Jazz and Nathan held hands inside the lecture hall. They’d elected to take the same general education courses their first year at the Queens College campus of the City University of New York. Neither knew what they wanted to major in yet, so the decision made sense. Plus, they could be together.

“Good idea. Get the boring stuff out of the way,” Nathan had said when Jazz made the suggestion. He still resolved to live a life of freedom, passion, and love, and Jazz still resolved to be a part of it, no matter what—hoping she could figure out how to make the world a better place along the way.

As the professor laid out her plan for the semester, Jazz nodded along and jotted notes in the margins of her course syllabus. Instead of paying attention, Nathan made friends with the couple seated beside them. More than once, the professor shot them dirty looks for interrupting her class.

“What a snoozer!” he remarked on their way back to the commuter parking lot. “I have no idea what I want to do, but I know it won’t be Economics.”

Jazz, who was excited to learn about supply and demand, growth curves, and market trends, nodded along. “Well, it’s required, so you’re stuck. But I can help tutor you to make sure you understand.”

“I don’t need to understand. I just need a passing grade.”

“Don’t you want an A?”

“That’d be nice, but I know better than to expect one. The only A’s I ever got in high school were in art and gym. Remember?”

“I remember.”

“Oh, Aaron and Erin invited us to a frat thing this weekend. Want to go?”

“Aaron and Erin? They have the same name?”

“Yeah, apparently it’s how they met. Some admissions office mix-up. Their last names are similar, too. Anyway, you’re missing the point. Party, yea or nay?”

Nathan had been popular growing up, but to be invited to a party on the very first day of college seemed a little much. She worried if he got too caught up in the social scene, would he care enough about academics to commit to finishing his degree? If he dropped out, what kind of job could he expect to get? That put a lot of pressure on her as his eventual spouse. She wanted to live a life of freedom, love, and passion, too—but she wouldn’t be able to if she was stuck footing the entire bill for their future.

Maybe if she put her foot down now, Nathan would pull back on the partying before diving too deep down the social rabbit hole.

She chewed on her lip for a second, then said, “I think maybe I’ll sit this one out. Next time?”

“C’mon, I’d love to dance with you again.” Nathan put an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, grinding his hips against hers as they swayed to whatever silent song played in his head.

She laughed and leaned forward to kiss him.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, craning his neck to the side and quirking a brow at her.

“Yes, but we have to kiss to seal the deal.”

“We’re almost to the car,” he said, letting go of her and resuming their trek to the parking lot. “Let’s go fog up the windows there.”

Jazz followed along, even though Nathan’s reluctance to kiss her in public stung.

He’d never had any problem smooching the brains out of his other girlfriends, girlfriends he’d said had been nowhere near as serious as Jazz.

She’d tried many times to get Nathan to change his mind, but to no avail. Sure, they hugged, held hands, and otherwise showed low-key affection. That’s what made his hesitation to kiss her out in the open so confusing.

“I know you’re mine. I don’t need to publicly stake my claim like some kind of animal. I love you. I trust you,” he’d tried to explain.

As soon as they were in the car, Nathan leaned his body over hers and, as promised, gave her a kiss to end all kisses. How the car was any more private than two feet outside of it, Jazz didn’t understand—but Nathan’s intoxicating kisses eased her worries. For now.

“You know what, Nathan?” she said as he’d turned his attention away from romancing her and toward driving them home. “I’ll go to the party with you, if you agree to come to the academic fair with me.”

“Ugh. That’s like the opposite of a party.” He twisted his features in repulsion, then glanced over at her. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“You’ve got to choose a major someday.”

“Not until the end of our sophomore year.”

“Why not do some research on Saturday?”

“Okay, but only if you agree to wear something extra skimpy to the Aarons’ party.”

She reached for his hand and gave it squeeze. “If that’s what it takes…”

As always, she would do anything for Nathan.

Anything for their future together.