Travis shook his head and lit a cigarette. “Not my problem.”
“Yes, it is. Parker said everyone thinks he has a death wish because you’re in love with me.”
Travis’ eyebrows shot up and he choked on the puff of smoke he’d just inhaled. “People are saying that?” he said between coughs.
I nodded. He looked away with wide-eyes, taking another drag.
“Travis! You have to release me from the bet! I can’t date Parker and live with you at the same time. It looks terrible!”
“So quit dating Parker.”
I glared at him. “That’s not the problem and you know it.”
“Is that the only reason you want to leave? Because of what people are saying?”
“At least before I was clueless and you were the bad guy,” I grumbled.
“Answer the question, Pidge.”
“Yes!”
Travis looked beyond me to the students entering and leaving the cafeteria. He was deliberating, and I grew impatient while he took his time making his decision.
Finally, he stood tall, resolved. “No.”
I shook my head, sure that I had misunderstood. “Excuse me?”
“No. You said so yourself: a bet’s a bet. After the month’s up, you’ll be off with Parker, he’ll become a doctor, you’ll get married and have your two-point-five children and I’ll never see you again.” He grimaced at his own words. “I still have three weeks. I’m not giving that up for lunch room gossip.”
I looked through the glass window to see the entire cafeteria watching us. The unwelcome attention made my eyes burn. I shouldered passed him to walk to my next class.
“Pigeon,” Travis called after me.
I didn’t turn around.
That night, America sat on the tile floor of the bathroom, babbling about the boys while I stood in front of the mirror and pulled my hair into a ponytail. I was only half-listening, thinking about how patient Travis had been—for Travis—knowing he didn’t like the idea of Parker picking me up from his apartment every other night.
The expression on Travis’ face flashed in my mind when I asked him to let me out of the bet, and again when I told him people were saying he was in love with me. I couldn’t stop wondering why he didn’t deny it.
“Well, Shep thinks you’re being too hard on him. He’s never had anyone he’s cared enough to—,”
Travis poked his head in and smiled as he watched me fuss with my hair. “Wanna grab dinner?” he asked.
America stood up to look at herself in the mirror, combing her fingers through her golden hair. “Shep wants to check out that new Mexican place downtown if you guys wanna go.”
Travis shook his head. “I thought me and Pidge could go alone tonight.”
“I’m going out with Parker.”
“Again?” he said, annoyed.
“Again,” I said in a sing-song voice.
The door bell rang, and I hurried past Travis to open the door. Parker stood in front of me, his naturally wavy blonde hair sitting atop his cleanly shaven face.
“Do you ever look less than gorgeous?” Parker asked.
“Based on the first time she came over here, I’m going to say yes,” Travis said from behind me.
I rolled my eyes and smiled, holding up a finger to Parker to signal him to wait. I turned and threw my arms around Travis. He stiffened with surprise and then relaxed, pulling me tight against him.
I looked into his eyes and smiled. “Thanks for organizing my birthday party. Can I take a rain check on dinner?”
A dozen emotions scrolled across Travis’ face, and then the corners of his mouth turned up. “Tomorrow?”
I squeezed him and grinned. “Absolutely.” I waved to him as Parker grabbed my hand.
“What was that about?” Parker asked.
“We haven’t been getting along lately. That was my version of an olive branch.”
“Should I be worried?” he asked, opening my door.
“No,” I smiled, kissing his cheek.