I tugged on one of America’s long yellow braids as I passed. “See you in class, Mare.”
She smiled. “I’ll save you a seat. I’ll need all the help I can get.”
Travis followed me to my room, and I pulled out my study guide while he popped open my book. He quizzed me relentlessly, and then clarified a few things I didn’t understand. In the way that he explained it, the concepts went from being confusing to obvious.
“…and somatic cells use mitosis to reproduce. That’s when you have the phases. They sound sort of like a woman’s name: Prometa Anatela.”
I laughed. “Prometa Anatela?”
“Prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.”
“Prometa Anatela,” I repeated, nodding.
He smacked the top of my head with the papers. “You got this. You know this study guide backward and forward.”
I sighed. “Well…we’ll see.”
“I’m going to walk you to class. I’ll quiz you on the way.”
I locked the door behind us. “You’re not going to be mad if I flunk this test, are you?”
“You’re not going to flunk, Pidge. We need to start earlier for the next one, though,” he said, keeping in step with me to the science building.
“How are you going to tutor me, do your homework, study and train for your fights?”
Travis chuckled. “I don’t train for my fights. Adam calls me, tells me where the fight is, and I go.”
I shook my head in disbelief as he held the paper in front of him to ask the first question. We nearly finished a second round of the study guide when we reached my class.
“Kick ass,” he smiled, handing me the notes and leaning against the doorjamb.
“Hey, Trav.”
I turned to see a tall, somewhat lanky man smile at Travis on his way into the classroom.
“Parker,” Travis nodded.
Parker’s eyes brightened a bit when he looked to me, and he smiled. “Hi, Abby.”
“Hi,” I said, surprised that he knew my name. I had seen him in class, but we’d never met.
Parker continued to his seat, joking with those sitting beside him. “Who’s that?” I asked.
Travis shrugged, but the skin around his eyes seemed tenser than before. “Parker Hayes. He’s one of my Sig Tau brothers.”
“You’re in a frat?” I asked, doubtful.
“Sigma Tau, same as Shep. I thought you knew that,” he said, looking beyond me to Parker.
“Well…you don’t seem the…fraternity type,” I said, eyeing the tattoos on his forearms.
Travis turned his attention to me and grinned. “My dad is an alumnus, and my brothers are all Sig Tau. It’s a family thing.”
“And they expected you to pledge?” I asked, skeptical.
“Not really. They’re just good guys,” he said, flicking my papers. “Better get to class.”
“Thanks for helping me,” I said, nudging him with my elbow. America passed, and I followed her to our seats.