“Dramatic much,” Chase lets out laughing. “Listen, you’re not going to be branded with anything. You’ll get this; I have faith.”
“What do you have faith in?” Chase and I look up to see Jordan standing there.
Chase offers him a slight wave, moving his books aside so Jordan can take a seat, then he explains. “Velyn’s having a difficult time with Honors Calc.”
Jordan lets out a snicker. “Yeah, no shit. Why would you even do that to yourself?”
My shoulders fall. “Because apparently, I’m a sadist. Seriously though, I didn’t think I’d lost this much taking two years off of school. I thought it would be like riding a bike, that after a while, I’d be good to go, but that’s not the case,” I groan. “This course is a prerequisite for second year, and without it, I’m done.”
Jordan looks between us. “I can ask Ava; she’s a whiz with this kind of stuff.” Chase and I look to one another, knowing we’re both thinking the same thing—Jordan’s dating someone with a brain? “Ha, ha. I see that look, and yes, she’s with me, asses,” Jordan whines.
I let out a chuckle. “That’s not what we were thinking.”
“Yes it was,” Chase confesses. I shoot him a glare, but he just shrugs in response. “Sorry.”
“It’s all good; I’m used to it,” Jordan lets out flippantly. “Seriously though, this is her shit and no offense, Chase, but she’s really good with explaining stuff to people. Ava’s even helped me with some of my courses, and she’s not even taking those.”
Chase shakes his head. “No offense taken. Whatever will help Velyn figure this out, I’m game for.”
“I don’t want to put her out,” I add.
Jordan pulls out his cell, thumbing over the screen. With it now on speaker, it rings only once before she answers. “Hey, handsome. I just pulled into the parking lot, where are you?”
The sweetest smile spreads across Jordan’s face at the sound of her voice. “Meet me in the southside library. I’m here with Chase and his girlfriend.”
Chase throws up his hands. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
I let out a chuckle at his persistence to correct everyone’s assumption. I don’t really care; let them think what they want, and I told Chase to do the same; his reply ‘I’ve never had a best friend, and I’m not about to be short-changed.’
Jordan looks over to Chase, brows pinched at his outburst then corrects, “Sorry, and his not-girlfriend.”
A snicker comes from the other end of the phone. “Okay, I’ll be there in about ten.”
Jordan pockets his cell, turning to us with a smile. His excitement’s refreshing. “She’ll be here in ten.”
“You seem to like her,” I mention.
He nods, smiling ear-to-ear. “Yeah, she’s great. I mean, we seem to click.”
Chase gives him a light pat on the back. “Wow, I’m proud of you, Jord. You finally got out of that misogynistic hole of a mindset you were in.”
“I wouldn’t say I was misogynistic; it was more that I just didn’t want to cheat all the other women out of an experience of a lifetime.”
“And now?” I ask.
With a simple shrug, he answers, “The only experiences I want to share are with Ava.”
My heart skips a beat. That may have been one of the most romantic things I’ve ever heard. There’s a tightness in my chest at the memory of my parents; that’s something my father would have said.
I take in a deep breath, trying to push down this knot in my chest. “I think that’s wonderful, Jordan.”
Chase nods his agreement. “Hey, maybe you can sprinkle some of that newfound decency on my brother.”
When I look over to Jordan, his smile disappears and is replaced with a straight lip, and eyes full of sadness. Chase noticing as well, asks,
“Are you still not talking to him?”
“Nope. I tried, but he won’t let up.” Jordan shakes his head. “I love him like a brother, and you know that. But if he can’t accept Ava as a part of my life and treat her with respect, then I’m done with him. No matter what my feelings were toward someone he was dating, I would do my part to be civil and make things so that he could have both of us in his life, but he refuses to do that for me. What does that say about how he values our friendship?”
Chase hesitates but then answers, “Just give it time. Maybe he’ll come around.”
Jordan’s less than convinced. “I wish it were that easy. Something’s going on with him and it all started when—” He looks to me, unaware that he did but then turns back quickly to Chase. “Well, let’s just say it’s been a few weeks. Ever since school started back up.”
I hold my gaze on him for a moment then ask, “Is it because of me?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“No, but you implied it when you shot me that glare. So, tell me honestly, Jordan, do you think it’s because of me?” This time my request comes out sounding a little more hurt than anything.
“Of course not,” Chase says, reaching across the table and squeezing my hand, but it’s the look on Jordan’s face that says otherwise.
“Let it out, Jordan. I’m a big girl.”
Just as he starts, a breathtaking redhead approaches the table leaning in and landing Jordan with a kiss on the cheek—I’m assuming this is Ava.
“Hey, beautiful,” Jordan greets, standing to let her take a seat, then moving in behind her and starting with the introductions. “This is Chase, Dylan’s brother.” Ava does a doubletake of Chase, not looking all that impressed. She’s obviously had the
