Once he was covered, I realized I was just standing there like a deer in headlights. I looked at Austin’s face to see him grinning at me. The crackle of him knowing I was checking him out made me flush.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and then turned so he wouldn’t see my red cheeks. I started digging in my bag for my phone, but then realized I should just carry the whole thing as a purse. It had a charger, my money, my ID, and an umbrella. I took my laptop out and set it on Austin’s desk.

After he slipped his shoes on, I watched him notice the computer. “We’re going to have to lock that up.”

He pointed to the big drawer in his desk and then went to a book on the shelf. He moved a book, and between the volumes, there was a small key. He tossed it to me and I snatched it out of the air.

I’d not even locked up my computer in the dorms with stupid Roberta. I waited to see if I'd get an explanation. I didn’t. I was willing to bet it had everything to do with Endgame.

After my laptop was secure, Austin locked his bedroom door behind us. Oh, something was definitely up. Endgame’s door was closed as well, but I could hear some low bass coming from deep inside the room.

Austin’s eyes flit to the doorway and held for a beat, before he strode to the door and held it open for me.

I wasn’t sure if we were asking Endgame to come with us. It was going to be tricky, because he’d showed up to help move my stuff in the Great Naked Migration. Was he part of the friend group? If they were broken up, why was he still living here?

Instead of asking those burning questions, I let Austin close the door behind me.

* * *

AUSTIN

Taylor set her shoulders back and readjusted her backpack. She had questions, I could tell. Hell, I had questions. I was glad she decided to come to the birthday party so I didn’t have to explain to her that she would never be able to stay in the apartment with Endgame alone. It just couldn’t happen.

Endgame was not a good man. Not even close. Part of what drew me to him was the fact I knew I should stay away. I had to lock up valuables, for fuck’s sake, because I had things go missing. Sometimes they would turn back up, but sometimes they didn’t.

Endgame’s “friends” were a dicey group from way back in the day. Some he met in jail, some he met selling drugs, but all were shit at making good choices. Taylor’s rose gold MacBook Air would certainly find its way out the door.