CHAPTER twenty-five
The front door to the dorm almost smacked Ethan in the face, and Jessica and Dave came out. Maybe that was intentional, he thought.
“Hey, guys.”
“Hey, Ethan,” Dave said. Jessica stayed silent and acknowledged him with the faintest of head nods.
“How did your show go?” Ethan asked. “I’m sorry I missed it.”
“It was a huge success. Thanks for asking.”
They switched places, and Ethan held the door open to keep the conversation going for another minute. “What are you guys up to for dinner?”
Dave looked at Jessica for a response. Her mouth twisted tight like a shirt about to tie-dyed.
“We’re eating at the dining hall tonight,” Dave said, not extending an invite. “This Norwegian novelist is speaking, so we’re going to see him after.”
“That sounds cool,” Ethan said with genuine interest. As much as others ragged on his friends, they did like trying new things. There were so many programs going on around campus every day, and Jessica was one of the few people who chose to take advantage. She came to college to broaden her horizons, not party. Ethan respected that, and a part of him felt the same way. The speaker sounded interesting, but Ethan didn’t need to be a body language expert to get that he should just stay home tonight.
He tried writing a paper in his room, but quickly fell asleep. A knock at the door woke him up. When he glanced outside, the sun was setting.
“Hey, Folly.”
Greg stood in his doorway, hands dug into his khaki pockets. Ethan’s jaw hit the floor.
“Mind if I…?”
Greg Sanderson stepped into his room.
Greg Sanderson was in his room.
He saw all the little details that made up Ethan’s life. The reminders thumbtacked to his bulletin board. The organized row of notebooks and folders. The keyboard cleaner next to his laptop. The perfectly made bed. All were in grasp. This was Ethan.
“Kids in this dorm are very trusting. I could’ve been a homicidal maniac.”
Ethan nodded. He didn’t know what to say. He wished for charted territory. Was he supposed to apologize or demand one from Greg or pretend like nothing ever happened?
“What are you doing here?” Ethan asked.
“I wanted to thank you for sticking up for me in front of my dad.”
“I’m sorry for intruding.”
“Why did you? Did you just want a connection for some fancy internship?”
“No!” Ethan shouted. He went to make sure his door was closed.
“Because you wouldn’t be the first one.”
“I wanted to meet your dad, okay? I wanted to know something about you. Just one of your little secrets that you keep locked away behind your Greg Sanderson facade.”
“You want all of me? Well, you just saw it!” Greg faced the window. His shoulders slumped. “I’m a fucking disappointment.”
That sucked the air out of the room. Ethan had never known a not-cocksure Greg. He was right. This was all of him.
“I don’t want to go to fucking Harvard Law.”
Ethan took a tentative step forward. “You want to teach, don’t you? That education class isn’t some distribution requirement.”
Greg sat on the foot of the bed. “I’m doing a double-major in special education.”
“That’s great!”
Greg seesawed his hand. “Teachers make pennies compared to lawyers. Trust me, I know.” He took a pause, and he squinted his eyes. Ethan could tell this wasn’t something he talked about, not with anyone. “My cousin has autism. People write off kids like him, but he’s a cool guy. Special ed kids just have an extra layer you have to get past. Most people don’t want to do the work. But my cousin rocks, and I want to help kids like him.” Greg shook his head. “I know, it’s corny.”
“I love your corny.”
Ethan noticed just how cute Greg looked in his outfit. The button-down hugged his firm frame and arm muscles, and the khakis made his legs thick and trunklike. Ethan knew not to get used to this clean-cut Greg, but he would enjoy it for now.
“Most guys in my frat are planning to be lawyers or stockbrokers. No teachers.”
“You can be a trailblazer then. Your dad will come around.”
“Come on, Folly. You’re not stupid. My dad is not the type who comes around. Not unless I go to Harvard Law and become an attorney. Then I’ll stop being an embarrassment to him.” Greg heaved out a sigh. “That’s me. The real me. I can have fun, but I can’t do much else.”
“That’s not true,” Ethan eked out.
“Well, tell that to my dad. Actually, don’t. You two are already way too chummy.” Greg smirked at him, and Ethan’s heart melted like a stick of butter in a frying pan. He patted the bed next to him. “What are you doing all the way over there?”
Ethan wanted to race over to him, but his memories held him back. “You made it clear what you thought of me at your frat’s party.”
“I’m sorry, Folly.”
“Please stop calling me that.”
“What was I supposed to do? I find you in my room posing like a second-rate porn star in front of my friends.”
Greg’s puppy dog eyes began their work on Ethan—until the party flashed back to him, through the boozy haze. Greg had stood there while his frat brothers laughed at him. Ethan knew how he was supposed to feel.
“You didn’t stick up for me. You let me leave.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’ve already said that. Twice.” Ethan stood by the door. Just like Greg had done.
“Can’t I explain?”
“I already know what you’re going to say. ‘You almost exposed me to my frat brothers. We’re just having fun, Folly. Blah blah blah.’”
“I wasn’t going to say that.”
“Then what were you going to say, huh?”
Greg launched off the bed, pushed Ethan against his door, and planted a passionate kiss on his lips. Ethan’s legs buckled under the heat beating off Greg.
Greg inched his lips away, and Ethan instantly dropped into withdrawal. Just like with drinking, one shot was not enough. Sincerity poured out of Greg, dripped from his stubble and big, brown eyes.
“I thought we were just having fun,” Ethan said.
“Oops.”