Death May Disagree

Chapter 9

I invite Demi to the library over text the next week, where Winston and I are doing homework. She shows up after declining multiple times, saying things at Lambda Theta Alpha have been hectic since getting back. If it's time she needs to recover from Jason, I know she wouldn't say. I'm just glad I got to see her, even though it's been an hour and I only have time to get something from the vending machines.

I wave goodbye to Winston, who walks in the opposite direction. We're not in any of the same classes, but we have the same gap in our Wednesday schedule, which we use for studying.

"How's everything going?" I ask Demi.

"It's crazy. Well, not crazy. Spring will get crazy because six girls are graduating. One just graduated so we have an opening for rush."

"Oh my gosh, your first rush!"

We get to the vending machine and push the buttons for a granola bar. I have five minutes before I need to go find a seat in my auditorium-sized classroom. Class doesn't start in another fifteen minutes but I want to secure the best seat.

"Before I go, how are you and Jason?" I ask.

"We're fine," she says. "He says it's not so feasible for him to drive down, with all that's going on with school and his fraternity and swimming, so we're going to double up on Skype."

My initial response is to frown, so I freeze the muscles of my mouth. That's as weak a reason as not feeling well. I want to tell her that Milo's dad doesn't come for the major holidays and that it tears him up, even if he doesn't admit it. But I don't because he told me that in confidence, so I make do with asking the question, "does he have stuff going on during the holidays?"

"It's a really long drive," she says.

I want to say it's a drive that she made for him for Thanksgiving, and that the very reason she did was because they agreed that she comes up for Thanksgiving and he drives down for Christmas, but I don't.

"As long as you're okay with the arrangement," I say, because even if I have my reservations, I like the idea of a romance that lasts.

"I am. I mean, we knew long distance was going to be like this," she says with a laugh. "And he said he was sorry."

I think about texting Milo after class about what happened with Demi and Jason, but I'd be stepping over the line. Although it's their business, I can't shake the feeling that Jason didn't correct the situation. He just went back to what they were already doing, and I know Milo would agree with me. Still, Milo did say that Demi had to leave it up to Jason. It's not our place to do anything about them if this is truly Jason's way of salvaging the relationship. And not to mention, Demi seemed happy about it. If it works, then it works. Three years together is too long a time to discard.

"What are you thinking about with such a pained expression?" Doom asks. He's run up to me on my way to the cafeteria, materializing somewhere behind a tree or building. It's crowded so he has to be careful where he emerges from black smoke.

"Doom!" I almost scream, pulling him into a hug. "Happy New Year! I haven't seen you since last year!"

"Yes, all's well and good. Now what were you thinking about?"

"Oh, just some drama between Demi and her boyfriend," I say quietly, unsure of how to put it.

"Over what?"

"College, I guess." I really don't know the details.

Doom scratches his chin. "Go on."

I scan the faces of the students walking in the opposite direction, making sure Demi or someone who knows Demi isn't listening before I relay everything to Doom.