Page 7 of Secret Puck
“This is a thing. Seriously?”
“I lived in a suite, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. I’d just crash on the couch in the living room.”
“Ugh. I should have been a jock. Then I would have a ready-made clique and I wouldn’t be getting kicked out of my own room.”
“You’re welcome to stay at my place.”
“I’ll figure it out.” I appreciate him, but there has to be another option.
Adam’s apartment isn’t far from campus and if the number of vehicles with Valley University bumper stickers and license plate holders is indicative of how many students live here, then I’d say it’s a lot.
He leads me up the stairs to the second-floor unit.
“Where is everyone?” I ask as we walk into the quiet living room.
“Campus or the gym.” He drops his backpack on the couch. “We have preseason workouts twice a day this week. I’m gonna change real quick.” He heads into one of the bedrooms off the living room.
“Where do you want to eat?” he calls through the open door.
“I don’t care. Wherever you want.”
I walk around the apartment scoping out my brother’s living arrangements. There are three bedrooms, Adam’s and then two on the opposite side of the unit. In the middle is an open concept area that has a kitchen, dining, and living room.
The place isn’t that big but it’s a pretty nice setup and feels huge by comparison to my tiny dorm room.
In the living room there’s a matching couch and chair in a light brown leather. A coffee table, its top made of old hockey sticks, sits in front of the couch. The only artwork on the walls are a few jerseys and a hockey poster of the Bruins—Adam’s favorite team.
The entire apartment is cleaner than I would have expected. A few empty Gatorade bottles on the kitchen counter, a football and a hockey stick—which I can’t help but note is a random combination of sporting goods—lying in the middle of the floor in the living room, and a couple of stray articles of clothing on the backs of the chairs at the dining room table.
Adam reappears as I’m looking inside their empty refrigerator.
“Where’s all your food?”
“We haven’t gone shopping yet.”
“What do you eat?”
He fills a glass with tap water and chugs it before responding. “We mostly eat on campus or we go out. We have a small kitchen in the locker room too that is re-stocked every few days.”
“Can I use your bathroom before we go?” I head toward the one that is near his bedroom.
“Use the other one.” He points to the bathroom on the opposite side of the apartment. “The light is out in mine. I need to get new bulbs.”
“How do you see to shower or pee?” I ask.
“I leave the door open.”
Boys are weird.
Instead of going to a restaurant,Adam and I go through a drive through and eat in his Jeep while he takes me all around Valley showing me Frat Row and some of the popular college bars and restaurants.
“Have you heard from Mom and Dad?” he asks. “Are they back from their trip?”
“They get back tomorrow, I think.” Our parents went on some fancy, romantic vacation to Mexico. Initially I’d been bummed that they weren’t going to be able to drop me off at college, but I’m glad they missed seeing me all sad and teary. The day Adam and I arrived on campus, I dropped my things in my room and then fell onto my new bed and sobbed. Poor Ava must have thought I was nuts.
“I’m really glad you’re here,” I admit.
He grins. “Me too. I get to spend the last year of college with my baby sister.”
