Page 31 of Lessons in Chemistry

My heart quivers.

“Did you grow up in Leeds?” Auggie asks.

“No. Lancaster.”

“How come you and Casey decided to come here to study?”

“Leeds is a good university. One of the best in the country for the courses we wanted to do. It’s far enough away from home to feel like we’ve gone somewhere, but not so far that we can’t go back and visit for a day. Sunday is the only day Casey doesn’t have swimming-related commitments.”

“You always go home together?”

“It makes sense to.” I haven’t thought about how weird that might be to an outsider until now. “What about you?”

“I’m from London. As for why I picked Leeds, I hoped two hundred miles was far enough to keep my parents off my back. I should have gone to Scotland.”

“You don’t get on?” I know the answer, but the last few times his parents have come up in conversation, he’s changed the subject.

“That’s the understatement of the century. We disagree on most things, especially where my life and how I live it is concerned. They think I’m a slacker and that I need to settle down and get serious about my future.”

“What do you think?”

“University is meant to be about partying and having fun as much as it is about studying. Maybe I am a slacker, but life’s too short not to have fun.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shrugs. “It’s fine. It’s not your fault. Unless you’re secretly one of Dad’s spies?”

I widen my eyes. “Spies?”

“Dad has the dean of the university in his pocket. I think the dean has Dad on speed dial. I expect he’s given a sizeable donation to the university in order to find out how many lectures I’m skipping each week and how bad my grades are.”

“That’s—” I have no words.

“That’s my dad. Micromanager extraordinaire. I think he would have preferred a clone of himself rather than a son with free will.”

I gasp.

“I’m not going to stop partying and having fun. Which reminds me, I’m going to throw a party at mine on Friday night. Bring alcohol and Casey if you want.”

“I’ll pass, but thanks.”

“Suit yourself. Parties aside, I do need to figure out how to at least pass this stupid degree.”

“I can help. I’m happy to keep tutoring you.”

Auggie smiles. “Thanks. For the record, that’s not why I’m spending time with you or cooking dinner for you tonight. I like you. You’re fun to be around.”

I look at the tiled floor. “I’ve been called a lot of things, but fun to be around isn’t one of them.”

“I bet Casey thinks you are.”

“That’s different.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s Casey. He’s been my friend forever. Neither of us is massively into partying. He doesn’t have time to, and I’ve never been interested.” I rub my neck. “And now you’re probably not interested in me anymore.”

“What makes you say that?”