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He chuckles. “That’s Dad.”
“What did he say?”
“Not much. Just wanted to see how you were getting on as a new college student. Were you going to classes? Staying out of trouble? That bullshit.”
“You told him about the new drug habit, right?” I quip.
He nods. “Oh, of course.”
“Sounds like progress, then.”
“He mentioned the possibility of him flying out here for your birthday next month.”
“And there’s the incoming doom.” I sigh. “That’s Dad, all right.”
“I suggested inviting Mom to come along, too.”
I smirk. “You didn’t...”
“Yeah!” he says. “I told him we could make a big day of it. Go to the art museum. Have a nice dinner. Celebrate your special day as one big, happy family.”
“And?”
“And he suddenly had a very important meeting he had to get to and hung up on me.”
“Wow.” I nod with approval, chuckling at the image of Harold and Judy Newbury sitting there while Seth and I laugh it up as friends despite their best efforts to turn us against each other. “Well done, big brother. I’m impressed.”
He bows in his chair.
I lean against the edge of his desk. “You ready to go?” I ask.
“Almost,” he answers. “Just need to send this email to my econ professor…”
“Okay, I’ll wait.”
I scan the room, catching pieces of Drew’s world littered amongst pieces of Seth. The average person probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, but after the last few weeks of getting to know them, I can.
A voice drifts in from the hallway and my ears perk. I turn to look as Drew enters the room with a textbook cradled beneath his arm and a tired smirk on his mouth.
Corey follows close behind him, but pauses in the doorway. “You’re missing out, Rose,” he says.
“On a limo ride from the house to the student center… two miles away?” Drew asks with a scoff.
“So, we’ll have the driver circle the block!”
“I’ll pass.” Drew strides toward his desk and bobs his head at me, briefly acknowledging my existence. “Hey, Heidi.”
“Hi, Drew,” I say, a nonchalant greeting.
“Pfft, whatever.” Corey points at Seth. “You’re in, though, right, Newbury?”
Seth squints. “I think I’m with Drew on this one.”
Corey grunts. “You guys are lame.” He nods at me. “How you doing, Stampy?”
“Hi, Corey,” I say with a wave. “I’m great. You?”
“Great. Hey, you want to go to the mask?—”
