staring at her. They had kissed and had had to be very quiet because Jodie’s roommate had only been a few feet away. No clothing had come off, but hands had gone places, and orgasms had been had. They hadn’t talked about it the next day, but a few days later, Jodie had leaned in and kissed Caroline. Beingin public, it couldn’t go further than that, but the kiss didn’t feel right to Caroline this time. She wanted to be friends and didn’t want to date Jodie.

“You know I love you,” Caroline said.

“I know you’re notinlove with me, but if we’re bothinneedof something that the other person can provide, we can take care of that with no real consequences or strings.”

“Let’s just get a drink tonight, okay?”

“Fine. But I’m getting you a fake ID.”

“What? Why? My birthday is this month.”

“Consider it an early birthday present.”

“I’d consider it anunnecessarybirthday present,” Caroline replied. “I don’t want–”

“I’ll pick you up at nine.”

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