Page 76 of Distortion
‘Oh. You know each other. No introductions necessary. Where’s Blake?’
Blake will be here, too? My shoulders slump a little. I’ll bet I’m supposed to be their assistant.
I almost put my head in my hands.
Sounds about right.
Things had been looking up, too.
It’ll be fine, I tell myself. We aren’t in the frat house now. There’s no reason for them to be jerks to me.
‘I’ll leave you to it. Daisy, I’m sure things will be great. If you need anything at all just ask the guys, okay?’
‘Sure, Doctor Applegate,’ I say faintly.
If he notices anything amiss, he doesn’t voice it.
I stare at Mav, hearing the beep and the opening of the door. It closes with an ominous click that echoes through the lab.
‘What the fuck?’ Mav hisses. ‘What – how are you even in thisbuilding? What did you say to Applegate for him to let you in here?’
‘I ... changed majors,’ I say quietly.
He pinches the bridge of his nose. ‘You do English Lit, Daisy,’ he growls, seeming so angry that I take a small step back. ‘I’m not trying to be an asshole, but you’re not ... you’re ... you’re afuckingEnglish major. It’s not even a similarsubject. And you’re not even a senior! How did you ...’ His eyes move over me and he glances at the door Applegate just disappeared through. ‘Are you fucking him or something?’
My eyes widen. ‘Of course not!’
‘I can’t believe this. This isn’t happening.’ He throws his hands up in the air. ‘You can’t be our assistant. We have deadlines! How canyouhelp us? What the fuck is Applegate thinking? We need someone who knows what they’re doing, who has the brains to do what we need, Daisy.... who isn’t ... likeyou.’
I don’t want his words to sting, and I’ll never admit aloud that they do, but I have to force myself not to turn away from his ire.
‘What the fuck? Who let you in here, shut-in?’
I wince at Blake’s voice as the door slams shut.
Perfect.
‘Applegate says she’s our new assistant.’
‘The fuck she is!’ Blake snarls.
‘How are you here?’ Mav asks, ignoring Blake.
‘I had the credits!’ I burst out. ‘The English major thing ... I don’t know. Maybe John didn’t realize my classes and marks ...gradeswould transfer over.’Just a little white lie so they don’t realize that John didn’t sanction this. ‘But they do. I saw Applegate this morning in his office and I asked him if I could switch to Chemistry. I can’tdoEnglish Lit.’
I take a quick breath and try to hide my hands, knowing that my fingers are stretching wide. I don’t want them to see my differences now.
‘He looked at my file and he said yes. He said I’ve passed enough equivalent classes in the UK to be in my senior year here.’
Mav scrapes a hand through his chestnut hair, his lips looking even poutier than usual and glances at Blake.
‘Applegate brought her here himself a second ago.’
‘She’s made a deal with him, then,’ Blake thunders, looking at me in a way that makes me tense. ‘This is bullshit!’
‘I know what you think,’ I say. ‘I know Shade told you I’mretardedor something.’
I sneer at them both. ‘But that’s not quite the case.’
