She doesn’t budge, just gets a smug little smile on her face. “Of course. I can always go get the dean—”
“No!”
I cringe at the force behind my own words. Dean Robin, however, seems to settle back a bit as her posture relaxes. She’s won. For now.
“Fine,” I say, with a huff. “I’ll get them, but it’s going to take a couple days. My old GP doesn’t work on weekends.”
That’s a lie, but I’m hoping it’ll at least buy me some more time … maybe enough to make her forget. At least enough for me to make something of a runaround with some random GP’s office back home. If she’s working anywhere near as hard as Rafael on this dance, then there might actually be a chance, however small that chance may be.
“Very well. Run along.” She sighs defeatedly, looking at the few people passing by shooting us curious glances. “But don’t think this’ll be the end of it. I expect to see those records, Alex.”
I want to ask her what will happen if I refuse, but I want to get away from her even more.
I turn and march down the hallway toward my dorm. To my surprise, as I pass through the entrance hall, I see Heath sitting perched on one of the decorative benches, talking in hushed tones to Jasper.
I feel a strange pang of relief when I see him. I have to stifle the urge to run over and throw my arms around him. He’s here, and he’s fine.
Beck’s kiss has left me feeling changed, but in reality, everything remains the same. I have to remember that.
Heath and Jasper look my way and I try to scurry past them unnoticed, but they see me and stand up, heading to intercept me on the other side of the entrance hall. Jasper, of course, looks enraged. Heath just looks … a little blank. His eyes are glassy. He must be coming down from his high.
“Alex,” Jasper barks as he comes to stand in front of me.
I stop reluctantly, making sure to close my palm so he doesn’t see the numbers written there. He’s blocking my way to the dormitory wing. “Jasper.”
Any thoughts I had earlier of trying to face him man-to-man about Olive has long since dissipated. I realize now what a mistake that would have been. I was just hopped up on adrenaline from the game and had forgotten that sort of man-to-man chat can’t happen because I’m not a man.
I’m just a little 5’5” girl who’s pretending to be a boy still waiting for his growth spurt to hit.
A fact that I am so keenly aware of now.
Heath hovers near Jasper’s shoulder with a frown slowly forming. “I hear you took my position.”
“Well, you weren’t there,” I say. “Anyway, it wasn’t my choice.”
“You could’ve said no,” Jasper snaps.
“It was either step in or forfeit the game,” I say, carefully. “You definitely would’ve been pissed if I’d let us lose that way.”
“Don’t think this means you’re actually part of the team,” Jasper says, stepping close to me and jabbing his finger into my chest.
I bat his finger away. I’m hungry. I’m sweaty. I’ve just been kissed and accosted by a professor trying to dredge out my secret all in the span of ten minutes. On top of tha
t, I’m jonesing for a cigarette, and I don’t even like smoking.
A girl can only take so much.
“I helped win that game,” I snap, the irritation finally getting the better of me. “Can you chill for two goddamn seconds? I didn’t do anything. Heath didn’t show, the coach put me in. You’re acting like I did something wrong.”
“Did nothing wrong?” Heath’s breathy voice catches me off guard. “You left me in the locker room all alone.”
I cut my eyes to him. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I’ve kept his stupid Adderall secret. I didn’t tell the coach that he was high and unequipped to play. I don’t know if Jasper and Beck know about his “medicine”, either, since I haven’t told them.
This is a fine line he’s walking, and he’s making me walk it with him.
“You were indisposed,” I snap. “I tried to get you out. I tried to tell the coach.”
“Well—” Heath begins, but I cut him off.