Page 26 of Unbound
I set them down carefully and picked up the black pair. Then the navy. Then—my breath caught—the burgundy, richer and deeper than anything I'd ever owned.
My phone rang, Rebecca's name lighting up the screen, and I nearly launched all four boxes across the room in my panic.
"Hello?"
"Did you open your study materials?" she asked without preamble.
I looked at the underwear spread across my counter. "Yes."
"And?"
"And they're... helpful. Very thorough."
"That's good." A pause. "Jesse, are you sure everything is all right?"
No. Nothing was all right. A man I barely knew had just given me expensive underwear after a conversation I couldn't even remember having about my tragic undergarment situation, and instead of being horrified, I was standing in my kitchen imagining what I'd look like wearing them.
"Everything's fine," I said. "Just tired. Long day."
"You'd tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you?"
Would I? Could I? What would I even say?
"Of course," I lied.
After we hung up, I stood looking at Adrian's gift for a long time.
I should throw them away.
I should return them somehow.
I should absolutely not keep them.
I folded everything carefully back into their boxes and hid them in my closet behind winter coats and old textbooks.
Out of sight.
Definitely out of mind.
Thursday's Constitutional Law class felt like walking into a gladiatorial arena.
Professor Okonkwo had assigned group discussion on the Establishment Clause, dividing us into teams to argue different perspectives on religious freedom versus government neutrality. Somehow—and I was beginning to suspect these things weren't as coincidental as they appeared—Adrian and I ended up on opposing sides.
"The Founders intended freedomofreligion, not freedomfromreligion," I argued, falling back on familiar talking points. "The Establishment Clause was meant to prevent the creation of a national church, not to eliminate religious influence from public life entirely."
Adrian leaned back in his chair, pen tapping against his notebook. "Interesting interpretation. But what happens when 'religious influence' becomes religious dominance? When one faith's values are codified into law at the expense of others?"
"The majority's values should be reflected in democratic governance," I replied automatically. "That's how democracy works."
"So tyranny of the majority is acceptable as long as it's religiously motivated?"
Heat flushed my face. "That's not what I said."
"Isn't it?" Adrian's voice remained calm, conversational, but his eyes were sharp. "You're arguing that religious belief should inform policy. But whose religion? Which interpretation? And what happens to citizens who don't share those beliefs?"
Around us, our classmates had gone quiet, sensing the tension crackling between us. Professor Okonkwo was watching with obvious interest, probably wondering if he needed to intervene.
"Religious values provide moral foundation," I said, grasping for solid ground. "Without that foundation, society lacks structure."
