Breathing Room (Waiting Room #2)

Chapter 12: Study Group (Part 6)

Jacky

Every time Jacky pulled out his phone, Natalie glared at him. He didn't know what her problem was. Deja was just ignoring him. Jacky would have stayed on his phone just to piss off Natalie if he wanted to scroll through Instagram and see everyone he knew having a great time, which he didn't. Plus, he was starting to get into the movie. The cinematography was oddly compelling.

But Jacky also didn't want to let this exchange with Ryan go.

You're worried? About what?

No response.

You're smarter and harder working than any of those trust fund assholes.

Nothing.

Jacky's thumbs hovered over the mini keyboard. Was it too desperate to send three unanswered texts in a row? Should he wait five minutes? Thirty minutes? An hour?

He didn't want to play that game.

And hotter too

Ryan

Because Ryan had left his phone face-up on the table, he saw every time the screen blinked to life with a new text. Each time he saw Jacky's name just before the phone blinked out again.

"Next question," Paul said. "What is the term for a deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream?"

"Ooh! Hyperglycemia," Marina answered.

Ryan's phone lit up again, and this time he picked it up. Jacky's words instantly made him feel better.

"Wrong. It's hy-PO-glycemia," Paul said, turning over the index card.

"I always get those two mixed up." Marina laughed, red spots on her cheeks.

Putting down his phone, Ryan said, "It's an easy mistake to make."

"Not really." Paul's voice was slow, as if he was speaking to a child. "Hypo is the Greek root word for less than or below. Like hypothermia. Hyper means too much, like someone with ADHD has too much energy."

Ryan kept his eyes on Marina, begging her to see what he saw. She still looked embarrassed.

"It's getting late," Ryan said, standing up. "I don't know about you guys, but I have at least an hour of reading still to do when I get home."

Paul pressed his lips together. "I suppose we could be finished, if you feel ready for the midterm."

Ryan's hands tightened into fists around the straps of his backpack. "I'll be fine."

"Me too," Marina said quickly. "I have a ton of reading to do for tomorrow, too." She gave Ryan a quick smile. "But thanks for coming out tonight, guys. I definitely feel more prepared for the test."

Without waiting for Paul, Ryan headed for the door. He thought Marina might have felt compelled to wait for Paul, but instead he heard her footsteps hurrying after him. "Who keeps texting you?" she asked.

Ryan considered being vague, but he knew Marina would find out sooner or later. "My ex-boyfriend."

"Wow, is he really clingy or something?"

"No." How could he explain that Jacky was anti-clingy? That Ryan was the clingy one? "He was just checking in to see how I'm doing. We haven't really talked at all since we broke up."

Marina danced in front of him, grinning. "Do you think he wants to get back together with you?"

That was exactly what Ryan hoped, but he didn't want to jinx anything. He tried to play it cool. "I don't know," he said with a shrug.

"He totally does." Marina sounded sure of herself as they pushed through the exit doors of the library and entered the chilly October air.

"How would you know?" Ryan asked.

Pressing a hand to her chest, Marina made some offended sounding gasps. "Uh, I have tons of experience in relationships." Then she grinned. "Other people's relationships, I mean. All my friends came to me for relationship advice. I even had my own column in the school newspaper."

"Funny that you can see clearly with other people's relationships but not your own," Ryan said.

"I think of it like this: some psychics can only see other people's futures." Marina tossed her hair. "It's a gift. Your boy wants you back. The only real question now is whether you want him back."

Ryan didn't say anything to that. The way Jacky's texts had made him feel told him that he did want Jacky back. On the other hand, thinking about Jacky made a little twist go through his stomach. He still remembered the sharp pain of hearing Jacky say he wanted to break up, that Ryan was smothering him.

"I mean, I'm kind of dating this guy Charlie now." Even as Ryan said it, he wondered if "guy" was the right word.

"Hmmm," Marina said. "I guess that means you'll have to make a choice instead of just letting things unfold then, doesn't it?"

Ryan looked at her smirking up at him, and realized they had gotten to the T station. "You are maybe too good at this."

"Like I said, it's a gift." Marina pulled out her phone. "My dorm's over there, but feel free to call me if you need any more advice." With a smile, Marina walked away. But before she got too far, she turned around and waggled a finger at him. "And don't forget, you've promised to be my wingman. We're going out together. After midterms."

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What do you think of Marina's dating advice?