Page 23 of Let's Talk About Love

“My online class. I forgot a quiz was due and my already dismal grade plummeted.” A truth, but not the current truth. That had actually happened months ago because that syllabus had been a complicated beast to be reckoned with.

“Once, I had a 99.7 percent in one class and then I bombed a test. My grade dropped to 89 percent. I cried for a week.” Essie shuddered. “I do not miss school or that level of anxiety.”

“When did your class start?” Takumi asked.

After taking a moment to center herself (woosah), Alice glanced at him.

Takumi had parted his hair on the left side, creating a slight pompadour to the right with sides closely cropped to his head. The asymmetry complemented his already balanced features and clean-shaven jaw.

Looking at him stressed Alice all the way out. That stupidly beautiful man was slowly giving her high blood pressure. Steam was mere moments from spewing out of her ears.

But.

But.

That was it. Nothing else happened.

Alice’s lips ticked up into a smile, her breath came out as an excited laugh. She was fine. She was herself again. “A while ago.”

“Do you still have time to fix your grade?” Takumi asked, eyes on her.

The head rush of eye contact hit her hard—Alice felt warm all over, her face blazing from the intensity. That was what had been driving her over the deep end. If she didn’t look him in the eye, maybe she’d have a shot at normal interaction.

“Probably not,” she said, busying herself with grabbing her time card. “I have a good feeling that I’m going to skim by with a C minus.”

“Whoa, don’t get too ambitious,” Takumi said, tone light.

“Initially, I had hoped for a B, but after I read the first chapter in the textbook, I had to check myself.” She clocked in, returning her card to its spot.

“It can’t be that bad,” he continued, moving to stand next to her.

“It can and it is. I am not a science person.”

“What kind of person are you?”

She stared at the ceiling in mock contemplation. “The kind that likes to stay indoors and watch TV. I think I get it from my grandma. She never missed her stories, you know, soap operas. I’m like that. Except with Hulu’s entire catalog and I’m not waiting for retirement to start.”

He laughed. “I meant academically. What’s your major?”

“Oh. Oops.” She shrugged. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Aren’t you a sophomore?”

Alice bristled. “It’s not uncommon to wait until junior year to declare. Besides, I’m still knocking out my general ed.”

“I didn’t declare until the end of my junior year, actually.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Let’s just say I know exactly how much online classes suck, especially taking two at a time when they’re only three weeks long. Four separate times so I could catch up.”

“That’s madness.”

“I had to graduate on time.”

“You two do know I’m still standing here, right?” Essie asked, eyes darting between them. “And you’re both already clocked in?”

They turned to her.