Try Me (Extracurricular Activities #2)

by Neve Wilder

“No. No. No. Ewww, no. Sad. No. God, does he have a vitamin deficiency? Has he ever been out in sunlight?” Listening to Amanda’s peanut gallery commentary as she swiped through Tinder was a familiar study backdrop. Technically, she was supposed to be studying with me, but our study sessions usually devolved to Amanda messing around on her phone, head at the foot of my bed, feet on the wall, while I actually used the laptop open on my thighs. Admittedly, I was a little distracted tonight, trying not to let my mind wander back to Mark on his knees at Hype. The bone-dry case studies I was wading through for Lena didn’t help. “All right, all right. Let me see vitamin deficiency guy,” I said, taking the bait and shoving my laptop aside. She backtracked and angled the screen so I could see the guy who, okay, appeared a little pale and undernourished. “Gollums need love, too?” I suggested, and she cracked a smile. “He sent me a message. And, I mean, he seems smart and sometimes the little ones come packing big heat. But I dunno. I could take him for a sub sandwich?” She tapped her lower lip. “That sounds like a humanitarian act, not a date.”