R&D

Chapter 22

The next week they had their last, first day of school. Peyton was feeling particularly emotional. She kept citing the percentage of high school friends who actually stayed friends after graduation. Belle and Roshi kept telling her they wouldn't end up like that, but Peyton wasn't convinced.

Roshi and Dev were very purposeful about not looking at each other at school. They knew they were being watched. Peyton and Belle never brought up Dev as they assumed it would make Roshi sad to talk about it.

Roshi wanted at least Peyton and Belle to be aware of the secret dating, but Dev said no. He didn't feel it was fair that Roshi's friends knew but his couldn't. While she knew there was no comparison since telling one of Dev's best friends had a higher chance someone else could find out, but Roshi went along with it anyway.

At lunch Roshi noticed out of the corner of her eye that Kaya was back to overtly flirting with Dev, but Roshi saw him move away whenever Kaya tried to touch him.

Their AP Calculus class was once again their private sanctuary. Roshi thought maybe at least one senior would've joined them this year, Belle seriously considered it, but ultimately no one did.

Roshi and Dev both had different club meetings after school. Roshi had BPA on Mondays, they were both in Honor Society on Tuesdays, Dev had Student Government on Wednesdays, he was Vice President, and Roshi had International Club on Thursdays, she was President.

Because of her schedule, and also because it was embarrassing to be riding the bus as a Senior, Roshi just told her parents she'd get a ride from one of her friends each day. Since her only friends were Peyton and Belle, neither of whom had cars, she figured her parents would press her for details but they didn't.

Normally her parents were way more "helicopter" than this, but ever since she broke up with Dev it was like a weight was lifted from their shoulders and they were always overly nice to Roshi and catered to her every whim. It was almost as if they thought Dev was a drug, and now that Roshi was "clean", they wanted to make sure she didn't relapse so they practically walked on eggshells around her.

On the days Roshi had BPA or International Club, Dev would do his homework in the school library waiting until Roshi was done. She would do the same on Wednesdays when he had Student Government. Once the club meetings were over they'd meet at a designated spot where Dev picked up Roshi and they went back to his house. His empty house.

Despite this being the only time they had alone, they mostly just talked. Since they no longer talked at school, or did phone/video calls at night, the only time they got to talk was during these secret getaways.

Roshi was laying on Dev's couch with her legs swung over the back of it. Dev had his head on her chest while his left hand was rubbing her thigh. She was massaging his head while they chatted. 

Kaya asked me to Sadie Hawkins, he said. Uh huh, Roshi said not trying to sound annoyed but definitely did. I said no, he said. Uh huh, she said. Are you annoyed we can't go, he asked.

No, not really, she said. After a pause... You are, right, she asked. A little, he said. Why, she asked. It's fun, he said. Dev, she said. He paused then elaborated. I like being the center of attention and dances are the best place for that. Me and the boys just tearing it up, knowing that everyone is watching us. All the guys want to be us, all the girls want to be with us, he said.

Roshi didn't say anything. You think I'm gross, he asked. You didn't say anything I didn't already know, she said. He didn't respond. I'm not judging you, she said. I know, I was just wondering why I'm like that, why I need that, he said. The high probably, she said, the first time you got it was amazing and now you keep chasing it.