Hadley closes the door as another fly follows us inside.
“The bugs are unreal, aren’t they?” Evelyn asks.
“Not this again,” Mila says. “I will literally tattoo, ‘I love Oleander Springs’ to your forehead if I have to.”
Evelyn chuckles, but Hudson shares a nervous glance with Mila. Evelyn wasn’t sure about moving here or attending Camden at the beginning of the summer, and those uncertainties still hold stock of Hudson’s thoughts sometimes, that and the draft have been two subjects that have been haunting my friend.
“I do love Oleander Springs,” Evelyn says. “Just not the bugs … or the humidity.”
Hadley grins. “I have to get going, but if you guys need anything, please feel welcome to help yourselves. I put mine and Hannah’s numbers on the fridge, too, in case you need something, or in case LeeAnne shows up.”
“LeeAnne?” I ask.
“The neighbor.” Hadley points across the street. “She’s kind of our self-appointed neighborhood watch. I think the shotgun is for looks, but,” she shrugs, “we are in the South.”
“Good to know,” I say as she grabs her bag. “You don’t need that textbook?”
Hadley’s crystal-blue eyes slide to me. “I forgot, it’s in my car.” She gives another casual shrug. “It was nice meeting you all.”
“You, too,” Evelyn says. “Hopefully, we’ll see you again soon.”
Hadley smiles at her before heading back outside. I watch the door close, tempted to follow her and thank her again for coming and tell her she’s not imposing if she wants to stay, but instead, I lead the others to the door leading down to the basement. “Careful, the stairs are steep.”
“I like her,” Evelyn says.
“We couldn’t tell,” Mila says.
“Someone’s jealous,” Palmer teases.
Mila flips him off in response before wrapping her arm around Evelyn’s shoulders so tight, it nearly looks like a chokehold. “I’m an only child, you have to expect the occasional possessive tendencies.”
Evelyn chuckles.
I head down the stairs, the temperature dropping with each step.
“Cozy,” Mila says, looking around. “It has a nice, comfortable prison vibe.”
“You sure this is better than the dorms?” Palmer asks, setting the bags he’d carried inside down.
Hudson turns his full attention to me, awaiting my answer.
“Fuck, yes,” I say.
Palmer nods. “I’d endure the prison vibe to live here with three chicks, too. This is going to be interesting.”
Chapter5
Hadley
Iawaken with a start, my heart, beating too fast. It’s still dark outside, not even five. It’s been ten days since Nolan moved in, ten days that I’ve been using my cell phone alarm in place of my alarm clock, fearing another electrical incident that has me paranoid I’ll oversleep and be late for class.
Katie was right about us barely seeing Nolan. He’s gone before I wake up and home after I go to bed most nights.
His absence should make him the world’s easiest roommate, but instead, he’s become the world’s biggest distraction. I’ve made five lasagnas in the past ten days in an attempt to keep myself from debating if Hannah likes Nolan or if he’s like the jocks portrayed in every movie: dense and shallow with a hint of misogyny thrown in to keep him predictable.
I’m still kind of hoping that’s exactly who he is though I refuse to consider why.
It’s early enough I could sleep for two more hours but I’m wide awake, my thoughts plaited with Nolan, school, and if Hannah has feelings for Nolan.