Hutch

12

HUTCH

Yesterday did not go as planned. I was going to go upstairs and eat dinner with her, but she made it clear she'd had enough and just wanted to escape. Jenny told me Daisy had a really bad headache and asked to keep the noise down. If I had known, I'd have gone to Taco Bell and brought back a load of tacos. Considering how she feels about takeout though, she might not have eaten it.

Her food was delicious. It tasted like we were in an actual Mexican restaurant. I don't think there was anything left to put away, aside from the dirty dishes we cleaned. Collin hoarded the last of the chicken and brought it back to the house, daring anyone to touch his food.

I'm hoping she's in class today and not passed out from a headache I helped make worse. I wish she would have told me. Sighing, I open the doors to the building and look around. Several of the girls giggle and wave. I ignore them completely and look for the only girl I want to see. She might be inside already. Coach kept us late and I'm barely here in time so I hurry inside. She's sitting up front in her regular seat. She has no open seats around her and I let out a growl, forced to take my regular one. Collin almost plows me over while I glower at the dickheads on either side of her.

"Dude."

"Sorry," I mutter and sit down.

"Should we go muscle them out of the way?"

"She'd get up and move if we did."

"Damn."

The professor came in and everyone settled down to take notes and try their best not to fall asleep. It was the longest hour ever, especially when she sneezed so hard, it basically shook her entire body. The room was so quiet, everyone heard and looked at her. She sank deeper into her chair and I wanted to shout at them to mind their own fucking business.

Instead of wandering on out of the room and giving me a minute with Daisy, Collin followed me down to where she was packing up her things.

"How you feeling, Red?" he asks before I can. I give him a baleful look and he only grins. Bastard.

She glances up and then back to what she's doing. "Better, thank you."

"I just came down to say your cooking was almost as good as my abuela's. I haven't eaten that good in a while."

She stands, book bag in hand and smiles. "I'm glad. Nothing better than your grandma's cooking."

"Ain't that the truth." He winks. "You want a place to just cook, you come over to the hockey house and we'll buy you whatever ingredients you want."

"Shit, Ellio's mother was in over the weekend and stocked the place with groceries. There's anything you'd want to use there now."

She glances at me and then away. I don't like it.

"Well, I'll get out of your hair. I got a lab I have to get to you. See you later, Red!"

She frowns. "I'm not sure I like the nickname."

"If he didn't like you, you wouldn't have a nickname." I fall into step beside of her as she moves to leave. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, the cough has let up and I hardly sneeze. Just a headache really."

"You should have told me you had a headache and I never would have asked you to cook. I'd have gotten Taco Bell or something."

"I didn't mind or I would have said something."

"Where are you going?"

"I have a psych class."

Different building than I'm in and in the other direction.