Page 30 of Well That Happened

I shrug. “He doesn’t talk much, but when he does, it matters. And he just… looks. Like he’s sketching me in his mind and undressing me with the same stare.”

She fans herself. “Girl. That is not a red flag. That’s interior design. I want it in every room.”

I laugh, but it dies quickly. “What if I mess this all up?”

Lexi leans forward, nudges my cup. “What if you don’t?”

She stirs the melting ice in her drink, watching me over the lid like she’s not going to let this go.

“And your apartment?” she finally asks, shifting gears with scary ease. “Any hope of salvaging it?”

I groan, leaning back in my chair. “Maintenance emailed yesterday. Said they’re ‘evaluating the scope of the damage.’ Which I think is code for ‘You’re not getting back in this semester, sweetheart.’”

Lexi whistles. “So you’re officially living in the frat lodge of your hormonal nightmares?”

“Indefinitely.”

“And how’s that working out for your academic career?”

I shoot her a look. “Do I look well?”

She softens. “How are you holding up really?”

The question lands harder than I expect.

I look down at my chipped nail polish. “I’m tired all the time. I’m behind on my clinical notes, and my brother’s calling twice a week pretending like rehab is fine when I can hear in his voice that it’s not.”

Lexi reaches across the table, squeezes my hand.

“I just want to finish school,” I whisper. “Be the first person in my family to graduate. Get a job I care about. Make all of this mean something.”

“And youwill,” she says, fierce now. “You’re one semester away. You’ve survived worse than sexy roommates, and you know it.”

I smile weakly.

“Please. You’ve got this. You’re brilliant. You’re stubborn. And you can do this.”

I groan again. “I hope you’re right.”

She opens her laptop again. “Let’s revisit the chaos. Just to fully make sure I understandwhyyou’re spiraling.”

“Well, for starters, because I kissed Caleb.”

“Youmade outwith Caleb. And you wanted to keep going.”

“Istillwant to keep going,” I admit. “He’s sweet. And funny. And hot in that boy-next-door who’s actually incredible in bed kind of way.”

“So we have Cinnamon Stormcloud, Breakfast in Bed, and Daddy Ice.”

“Lex,” I groan.

“What?” she grins. “You’re a smart girl. You can handle three crushes and a full course load. Probably.”

“I shouldn’t want any of them. I should be focused on graduating. On surviving.”

She tilts her head. “But what if you don’thaveto choose right away?”

I blink. “Excuse me?”

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