"Is Cassandra going to keep tutoring you during the fall?" My mother asks. Even on the phone, her fishing for information is transparent.

"I don't know, mom." I give a sigh. "Are you never going to let up about her?"

"Not when she helped my son get the best grades he's gotten in college or high school," she says.

"They rearrange the tutors. Or maybe I won't get one at all in the fall. I don't know."

"You haven't asked her?"

I swallow hard. Nope. We've both been avoiding mentioning anything beyond this week. It's finals, and then I get two weeks before all the craziness of the season begins.

"I haven't thought about it," I lie.

"You need her," my mom tells me.

I know.

"How do you figure that?" I ask, my voice tight.

"Because I know you."

"I can study on my own. It's not like studying is going to be my priority come fall, anyhow."

"You know I'm not talking about studying," my mom says knowingly.

"Well I didn't ask for your advice," I snap, then immediately regret it. "Shit. I didn't mean that, ma."

"Don't get mad at me because I'm saying something you don't want to hear."

"There's nothing going on with Cassie and me," I lie.

"Are you having a end-of-finals-party this weekend?" she asks.

"Probably at the house," I say. "I haven't thought about it. Saturday, I guess?" I try to remember how long it's been since I went to one of the parties at my house. I've spent the last month out in the country with Cassie, or holed up in her room.

Between her legs.

I don't want anything to change when summer session ends.

Actually, I don't want anything between us to change at all.

"Then I'll be there Friday," my mom decides. "Don't give me any grief. You boys need food."

"Fine, mom."

I know she just wants to come up here to push me and Cassie together. I don't know why the thought of that doesn't bother me so much anymore.

---

"Why are you answering Drew's phone?"

"I always do," Beth says. "You know that. He's in the shower. How's your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend, Beth."

"Close enough," she mumbles. "Are you going to go public?"

"What? No. She'd lose her tutoring position."

"But you don't deny that there's something to go public about," Beth fishes.

"Yeah, sex," I blurt. "Good ol' fashioned fucking. That's it. Happy now?"

"Sure that's all it is," Beth says. "That's why you've been dipping your wick in her and only her for months now."

"You don't know that," I say, an edge in my voice. "I could have been dipping my wick in her and every other girl in a twenty-mile radius, for all you know."

"Not possible."

"Because you know what I'm doing here?"

"Because you sound happy."

"Maybe I'm happy because of all the girls I'm screwing."

"Don't lie."

"Then don't act like you know what I want, Beth," I say, irritated. "Maybe I don't want to be pussy-whipped like Drew is."

"What's that about pussy?" Drew's voice gets closer.

"He thinks you're pussy-whipped," Beth says.

"I am," Drew says. "Thrilled to be pussy-whipped."

"He wants Cassie to be his girlfriend, but doesn't want to admit it," Beth says, "because he's scared."

"You can lay off with the armchair shrink bullshit, Beth. Last I heard you weren’t a shrink. I'm not scared."

"She'll want to be your girlfriend, Colton," Beth says. "She obviously likes you."

"I'm not afraid she's going to turn me down," I say angrily.

"But you are scared, though."

"Screw you, Beth. Next time, answer your fucking phone yourself, Drew."

"You're a good man, Colt," Beth insists. "Just admit it to yourself."

"I have to go." I hang up the phone before either of them can try to add anything else about how I'm good and relationships are good and Cassie and I should grow old together.

What the hell do they know?