Page 60 of Burn Bright

“I don’t want to bore you.”

“If I were bored, I’d have already left, Fisher. What’s on your to-do list?”

I hold up my hand, fingers splayed, and I start by counting off my thumb. “One. I need an undergrad research position, which I secured this morning with Dr. Venison’s research lab.”

His brows rise. “Dr. Venison?”

“Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with Bambi.”

“I’m relieved because I was definitely thinking you were dissecting poor Bambi’s mom.” He waves me forward with the drumstick. “Continue.”

I avoid telling him I will be dissecting mice. I’m not sure Vegan Ben will approve, and not getting his approval suddenly feels about as spectacular as swallowing nitric acid.

“Two.” I list off my next finger. “Volunteer at the hospital. I applied this morning, and there will likely be an interview process later. Three: Join a club. Four: Get a shadowing position.”

Shadowing is the holy grail of a perfect resume, and it’s also incredibly difficult to find a doctor willing to let some undergradshadow them. Most of the time students whose parents are doctors or who have connections in the hospital get these shadowing positions. It’s a “who you know” atmosphere that doesn’t benefit me…yet.

“Five: Be accepted into the Honors House by the end of the semester. That involves submitting an application, going to their events, completing their rigorous exam, and hopefully getting brownie points with the current members, who have all sorts of connections into the medical field. And six?—”

“Jesus, there’s a six?” Ben’s grimacing.

“The MCAT,” I say, using my other hand to count. “I’m currently a sophomore, and I’ll be taking the test spring of my junior year. That means I have a little over a year to study, so I have to start now.” I drop my arms completely, and I feel horrible for a second. I didn’t scare him away by being an asshole to his brother, but I surely have scared him away now that he knows what little free time I have.

He stands up like he’s ready to leave. “Okay,” he says, grabbing his blue bookbag from the floor. My heart might as well be at my feet. Why…why did I have to go and ruin thisonegood thing?He needed to know my reality,I remind myself.

He slips the bookbag strap over his shoulder and gives me a long expectant look. “You coming?”

I frown. “What?”

“Number three. Join a club. You didn’t say you’ve done it yet, so let’s go join a club.” He pauses before he adds, “Preferably not chess, though. Is that all right?”

I don’t ask why. My heart has risen from my feet and nestled back inside my chest. I feel high as I grab my backpack from the closet and follow him out the door.

Despite living in the twenty-first century and the internet being a true essential, clubs are advertised on a bulletin in the student center. So Ben and I are back on campus in a little study room with glass walls and a conference table. Colorful fliers with meeting locations and times are push-pinned into a corkboard.

His bodyguard waits silently at the door, but barely anyone roams the halls. It’s a Friday night during the second week of college. Most students are probably having dorm parties or occupied with rush.

“Badminton Club?” Ben points to a bright yellow flyer.

“Sadly, I have never picked up a racquet of any kind.” I see him eyeing the Ultimate Frisbee Club. “In fact…let’s just steer clear of sports altogether. I don’t remember the last time I did a push up.”

He laughs. “You’d probably fit in better with my family than I do.”

“Ihighlydoubt that. I lived out of my car, remember?”

“Are we going to talk about that?” he asks me, tilting his head. “You were only seventeen.” I bet he’s wondering where my parents were at that point.

“Sixteen, actually,” I say under my breath. “I called my Honda my home at sixteen.” I add more loudly, “And there’s nothing to talk about since I’m no longer living out of my car.”

“Hmm…okay.” He nods a couple times. “I’ll drop it for now.”

It’s harder to tear my eyes off his baby blues. I’m trying not to be totally enamored with Ben, but he knows just how much to pry and let go at the right times. I like that about him. I don’t think I have that skill.

Social butterflies are an interesting species. I could learn from him, but more so, I just really love being around him.

I force myself to focus, trying to search the bulletin board. But my head is somewhere else entirely. “So tell me about your brothers. If I’m going to see them tonight, I guess I should know more about them from a better source than Wikipedia.”

His smile expands to new degrees.