Page 63 of Anything (Mayberry University #1)

That night, Leo’s jacket smells like popcorn.

I pull it tighter to keep out the chill and find a box of nerds in the pocket.

He nods easily, so I tear them open. The night sky is celebrating our first night back on campus with a rare lack of clouds.

Austin would want to plop down right here and watch the stars?—

I shake the thought away.

Rather than meeting up, Leo left his scooter on Flooders so he could walk with me on his own two legs. He stuffs his goose bumped arms into his pockets, uncovering today’s punny shirt. An orange looks at a glass of orange juice and says, “Mom?”

With a giggle, I tug the hem of his shirt. “I like this one. It’s too dark for your personality—oddly adorable.”

His nervous smile draws me in like the first time I talked to him on Flooders. After like three months together, he still gets tongue-tied. He still stares when he thinks I’m not looking.

I grin back and ramble about my calc professor until a For Sale sign catches my eye outside Davidson Hall. Spin a slow 360. One outside Turner Hall too. A phone number is handwritten in sharpie at the bottom of each. “Leo, look.”

“Yeah, there’s one at Albert too.”

“Who’s number is on there? We should text it.”

“Uh, not sure.”

For now, I snap a picture. I’ll ask Austin. He’ll know the extent of the prank and who’s pulling it. He’ll probably know who’s number that is. I bet it’s already in his phone?—

I straighten. No Austin. I’m with Leo.

Okay, yes, dating a guy who barely scrapes into second place in my heart might be a crime against basic human decency.

A war crime, even. But Leo is exactly the kind of guy I should like.

What am I supposed to do? Sit back and watch Austin casually date his way through the entire campus?

I refuse to live out the lyrics of a tragic Taylor Swift song.

If I’m going to survive this pathetic, messy, unrequited crush on my best friend, I have to act.

So I’m aiming toward liking a guy who’s good for me.

This is healthy. Right? If I just give it some more time, this could blossom into something good for both of us.

The problem is, moving on is like trying to untangle a knot that tightens the harder I pull. Austin is a walking paradox, and that’s part of the problem. A boulder of muscles on the outside hiding a soft, gooey inside. The sweetest smile laced with an edge of mischief. Gentle eyes that smolder?—

At this exact moment, Leo halts at the chapel and jerks all 100% into a chicken peck kiss—not the 90% Hitch recommends. I freeze, wildly unprepared for our first kiss. My first instinct is to lean in and help him aim this time, but something stops me.

Is that you?

An involuntary montage plays in my head. Peeta, Jacob, Lon, Prince Maxon. The Nice Boys Club—sweet, cautious, predictable, tame. I’ve yelled at them all, “What are you doing with your life? Find someone who actually appreciates you!”

Stepping away, I bite my lips together and let the pieces fall into place.

He deserves so much better than my nonsense.

I can’t steal another kiss from this sweet, oblivious guy.

Leo is a dream. Just not mine. I lift my eyes to his vulnerable, boyish face and one thing is certain—I can’t act on this epiphany now.

Guilt prickles my skin. Dumping someone after an awkward first kiss? Cruel.

My gaze drifts to Griffin Hall. I have no one to process this with.

Kit would blame herself for Leo getting hurt, and I don’t need her puppy dog eyes.

I mean, Sir Levi himself decided “Oh, actually, I do date” with one glance at her.

What does she know about not settling? Mia has no patience for romance woes.

And Austin. He’s already the best friend I’ve ever had.

I’d tell him almost anything. But not about this. Not one flying chance.

Austin is selfless, compassionate, generous, gentle—but never “nice.” There’s a wildness to him.

A spontaneity. A force of will. Still, I’ve never seen a better friend, a more sacrificial floormate and son.

He cares so deeply, gives so wholly. My chest constricts.

Surely there’s another one of him out there.

With a swivel back to Leo’s searching eyes, I blurt out, “Cool.” What? I have to get out of here. “Thanks for the … walk. I’m headed to MSC, so I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?” I fumble his jacket off my shoulders and hold it out to him.

He droops like a puppet whose strings were forgotten. “I’ll walk you over there.”

“Thanks, but I’m … going to call someone on the way over. Adios y vaya con Dios!” I call, Zac Brown Band-style.

Not helping. Tone it down, Sophie.

That sad smile. I know. I’m horrible. But I don’t know how to fix anything right now, so all I can manage to do is hightail it across campus.

I’ll break up with him soon. I will. A familiar ache settles beneath my temples, and my pace slows.

What am I thinking? I have no business dumping a quality guy like Leo.

I’m a frantic, aimless, medium-flavored wreck from a dysfunctional family.

Not exactly an appealing resume to an Austin-type.

I pull out my phone to call Mia.

“Hello?” She’s all business.

“Hi roomie! Miss me?”

“Absolutely, but why are you calling?”

“Just wanted to see if we could do the lake tonight instead of a movie.”

“Kit’s with Levi, so let’s do tomorrow instead,” she says.

“Should’ve known,” I grumble. Behold the new normal.

“You sure there’s no emergency? You text. You’ve literally never called me before.”

“All good here! Oh—while I have you, is there a for sale sign outside Griffin Hall?”

“Nope. Just the buildings with dude floors. I heard it’s A1’s prank and they covered their tracks with a sign outside their own building.”

“What’s with the phone number?” I ask.

“Don’t know yet. You’re gonna text it, aren’t you?”

“Duh. Unless Austin can clear it up for me.”

“Figured. See you in the suite later.”

“See you in a bit!”

A punch of the red button. Phone call, check.

Our student center, aka MSC, is three stories of fun including a coffee shop, movie rooms, and The Hive, home of greasy chicken goodness that’s free with meal punches.

Austin is their best late-night customer.

He looks like a bear—broad-shouldered, with a curly, brown mess of hair—and he eats like one too.

Always stocking up before hibernating in his dorm each night, lest he wake up hungry mid-sleep.

But by this time, he’s usually gone, which means my trip here has maybe a 15% chance of seeing him. Even if I do, I’ll have to avoid the topics of his computer tutorial with Pretty Redhead and my epiphany kiss. Yes, I’m great at making a mess of things.

I haul MSC’s door open and pan around the mostly empty first floor. He’s not here—probably into some kind of dude mayhem on his floor Flooders. Leo will join in when he gets back. This kind of social overlap is unavoidable on the tiny Mayberry campus. I guess it’s part of the charm.

Maybe I’ll text Austin. Just in case.

At a ding , I check my phone. Sophie.

No chicken tonight?

I text back,

On my way there

There now!

Jackpot. Love me some chicken, but if Sophie’s there, anything else is just gravy.