Page 4 of Quarterback Sneak

She just shrugs. “I’ve got nothing else to do right now.”

“Okay.”

We start down the hall, and several girls call out greetings to her. I take in a deep breath when we step outside. It’s hot and sticky, but at least it’s outside. I've always loved being outside, and right now, I need the feel of the sun on my face. I slide my sunglasses onto my face and consult my map of the campus. Sam snatches it from my hand. “You don’t need that, not when you’re with me.” I fight back the urge to grab it back; I really wanted the map, but I know I can get another one later. “Where do you want to go first?” she asks.

"I was going to walk to where each of my classes are held.”

She glances over at me, but I can’t see her eyes behind her dark shades. “Where’s your first class?”

I look at my list of classes. “The first one is in Atherton Hall.” She nods and takes off. We walk all over campus, and I take notes on my phone.

“Okay, that’s literally everything you need to know for now.” I make a mental note to wear comfortable shoes every day. I knew the campus was large, but it’s a lot more walking than I realized, not that I’m complaining. I enjoy walking. “Can we eat now? I’m starving!”

I glance over at Sam. “Oh sure. We’re not far from the dining hall, right?”

“What? Ew, no. I’m not eating there.”

I turn to her, a little surprised. “Where are you going to eat?”

“I don’t know yet; I haven’t decided. Probably Panera, or maybe Taco Shack.”

“Oh. How many restaurants do they have here?”

“Girl, they have like thirty restaurants.”

I knew there were several, but I knew I wouldn’t be eating at them often because of that little thing called money. Speaking of money, I needed to check online to see if there are any leads on the jobs I applied for. “I think I’ll check out one of the dining halls.”

“No, no you won’t,” she says, sticking her arm through mine. “I’m saving you from yourself and the stomach pain you will have later on.” She guides me inside what looks like a mall. Surprisingly, the inside is pretty similar to a mall. There are several restaurants, and it’s set up like a food court at the mall. Seeing the familiar signs of so many places I recognize helps ease the nervousness inside me, especially when I see a particular one. “Where are you going to eat?” Sam asks.

I nod across the way. “Panda Express.”

“I’m going to grab tacos. Meet me in the middle.” With that, she disappears into the crowd. I head towards Panda and breathe deeply when I get close. Panda Express is literally my favorite place; I could eat orange chicken every day and never get tired of it. I don’t allow myself to regret my purchase as I head to a table in the center of the building. I can’t do this often, but I figure a little splurge on my first day is okay. I find Sam at a table and head her way, taking in the back of some guy’s head as I go. He’s sitting next to Sam, and I can’t figure out if he has food and is eating with us or just stopped by for a moment to chat. When I get close, I realize with a start that it’s the guy I ran into.

Sam sees me coming and kicks out the chair across from her. “Jace decided to join us.”

Jace.I lock in his name as I sit down, so I don’t forget. When I look at him, his eyes are already on me. “Hey,” I manage to say.

“Hey, Evie,” he says with a smirk, that I’m beginning to see is his norm. “How was the campus tour?”

I don’t look Sam’s way. “It was good.” The first bite of orange chicken hits my tongue, and flavor bursts across my tongue. I resist the urge to moan out loud, mostly because that would be humiliating, but it’s good enough that I could.

“You like it, I take it,” Jace says.

I swallow my bite. “Panda Express is my favorite.”

“Good to know.”

I glance over at Sam, but she’s engrossed on her phone. It’s quiet a moment, and I rack my brain for what to say. “What year are you, Jace?”

“Junior,” he responds easily. “I’d ask you, but I already know.”

I grimace. “Am I that easy to figure out?”

“Most freshman are, but don’t worry. You'll get the hang of things around here pretty fast.”

“I hope so.” I take a few more bites and wonder if he’s just going to sit here and watch me eat. “Are you not going to eat?” I finally ask.

“I ate earlier; I’m good.”