Page 157 of Lessons in Chemistry

“Get student loans like the rest of us so you’re not beholden to them. Join us in debt hell,” Emory says.

I laugh because I know he’s cheering me up. “I’m halfway through my degree. It doesn’t make sense to swap now. I don’t want to do anything science related at all, but that’s what I’d need to do to use any of the credits I’ve already racked up.” I take a breath. “No. I’ll finish it. I doubt I’ll pass with a two-one, but I will stay in Leeds and get a degree. With or without Dad’s support.”

Casey hugs me tighter.

“I’ll help with your course,” Emory reiterates.

“We’ve got your back,” Casey says.

I squeeze Emory’s knee. “Thanks. I’m one lucky guy.” I sit up and waggle my fingers for the controller, which he hands to me. “I’m back in the game, Ash,” I announce.

He looks over his shoulder and grins. “Great. We’re about to get to a hard bit. Are you ready?”

I briefly look into Emory’s eyes and then Casey’s, smiling at them both. Then I focus all my attention on the game. “I’m ready.”

29

EMORY

We see the New Year in at Auggie’s house and stay there for the next two weeks enjoying spending time with each other. We go on day trips and dates, as well as cuddle, talk, watch films, and binge-watch TV shows. It’s nice to have those two weeks with nothing else to worry about. No lectures. No essays to write. No swimming practice for Casey.

The spring term starts in mid-January. I convince Auggie to go to every lecture, tutorial, and lab session and do the reading for them as well. I think it helps that we get to do it together. Casey joins our study sessions when he can, which also encourages him to keep on top of things. But the best moments of each day are the ones we spend together, doing nothing.

Before I know it, the first two weeks of term have flown by, and we’re in February. The weather is dark, cold, and wet, and we even have a few snow flurries, although it never lies.

We come home from university one Tuesday to find a letter from our landlord in our mailbox.

“What does it say?” Casey asks as I open it.

Auggie is here too, sorting out the shopping we stopped to do on the way home so he can cook for us tonight.

I scan the letter. “She wants to know if we’re planning on staying here next year. If so, we’ll have to pay a retainer over the summer. If not, she’ll put the place up for rent.”

“Are we staying here?” Casey asks.

I shrug and put the letter back in the envelope. “I don’t know. Are we?”

Auggie, who is still in the kitchen, laughs. “Answering a question with a question isn’t helpful.”

Casey and I join him and help to put things away.

“It depends on what you want to do,” I say.

Auggie raises his eyebrows. “Me?”

“Well, all of us, really.”

He stops, turns, and leans against a low cupboard. “What are you saying?”

I inhale deeply. “Casey’s dad suggested we might decide to move in together next year. We need to think about whether or not that’s what we want.”

No one speaks. I’ll admit, making decisions about September in February is scary, but if we do want to move, we’ll need to look for somewhere before everywhere gets snatched up. The student housing market can be a blood bath. This time last year, there was no doubt in my mind that Casey and I would live together in our second year. Not that I have doubts now. Not really. It’s just that September is seven months away, and the three of us have only been together for three. While I do think about a future with Casey and Auggie, those thoughts have been abstract. Deciding to move in together would be concrete.

Casey stands beside Auggie, arms folded, staring at the floor. “We pretty much lived together over Christmas and didn’t kill each other.”

Auggie and I chuckle.

“We spent most of it at mine,” Auggie notes.