11. Call Me Maybe

Two hours later, she was reasonably confident they'd all get at least a C, and if they didn't, they'd have proof of unfair grading practices to take to Dr. Ng.

"Hey, Queen Tania." Hassan loaded his books and laptop into his bag. "You still on for pizza?"

"And don't say you need to study or take care of your cats, weirdo." Jason nudged her from her chair. "Be a normal human for a few hours and have supper with us."

"I don't have a cat."

"That doesn't make you less weird," one of her classmates countered. "Besides, we learned more from you in a couple of hours than Pappas has taught us all semester."

She laughed and slung her backpack over her shoulder. "Aww. It's like you guys actually like me."

Tania wasn't sure how she felt about her newfound popularity. It was nice to finally be accepted, but she didn't know if she could trust her classmates' sudden willingness to help.

"Please." Owen pushed her to the door. "We're just bribing you into helping us with Pappas's class."

She laughed and followed them from the classroom. Strangely, two men sat on a bench near the water fountain. Both were reading paperbacks and had baseball caps pulled low over their faces.

For a moment, she thought they looked like Desmond and Bastian, but shook the ridiculous notion away. After their fight over the weekend, she doubted they'd speak to her—much less stalk her on campus. The thought of never seeing them again hurt more than it should have, but she couldn't let herself miss what would never happen.

They were too busy throwing Victor's name in her face to see her as a real person, and that was on them.

"Caruso's okay with everyone?" Hassan asked. "It's close enough to walk."

"Ooh, yes. They know what it means when I say extra anchovies." After laughing at the retching noises that ensued from her peers, Tania added, "Y'all are Philistines."

"How can you be so smart and so weird at the same time?" Owen asked. "It's unnatural."

"Hey! At least I don't like pineapple on my pizza. Talk about unnatural."

Everyone laughed, and they fell into comfortable conversation as they walked. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the warm fall evening. It had been forever since she'd taken the time to slow down and enjoy a meal with friends, and even longer since she'd taken an evening walk.

Although she was perfectly safe surrounded by her classmates, her spine tingled as if she was being watched. Deciding to ignore the uncomfortable sensation, she moved toward the center of the group and stayed there until the tantalizing aroma of spices, tomatoes, and garlic from Caruso's open patio reached her nose.

Her stomach growled noisily, making Theo chuckle.

"I guess you really are hungry," he said as he held the door for her.

"Thanks." She moved deeper into the restaurant to give everyone room to follow her inside. "I forgot my lunch and didn't have time to go home for it."

"Welcome to Caruso's," the hostess said. "The patio is free if you want it."

"Perfect," Jason said, "and three pitchers of your draft beer special, please."

"Sure thing." After seating them and checking everyone's ID, she hurried away for their drinks.

Throughout the meal, Tania kept telling herself she was having fun. Caruso's pizza was amazing, and her classmates were quickly becoming friends—despite their protests and good-natured teasing.

Why, then, did she feel so empty inside?

Worse, she knew what was missing. She wanted to share a pizza with her Daddies, but that was impossible for too many reasons to count.

Actually, she could count them. There were two, and their names were Bastian and Desmond—the big jerks. They just had to go all morally superior on her, and decide she was too young to know what she wanted.

Tania ate another slice of pizza and tried to focus on her new friends. Desmond and Bastian didn't get to live rent-free in her head anymore.

"Anything else I can get you?" the server asked once they'd demolished their food.

"I'm stuffed," Theo said. "You good, Tania?"

"Yes, thank you. It was delicious." She leaned down to get her wallet from her backpack, but he moved it out of her reach.

"It's our treat. We owe you for helping us."

"Yep," Jason added. "Split the check twelve ways and leave out the crazy cat lady in training."

"I already told you I don't have a cat, dork," she retorted.

"That's why you're in training!"

Shaking her head, she joined in their boisterous laughter and let them have their way. After the bill was paid, they walked outside. To her surprise, Theo offered her his arm.

"Can I walk you back to your car?"

"Oh, you don't have to, but I appreciate the offer."

"Nope." He tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. "I spent too much time trying to ignore what Pappas was doing to you, so you're going to let me pretend to be a gentleman."

"I… wow. Th?—"

"And don't say thank you. You're a human being and shouldn't have to put up with that bullshit."

Too surprised to speak, she let him escort her toward campus.

When they were out of sight of their classmates, Theo cleared his throat and said, "Just out of curiosity, what are your plans for after graduation?"

"Getting a job." She nudged him with her shoulder and smiled. "And an apartment where I can have a cat."

"Same, but with a dog." He guided her to a bench in a small park, then pulled her down to sit next to him. "Would you go out with me?"

After a split second of shock, she considered the idea. Why shouldn't she go out with Theo? Although she didn't know him very well, he was geeky-cute with tousled brown hair and thick, horn-rimmed glasses perched on a narrow nose. The muscles under his long-sleeved t-shirt proclaimed he didn't spend all his time at a computer desk like she did. He was also really sweet and had the prettiest gray eyes.

Besides, it was obvious Bastian and Desmond didn't want her. They just wanted to run her life and appease their guilt over shirking a responsibility that wasn't theirs to begin with. Heck, she didn't know why she was still letting them take up space in her head.

When she didn't immediately reply, Theo grimaced. "Wow, could I be any more awkward? I'm sorry. Forget I said anything."

"No. It's okay, but we both have the course load from hell. Our dates will be study sessions."

Looking horrified, he shook his head. "I didn't mean now! God, not until after graduation. Can you imagine trying to date with our senior projects still hanging over our heads?"

"Right? I have no idea how Jason is managing to keep a girlfriend."

"They moved in together at the start of the year so they could see each other more than once a week. He's gonna ask her to marry him after graduation."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Deciding to yeet her not-Daddies out of her head, she kissed his cheek. "I'd love to go out with you."

He blinked and gave her a brilliant grin. "Really? Wow. Um?—"

"The twelfth of June, six o'clock at Caruso's."

"That's…" He helped her to her feet, and they continued walking toward her car. "Two hundred and thirty-two point two days away."

"Sounds like a date to me."

Take that, not-Daddies. With luck, she could make herself believe a date with someone else was the right choice. Maybe, just maybe, six months would be enough time to get Desmond and Bastian out of her head.

* * *