cheek.
“Their aim isn’t synonymous with their fear of your temper, Trav.”
He held me against his side, rubbing my coat sleeve with his hand as he guided me through the chaos. We came to an abrupt halt when a handful of girls screamed past as they were pelted by the merciless aim of the baseball team. Once they cleared the path, Travis led me safely to the door.
“See? I told you we’d make it,” he said with a smile.
His amusement faded when a tightly packed snowball exploded against the door, just between our faces. Travis’ glare scanned the lawn, but the sheer numbers of students darting in every direction doused his urge to retaliate.
He pulled open the door, watching the melting snow slide down the painted metal to the ground. “Let’s get inside.”
“Good idea,” I nodded.
He led me by the hand down the buffet line, piling different steaming dishes on one tray. The cashier had given up her predictable baffled expression weeks before, used to our routine.
“Abby.” Brazil nodded to me and then winked at Travis. “You guys have plans next week?”
“We’re staying here. My brothers are coming in,” Travis said, distracted as he organized our lunches, dividing the small Styrofoam plates in front of us on the table.
“I’m going to
“Direct hit!” Shepley laughed. America shot him a warning glare and his laugh turned into a nervous chuckle. “I mean…what an asshole.”
We laughed at his regretful expression as he watched her stomp to the buffet line, following quickly after.
“He’s so whipped,” Brazil said with a disgusted look on his face.
“America’s a little uptight,” Travis explained. “She’s meeting his parents this week.”
Brazil nodded, his eyebrows shooting up. “So they’re….”
“There,” I said, nodding with him. “It’s permanent.”
“Whoa,” Brazil said. The shock didn’t leave his face as he picked at his food, and I could see the confusion swirl around him. We were all young, and Brazil couldn’t wrap his head around Shepley’s commitment.
“When you have it, Brazil…you’ll get it,” Travis said, smiling at me.
The room was abuzz with excitement, from both the spectacle outside and the quickly approaching last hours before break. As the seats filled, the steady stream of chatter grew to a loud echo, the volume rising as everyone began talking over the noise.
By the time Shepley and America returned with their trays, they had made up. She happily sat in the empty seat next to me, prattling on about her impending meet-the-parents moment. They would leave that evening for his parents’, the perfect excuse for one of America’s infamous meltdowns.
I watched her pick at her bread as she fretted about what to pack and how much luggage she could take without appearing pretentious, but she seemed to be holding it together.
“I told you, Baby. They’re gonna love you. Love you like
Travis’ phone shivered, causing it to glide a few inches across the table. He ignored it, regaling Brazil with our first game of poker with his brothers. I glanced at the display, tapping Travis on the shoulder when I read the name.
“Baby?”
Without apology, he turned away from Brazil and gave me his undivided attention. “Yeah, Pigeon?”
“You might want to get that.”
He looked down at his cell phone and sighed, “Or not.”
“It could be important.”
He pursed his lips before holding the receiver to his ear. “What’s up, Adam?” His eyes searched the room as he listened, nodding occasionally. “This is my last fight, Adam. I’m not sure, yet. I won’t go without her and Shep’s leaving town. I know…I
My eyebrows pulled in, seeing his eyes brighten with whatever idea Adam had enlightened him with. When Travis hung up the phone, I stared at him expectantly.
“It’s enough to pay rent for the next eight months. Adam got John Savage. He’s trying to go pro.”
“I haven’t seen him fight, have you?” Shepley asked, leaning forward.
Travis nodded. “Just once in Springfield. He’s good.”
“Not good enough,” I said. Travis leaned in and kissed my forehead with soft appreciation. “I can stay home, Trav.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head.
“I don’t want you to get hit like you did last time because you’re worried about me.”
“No, Pidge.”
“I’ll wait up for you,” I smiled, trying to seem happier with the idea than I felt.
“I’m going to ask Trent to come. He’s the only one I’d trust so I can concentrate on the fight.”
“Thanks a lot, asshole,” Shepley grumbled.
“Hey, you had your chance,” Travis said, only half-teasing.
Shepley’s mouth pulled to the side with chagrin. He still felt at fault for the night at Hellerton. He apologized to me daily for weeks, but his guilt finally became manageable enough for him to suffer in silence. America and I tried to convince him that he wasn’t to blame, but Travis would always hold him accountable.
“Shepley, it wasn’t your fault. You pulled him off of me, remember?” I said, reaching around America to pat his arm. I turned to Travis, “When is the fight?”
“Next week sometime,” he shrugged. “I want you there. I need you there.”
I smiled, resting my chin on his shoulder. “Then I’ll be there.”
Travis walked me to class, his grip tensing a few times when my feet slipped on the ice. “You should be more careful,” he teased.
“I’m doing it on purpose. You’re such a sucker.”
“If you want my arms around you, all you have to do is ask,” he said, pulling me into his chest.
We were oblivious to the students passing and the snowballs flying overhead as he pressed his lips against mine. My feet left the ground and he continued to kiss me, carrying me with ease across campus. When he finally set me on my feet in front of the door of my classroom, he shook his head.
“When we make our schedules for next semester, it would be more convenient if we had more classes together.”
“I’ll work on that,” I said, giving him one last kiss before making my way to my seat.
I looked up, and Travis gave me one last smile before making his way to his class in the next building. The students around me were as used to our shameless displays of affection as his class was used to him being a few minutes late.
I was surprised that the time ticked by so quickly. I turned in my last test of the day and made my way to Morgan Hall. Kara was sitting in her usual spot on the bed, reading, as I rifled through my drawers for a few needed items.
“You going out of town?” Kara asked.
“No, I just needed a few things. I’m headed over to the Science building to pick up Trav, and then I’ll be at the apartment all week.”
“I figured,” she said, keeping her eyes on the pages of her book.
“Have a good break, Kara.”
“Mmmhmm.”
The campus was nearly empty, with only a few stragglers left. When I turned the corner, I saw Travis standing outside, finishing a cigarette. He wore a knit cap over his shaved head and one hand was shoved in the pocket of his worn, dark brown leather jacket. Smoke drifted from his nostrils as he looked down to the ground, deep in thought. It wasn’t until I was just a few feet from him that I noticed how distracted he was.
