“Okay, so I’m going to outer space tomorrow night. Want to meet me there?” Hudson asked as we walked across campus.
I’m going to outer space tomorrow night. Want to meet me there?
I nodded my head as I tried to process what he said, stalling.
“You have no clue what I just said, do you?” He nodded, mirroring me. He gave me a small shove with his shoulder.
“That obvious?” I shielded my eyes from the sun as I looked at him.
“Kinda.” He was already picking up on my blank stares and delayed responses.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“Tell me what you heard first.” He held open the door to the lecture building, ushering me in ahead of him.
The lobby was busy, and I had to squeeze in front of him so that we could stay together.
“I heard I’m going to outer space tomorrow night. Want to meet me there?” I smiled at the ground.
“That’s exactly what I said. I booked us each a seat on the next mission to the Milky Way, and it leaves tomorrow night.”
“Stop,” I whined as I shoved him. “Tell me what you really said.”
“I really said I’m going to outer space tomorrow night. Want to meet me there? Why don’t you believe me?”
I clicked my tongue. “Whatever.”
“What you thought I said is far more interesting than what I actually said.”
“I don’t doubt that.” I held the door to the lecture room. “And for the record, we’re already in the Milky Way…”
“What?” He scrunched his nose.
I laughed. “Earth is in the Milky Way; we could go to another part of the Milky Way if you wanted, but not the Milky Way itself. We’re already here. It’s like saying let’s go to campus when we’re standing in a building on campus. Campus is the Milky Way, Earth is this building.”
“Say Milky Way again, please.”
I shoved him lightly as we walked down the steps toward the front of the room. Hudson was teaching class today, which was great because ever since Dr. Clément nearly blew out my eardrum that first day, I was scared for my hearing every time he used it.
Hudson extended his hand, and I placed the transmitter in his palm. He slipped it over his head as he continued down the stairs to the front of the room.
“If you want…,” I started, hesitating as my stomach knotted. “My roommate has a volleyball game tonight, and I thought, if you were interested, you might want to go … with me.”
“Yes,” he said without missing a beat.
“You want to go?”
He smiled. “Yes, definitely.”
I bit my bottom lip as my insides happily danced around. “I should probably warn you, I get a little … enthusiastic.”
“There is nothing more I would want to do tonight than watch your enthusiasm,” he said, taking a step away and toward the front of the room.
“Okay, eight o’clock in the big gym in Wyman Hall.”
He hooked his thumbs onto the straps of his backpack and nodded as I slid into my seat.
I fished my notebook and pen out of my bag as people continued to wander in. Rustling papers and desks scuffing against the floor. Notebook pages fluttering open, binder rings snapping closed, pens tapping against desktops.
“Mic check one-two, Pink Peony.” Hudson’s voice was a whisper in my ear. “P.P.”
I smiled at my bag, not wanting to look up at him.
“P.P., do you copy?” I shook my head as I pulled my notebook out of my bag. I didn’t want to laugh and encourage his lame jokes. I’d already told him he was not to refer to me as pee-pee.
“Edie,” he whispered.
I peeked up to see him smiling at me. I mouthed hi.
“Hi,” he breathed into my ear.
* * *
I looked at my watch. It was a quarter to eight, and Hudson was nowhere in sight. I craned my neck to see around Terrance.
“Expecting someone?” Michael asked, his eyes on me as he drank his water.
“Yeah, your mom,” I said before looking at my phone.
Michael shook his head, setting his water bottle on the bottom step of the bleachers. “One game?” he said walking backward onto the court. “Can’t we just have one game of peace and quiet without the two of you making a scene?”
I bristled, but Terrance responded first. “We are the backbone of this team. You guys would be nothing without us.”
I laughed as Michael rested his hands on his hips, staring Terrance down. Terrance quirked his eyebrow, daring Michael to refute.
“Tell me we aren’t the best part of this game,” I said.
Michael shook his head.
“That’s what I thought,” I said.
Michael’s eyes wandered toward the entrance. I followed his gaze and saw Hudson standing just inside the door.
“Hey,” I said, breathier than I wanted as he walked over.
“Hey,” Hudson said, his eyes on me. “That seat taken?” He gestured toward the open bench next to me.
“All yours,” I said.
“Recruiting fans?” Serena asked. I hadn’t seen her approach us.
“Yup,” I said as Hudson settled into the seat next to me, though at a bit more of a distance than I would have liked.
“I love volleyball, you know?” Hudson said, his eyes on the court. “They say baseball is America’s greatest pastime, but I think it’s intramural volleyball. All the way.”
I laughed.
“Who’s your friend, Edie?” Terrance asked, speaking for my small crowd of friends that had gathered around.
“Hudson,” he said with a kind of arching wave. “First-time attendee, longtime fan.”
My eyes shot to Serena’s, and she was already looking at me, her head listed. “So this is Hudson?” she asked, pursing her lips as her head bobbed, barely containing her smile.
“This is Hudson,” he said before I could.
Serena’s eyes landed on me again, her nose scrunched as she rested her hands on her hips. She opened her mouth to speak, but I interrupted.
“Oh, man, would you look at the time.” I looked at my watch and then motioned toward the wall clock. “Game time.” I clapped my hands together.
“Yeah, game time. Go on, get out there and win one for Daddy,” Terrance said, shooing the players away.
“Eww,” Miranda said as she took a few steps backward. “Don’t ever say that again.”
“Agreed,” I said, looking at Terrance. I could feel Hudson’s eyes on me, and it made my stomach somersault.
Terrance shot me a look before turning his attention to Hudson. He extended his hand over me, and Hudson took it. “Terrance Wyler, co–biggest fan of I’d Hit That, the best club volleyball team on campus.”
“Wesley Hudson”—they shook hands—“primary biggest Edie Kits fan, the best—”
“Oh my God,” I said, cutting off Hudson and burying my face in my hands. “This was a bad idea.” I laughed.
Terrance grasped my shoulder, and I peeked at him enough to see a smile exploding on his face as he eyed me. “Is that right?” he asked, squeezing me.
“Absolutely,” Hudson said, his voice serious. “Why, has the position been filled already?”
I laughed again, my face back in my hands.
“No, no, no.” Terrance shook his head sternly. “That position has not been filled in quite some time.” He squeezed my shoulder again.
“Edie’s gone,” I said, muffled through my hands. “She can’t be around the two of you right now.”
Hudson laughed. “But you invited me.”
My head shot up as the referee blew the whistle to start the match.
“Yeah, you invited him, Edie,” Terrance teased.
I shushed them both as Serena prepared to serve.
“Oh, damn,” Terrance said, close to my ear. “Cody with the Cheekbones is gonna have a shit game tonight.”
My eyes darted toward Cody. He was on the far side of the court, outside hitter. He was looking at me, his forehead wrinkled.
“Shit,” I said.
“What’s happening?” Hudson asked, leaning into me and Terrance.
I stiffened.
“Serena is about to score a point for our team,” Terrance whispered, covering for me.
Hudson’s eyes went to the court, but he stayed leaning into the conversation. “When will I know if she scores a—”
I was on my feet before the ref blew the whistle, Terrance beside me. We bumped hips twice, elbows once, and then double high fives: our traditional first-point cheer.
“What was that?” Hudson asked, his eyes sparkling.
“That, my new friend, was the beginning of the end for the other team.” Terrance crossed his arms with a flourish as he smugly returned his attention to the game.
Hudson looked at me. I could sense his smile without looking.
I shrugged, holding my shoulders up. “What? I told you I was enthusiastic.”
“And I told you there was nothing more I wanted to see than your enthusiasm.”