Page 45 of Inside Out

“You could join us for our walk. I know Howie wouldn’t mind.”

“I’ll call you when I get back in town.”

“Please do,” Rome said. The room would fill with students any second and there I sat staring at his lips, wishing we were alone. “I…um…need to get going. See you tonight.”

“Yo, Mr. S.,” Justin said, walking through the door. “What’s this I hear about a big science contest?”

Rome stood there with the trays in his hand, quirking a brow at me. “I’ll tell you all about it tonight.” He nodded and reluctantly headed for the door.

“Yo?” I asked Justin. “The nineties are calling, and they want their stupid vocabulary back.”

“Is it true about the contest?” he asked.

“I’m going to discuss it in class. Have a seat and be ready to turn in last night’s assignment.”

Justin gave me a mock salute, and I glanced up in time to get a wink from Rome before he walked through the door. I was already counting the minutes before I saw him again.