For the Streets

Eight

Karim gave me an unreadable expression as we walked to Theatre class. "Is it true?"

I looked up at him. He'd been uncharacteristically quiet nearly the entire walk, so him asking such a random question had me confused. "Is what true?"

"You and Logan King... apparently you guys are a thing."

"Uh, what? Where'd you hear that from?" I frowned.

"Come on, Deja." Karim rolled his eyes. "Everyone's talking about it."

"Who's everyone?"

"Deja, just answer the fucking question!" Karim nearly exclaimed, before saying something clearly rude in French. I was taken aback by the sharpness in his tone.

"Who do you think you're talking to like that?" I snapped right back. We grabbed the attention of a few, as we passed one of the dining halls. I immediately dropped my voice. "What's going on between Logan and me is between us and only us. Where's this hostility coming from?"

Karim became defensive. "Deja, I just wanted to know! We're friends. You're supposed to talk to your friends..."

"Not when my friends are coming at me sideways, I'm not!"

"It's just kinda odd how you've been spending so much time with the one athlete who isn't fucking everything that moves. So either you two are together or..."

"Or it's none of your business." I was growing annoyed. Karim and I were close, but not that close. It wasn't out of his character to be nosy, but the hostility was new. We finally made it inside the building. "Stop listening to rumors all the time. Why are you even asking me this?"

Karim suddenly stopped walking. "Look, I have a lot of... catching up I need to do for my coding class. I think I'm gonna skip this lecture today."

"Karim--"

"I'll see you back in Harper." I watched him walk out of Squires and felt nothing but confusion. Where the hell did that come from? Karim was usually so nonchalant.

I scoffed and climbed the stairs to the lecture hall. I sat down in my usual seat-- choosing not to care about the empty one beside me. I pulled my laptop out and went to my Fashion Nova account, waiting patiently for our professor to arrive.

"Where's your friend?"

I looked up at the sound of the familiar voice. I fought a smile from forming as I met Logan's bright hazel eyes.

"He skipped."

"Ah..." He nodded. "So this seat's free?"

I shrugged casually, but the smile made its way through. "All yours."

Logan let his book bag drop on the floor, sitting beside me in the seat. I heard a quiet whisper and glanced behind me to see a group of girls staring.

"Here's your bandana back." I said, handing him the folded fabric.

He took it and stuffed it in his book bag. "Thanks. How's your day been?"

"Exhausting." I sighed. "My 8am felt so long today, since I actually went on time."

"You have an 8am on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with you working so late on Mondays and Wednesdays? Wow."

I nodded. "I hate the class, because it's just shit I already know. I really like my professor though, so I stick it out."

"That's really impressive of you." He complimented. "I hate waking up early."

"Well, what's your schedule like? You must be extremely busy with football."