Page 6 of Mr. Brightside

I nod, appreciative of his work ethic, for sure. But I’m not as concerned about the schedule for the night as I am about my friend.

Well, maybe the word friend is pushing it. Cory and I aren’t exactly friends. We’re more than acquaintances, though, considering we’re intimately acquainted with each other’s bodies.

We had a thing a few years back—a really fucking hot thing, if I’m honest—but it fizzled after a few epic hookups. I don’t even know what happened back then. But I do remember Cory going cold on me out of nowhere. He’s best friends with Lia, so I have to assume they got together and realized I wasn’t kidding when I said I wasn’t interested in anything exclusive.

The way I used to cycle through partners meant I had multiple options most nights. A few years ago, I could have taken applications for the position of last-minute spouse. Now I’m struggling just to come up with a candidate.

I watch him run a hand through his jet-black hair, messing up the perfectly coifed style. He doesn’t even bother trying to fix it. Nowthathas me concerned. Cory’s usually so put together. Right now, he’s a wreck.

I sidle up to the bar and lean back, ready to use my best bartender listening skills if that’ll help him shake out of this funk.

“You want to talk about it?” I ask.

Lia obviously knows what’s going on with him, or at the very least, that somethingisgoing on with him. But sometimes it helps to talk things out with someone who isn’t as close to a situation.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” he deadpans, sitting up to full height to meet my gaze. His irises are darker than normal—ebony and cold. He’s locking it down. I know, because I do that shit, too.

“Got it. No worries, man. I’ll be around most of the night, so if there’s anything I can do for you, let me know.”

I move to push off the bar and head to the kitchen when his words make me falter.

He lets out a sardonic chuckle. “Thanks. But unless you know of any open graduate assistantships or have an extra twenty grand laying around, I think I’m all set.”

I freeze where I stand.

I feel like I was just hit with an airbag.

My senses are numb from the impact, but I know with every fiber of my being that what he just said is a big deal. My limbs tingle in anticipation of what this means. Of what he might need. Of what could be.

I turn slowly as not to startle him and to give myself a few extra seconds to think. Is this my opening? Is the universe actually conspiring to help me?

I have no idea how to play this. All I know is that I’ve got to line it up perfectly to stand a chance.

“Why do you need twenty grand?”

I aim to sound emotionless, unassuming. I try my hardest not to let curiosity, judgment, or hope cloud my tone. Especially not hope.

He sighs again. His exhale fuels my anxiety. It’s as if he’s blowing out his stress and handing it all to me. If he gets defensive, or if he really doesn’t want to answer me… I’m back to square one. I can barely breathe as I wait for his reply.

The tension between us grows more volatile as the seconds tick by. If he shoots down the conversation before I know the full story, there’s nothing I can do.

Finally, he speaks.

“I just found out my graduate assistantship was revoked because of funding issues in the department.”

Shit. I don’t know what any of that means. I forgot that Cory’s a bit of a brainiac. He’s been in school for years, and I think he’s studying to be a counselor or a psychologist or something.

“Uh, you’re gonna have to break that down for me. I don’t speak academia.”

He cocks one eyebrow and assesses me up and down. Almost as if he’s asking if I really want to hear this. I nod enthusiastically and take a few tentative steps closer.

“For the last two years, Holt has paid for all my graduate classes and given me a stipend through an on-campus job. It’s called a graduate assistantship. I help the head of the program with her classes.”

He wipes away an invisible piece of dust on the bar.

“It’s not that hard… just paperwork, advising appointments, and grading papers, mostly, and I love working with my boss. But I got a call today saying the department had to get rid of all their GA positions this year because of budget cuts at the state level.”

His shoulders slump. “I was literally a year away from graduating. And now I’m screwed.”