Page 40 of Hard Rock Love

13

Ididn’t know much about engineering, but I knew watching small machines bash each other to bits was a whole lot of fun.

“Aw yeah, come on little guy!” Seth called out from the spectator section in the large science lab. “Smash his face in!”

A dozen students had worked for months putting these machine together, and now they were letting them loose to destroy each other. All the other students who were watching from outside the makeshift fighting ring had all chosen their favorites and bets were being placed and won with every minute.

Seth had decided his favorite was a box-shaped little thing, barely bigger than two fists put together. It had started out as the underdog, but the tiny robot had some great maneuverability, and it was able to avoid the other robot attacks. It wasn’t big and hulking, but it was scrappy and persistent, and that was why it was currently in the lead.

I wasn’t surprised the thing was Seth’s favorite.

“Hell yeah!” Seth let out a cheer as it swung out a small lever arm and bopped its opponent on the head, sending the thing toppling to the ground, leaving it the sole champion.

Seth turned to me with a cocky grin.

“I always know how to pick a winner,” he said confidently.

Seth nudged a guy in the shoulder, smirking in his face as the glowering man handed over a wad of bills. Seth stuck them in his pocket, looking pleased with himself.

“Don’t tell me you placed bets on that thing,” I told him.

“Okay, I won’t tell you.”

Well, I supposed if anyone could afford to lose a bet, it was Seth.

“Best study break ever,” he declared.

“I’m glad you think so.”

Seth’s mood had perked up considerably. He no longer had those drawn down eyebrows or that forced smile. He was back to his usual self.

It made me happier than it probably should have that I was able to help cheer him up like that.

“What do you say I buy us some food with my winnings?” he said.

“I’m supposed to pay this time, remember?” I told him.

“This doesn’t count,” he said. “It’s not dinner, it’s just food from the canteen. Besides, I only won the money because you suggested we come here.”

I conceded, not wanting to squabble over something as inconsequential as who paid for dinner.

“You’re getting that egg sandwich again, aren’t you?” I asked.

“Maybe,” he drawled out. “And let me guess. You’re getting ham and cheese?”

“It’s the safer of those two options.”

“Someday I’ll bring you over to the dark side,” Seth said. “You’ll come to see the glory of the egg salad sandwich.”

True to his word, Seth handed over the cash and bought us our food, including his egg sandwich, along with two bottles of water.

“Why don’t we head over there?” Seth said, pointing to a far spot on the other side of the quad. “I think there’s a gazebo there with a table. We can make this a true picnic.”

It was a secluded spot, nestled away from the rest of campus. Only freshmen really used the quad, and most of them stuck to the areas closest to the buildings, doing their readings or playing a quick game of Ultimate Frisbee.

I hadn’t realized how secluded it was until Seth and I were sitting at a wooden picnic table underneath a gazebo covered in ivy. The campus was hidden from sight by the greenery and I couldn’t hear any sounds of people chatting or laughing.

“Wow, it’s really quiet here,” Seth said, voicing my own thoughts. “I hadn’t realized how loud campus was until we got away from it.”