Bring Down the Stars

gestured around the quad. “No. During the Sock Boy years, you needed all the help you could get.”

“Fuck you,” I said.

But it had no bite to it. I owed him the earth for what he did during the Sock Boy years. He was my best friend and I loved him like a brother. He wasn’t much in the romance department but he didn’t need to be. He made girls feel good just by being around him. Seems like he made Autumn feel good, distracting her from her sadness, and he was into her.

That’s all that mattered.

Autumn

“You have a date,” Ruby said in a song-song voice. “With Connor Drake.”

I rolled my eyes at her through the bathroom mirror. She lay on her stomach on my bed, crossed ankles swinging.

“It’s not a date,” I said for the millionth time. “Some people are going to Yancy’s, and so are we. That’s all.”

“Some people including Connor.”

“Yes.”

“And he invited you.”

“We probably would’ve gone anyway.”

“My ass.” Ruby snorted. “In two years, I’ve never been able to drag you out on the first weekend after class starts.”

I shot her a stink-eye through the mirror. “We don’t need his invitation to go to a place we hang out at regularly.”

“Semi-regularly and God, you are so stubborn. And picky.” Ruby raised her eyebrows. “If this isn’t a date, why are you obsessing over what to wear?”

I fussed with my dress, the third one I’d tried on. It was navy blue with white flowers, flowing prettily around the knees with cute buttons up the front. A designer label I’d found squashed on a rack in a thrift store.

“I want to look nice,” I said, “but not like I’m dressing nice for him.”

“God forbid,” Ruby muttered.

I sagged and turned around to face my roommate. “This is a bad idea.”

Ruby sighed. “We’re going to hang out at Yancy’s and Connor might be there, just like you said. No pressure. Just try to have some fun.”

I nodded. “You’re right. I’m being silly. I’m not used to…casual.”

“Clearly.” Ruby rolled off the bed and joined me at the mirror. She looked effortlessly pretty in a black skirt and black blouse. She hadn’t straightened her hair, but let it spring from behind a colorful band.

She slung her arm around my shoulders. “Have a drink or two, get to know him. That’s it.”

“That’s it,” I said. “Two drinks, max. I’m on a budget and you know how I get when I drink too much.”

“I do,” Ruby said. “You get fun.”

I elbowed my friend then grabbed her arm. “What if Mark is there? With her?”

“All the more reason to hang with Connor.” She pursed her lips. “No offense, but Mark’s a little boy compared to Mr. Drake.”

I started to defend Mark but my cheeks warmed. “No comment.”

Ruby laughed. “Atta girl.”

We went outside to wait for the Uber. The September night was cool, and I pulled on a dark cardigan, while Ruby slipped on a jean jacket. I never wore jeans—after eighteen years of jeans on the farm, I’d vowed never to wear denim again.