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Jonah, Sophomore Year of College
Somehow, I once again found myself in a dorm room, sitting on a rickety wooden chair that this university so generously offered us. I had survived freshman year by the skin of my teeth. Oli and I were able to throw ourselves into music over the summer, offering me a two-month reprieve from only some of my worries. But now, we were back.
I had to leave the majority of my music gear at home. The bed in this fucking dorm felt like a piece of Styrofoam wrapped in a type of plastic that should never come in contact with human skin. And Kai. Oh god, Kai was still not fucking here. I was a year older than I had been when she left, and not an ounce better.
I nearly jumped out of my seat as the door swung open, putting my brooding session to an end. Something crashed, and I whipped around to see. It was Oli. His unzipped backpack was tossed on the floor, books and papers exploding from it. He stood there breathing heavily, holding his right hand in the air with two fingers extended higher than the rest.
“Oli, what the fuck?” I asked, rearing my head back at the expression on my friend’s face. He looked as if he’d seen a ghost. A ghost that made him angry, perhaps? Terrified. Furious. I couldn’t quite pin it. But stiff, he was definitely stiff. “Are you okay?”
“That fucking girl,” he grumbled.
“Ah.” I smirked as a smidge of my anxiety pushed itself aside to make way for a sliver of amusement. I knew exactly who he was talking about. “June?”
“Her name is Juni.”
“She prefers June.”
“Do not sympathize with her.”
I couldn’t help my grin. Oli was returning from yet another study session with his horrible history project partner, June. According to him, she was the most infuriating woman on the planet and never cut him any slack. In other words, he was completely in love with her, though he’d never admit it aloud.
“She is so…” He tried to speak once again but never finished his sentence. Instead, he closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, pushing out a weighty gust of air. His right hand remained lifted.
“What’s wrong with your hand?” I asked, my forehead sinking in confusion. It was such a weird gesture to be making and it contrasted oddly with his composure.
His brown eyes shot open instantly in a way that suggested I probably shouldn’t have asked. “She was stressed out.” His gaze held a watery depth I didn’t understand. He was clearly upset, though it was hard to tell if it teetered more toward anger, sadness, confusion, or fear.
“Okay? And what does that have to do with your hand?”
He closed his fist tightly in answer, leaving the two stiff fingers fully erect in the air.
My mouth dropped open. “Did you…?”
He nodded his head gravely. “In the library.”
I let out a genuine giggle, covering my mouth with one hand. Laughing at a peeved Oli was nothing short of a death wish, but his anger, plus what he’d just insinuated, plus the entire rigidity about him was honestly hilarious. Besides, he rarely lost his cool, so this was a phenomenon. “Care to elaborate?”
“She’s the most frustrating person I’ve ever met,” he said slowly, “and she’s been getting on my nerves. I’ve…kissed her a few times over the last couple of weeks.”
“You’ve what? You didn’t tell me!” That asshole! They’d been project partners for weeks and the only titbits I’d heard out of him were that she was terrible, annoying, and all-around impossible. He never mentioned any kissing.
“It just didn’t feel like something I wanted to gossip about. But she just rode my fucking fing— The way she came for me, I…” He cut his sentence off to swallow hard, forcing himself to stop divulging such information. He wasn’t one to overshare personal details, so it was honestly surprising he’d even said that much. “I’m going to take a few minutes in the bathroom. Get dressed. We’re going out.”
“Out?” The smile immediately fell from my face. I’d hardly even gotten the chance to laugh at the fact that this girl had pissed him off so badly he was about to masturbate in a dorm bathroom before he ruined all the fun. “Oh, come on.” Out was the only place worse than in. I hated being in this dorm room, but at least the walls didn’t try to make useless small talk with me or invade my personal space. I knew whatever Oli had in mind would involve both of those things.
He held up his palm. “I’m going to the bathroom to think about what I just saw. When I come back, you will be dressed.”
“Can’t we decide when you come back?” I teased. “Surely, you won’t be as tense then.”
He turned to walk out of the room, shooting me one last searing glare and slamming the door behind him. I sank into my seat laughing for the first time in a long time.
Kai.
I had to tell Kai. Surely, she’d be awake. She was awake all night every night. I swung my phone out of my pocket and texted the group chat.
Me: New update. Oli is in love.
Kai Rockz :P: Omg! Oli, who is it?
