Three Little Words

“Oh my God, I’ve created a monster.”

“Mmm, a waffle and penis monster!”

Chapter 17

Christy and I picked up our class schedules and went through the usual paper chase on Wednesday. We both had scholarships, so we had the extra fun of a visit to the Financial Aid office. The University seemed to make everything as difficult and time-consuming as possible, except the part where we signed the checks and they got their money. (Everyone called it the Big Orange Screw for a reason. But I digress.)

Classes started on Thursday, and Gracie and I were both in Joska’s design class. Again. She didn’t ignore me, but her expression would’ve made the Great Sphinx proud. I shrugged and slid into a seat next to Freddie and a couple of other friends.

My classes on Friday were full of the usual faces and assignments as well. Trip and I had Mechanical Systems together, and we went to the gym afterward. Sadly, we didn’t get to enjoy Christy and Wren’s company afterward, since they were both in class.

He and I chatted about Sayuri’s boarding house on the way home and stopped by to check it out. The foreman wasn’t happy to see us, especially since it was almost quitting time, but he gave us a tour and brought us up to date on the schedule. The man annoyed me to no end, but his crew did good work and didn’t waste time or money.

Later that evening Trip and Wren went out to dinner and a movie. Christy and I weren’t in the mood to cook anything elaborate, so we made a salad and ate fish sticks and French fries. We’d been so busy with our lives lately that it felt like we hadn’t spent five minutes together since the trip home from California.

Over dinner we talked about our schedules. She was taking two extra classes to help make up for the quarter she’d missed after Laurence’s death.

One of them was a sham class, although it was allowed by the University rules. Siobhan had approved her for an Independent Study, which was basically a way for Christy to earn course credit for work she’d have to do anyway. Her other class was real enough, though, Japanese Literature in English Translation.

“I have a ton of reading and writing to do for it,” she said. “I’m going to live in front of your computer.”

“Funny you should mention that.”

“Why? What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve been thinking… We haven’t really seen each other since we got back. We’re like two ships passing in the night.”

“You can say that again.”

“Mmm hmm. And I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I, but I need all these classes if I want to graduate on time.”

“Then we’ll have to find some other way to spend time together.”

“When?” she said plaintively. “I’m in class or working on my portfolio all day. I barely have time to do aerobics with Wren, and we’re talking about going to the pool in the morning before class, since it’s the only time we’re both available.”

Wren was swamped with work as well, since she’d decided at the last minute to do an honors thesis. Trip was taking an extra class too, accounting, on top of his full load of architecture courses. He was determined to get a business minor, against Professor Joska’s advice.

“Besides,” he’d said, “I’m playing the system. It’s a free class. Tuition’s the same whether I take twelve hours or twenty.”

I was the only one with a normal course load, although “normal” was entirely subjective for anyone taking a design class with Joska.

I returned my thoughts to Christy and said, “Maybe we should live together.”

“What’re you talking about? We already live together.”

“No, we live in the same house.”

“So? What’s the dif—?” Her eyes widened. Then she blushed. “Are you asking what I think you are?”

“I’m asking you to move in with me. To my bedroom. Full-time. I have space in my closet and can clear out a couple of drawers in my dresser.”

“We can’t. I mean, what’ll we tell my parents?”

“We don’t have to tell them anything. You’re an adult.”

“But… we can’t. This is a big deal. I thought we were taking baby steps!”

“Look,” I said gently, “I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. We haven’t slept together since Tahoe, and I miss it. I miss you.”

“I miss you too, but… you don’t know what you’re asking.”

“Of course I do. I’m asking you to move in with me.”

“What… what if you don’t like it?”

“Then we’d better find out now,” I laughed. “Seriously. I want to try living with you. I mean, sharing a house is one thing, but—”

“Sharing a bed is another! It’s… living in sin.”

“So? Trip and Wren do it and they’re fine.”

“They aren’t Catholic!”

“Danny and Sabrina are.”

“She’s Episcopal.”

“Semantics,” I said dismissively. “He’s Catholic.”

“Yeah, lapsed!”

I wanted to point out that Christy was too, but that wouldn’t help my argument.

“Besides,” she said, “he’s a guy.” She held up a hand before I could reply. “I know what you’re going to say, but men and women are different.”

“Maybe on the outside, but—”

“On the inside too. I’m… not like Danny. I’m not like you, for that matter. I can’t just sleep with someone whenever I feel like it.”