napkin on the table. I bit the side of my mouth and glanced at Julian.
He only shrugged. “It’s a family walk, then!”
I caught his hand knowing very well that was not what he had in mind. Outside in the cool air on the crisp white sand and gorgeous turquoise waters, it was hard to think that anything could go wrong here. Mom, Dad, and Nana walked ahead still talking about whatever new problem needed to be solved.
Julian and I hung back, keeping close enough to the shore that our feet were wet and he decided to cuff the bottom of his jeans. The wind pushed his dark hair around his face, but it just sent mine flying in all directions.
“I feel like all we do is talk about me and my change of plans these days. Tell me about Loyola. What’s happening with your cool project?”
Our fingers were laced, and with my other hand, I caught my curls in a knot by my neck. “It really is cool, even though all we’ve done is the planning part. Next semester is when we’ll set up our interviews, do some ‘man on the street’ stuff, really get out there.”
He smiled. “Algiers sounds like a neat place to research.”
“Just like everywhere else in the city, it’s got some really rough spots.”
“Keep out of those when you’re ‘on the street.’”
I laughed and nodded. “Don’t worry.”
“So you just hang out with Rachel and Brad all the time? Not making any new friends?”
Pressing my lips together I looked up at the blue sky with faint white clouds drifting past. “Not really, I guess. I mean, I have friends in class, but I’m just so slammed. Whenever I do go out, it’s usually with those guys.”
“It’s about the same at SCAD, although a group of art students usually goes out along The Strand every weekend. Sometimes I tag along.”
“What’s The Strand?”
“Bars, karaoke, standard college stuff.”
I stepped closer and hugged his waist. His hand went on my shoulder. “Sounds fun.”
“It’d be more fun if you were with me.”
Slowing down, I pulled him to sitting beside me. For a few moments, we only watched the waves rolling in. Seashells were everywhere, but most of them were broken. Still, Julian found a white one that was intact and even had a little hole at the base.
“I can make a necklace with this.” He held it out to me, and I took it. “Just need some dental floss.”
Wrinkling my nose, I laughed. “Waxed or unwaxed?”
“Waxed of course.”
He took it back, then glanced up at me once more. “You never see anybody else you know on campus?”
I knew who he was talking about, but I decided to play dumb for a little bit. I scooted around so I was facing him with my legs crossed. “Summer’s supposed to be at Tulane, but thankfully I didn’t see her any this entire fall. It’s weird—as close as the two colleges are, it’s really easy to avoid people.”
“Well, now you’ve jinxed it. You’re going to see her everywhere come spring.”
“Noo!” I cried, putting my hands over my face. “What have I done?!”
“So that’s it?” His arm was still propped on his knee, and I reached forward to lace our fingers.
“I did run into Jack one night at Fat Harry’s.” I took a deep breath, remembering how strange that night had been. “Rachel and I were having so much fun, and some drunk guy kept hitting on her, grabbing her waist and stuff. I thought Jack was going to get in a fight with him, but Brad showed up and the guy took off.”
“Smart asshole.” Julian’s jaw tightened, and he dropped his knee. “I don’t really like hearing that, you know.”
“But nothing happened! I mean, we talked a little, but as soon as the drunk guy left, Jack did too.”
“That’s not what I meant. Sounds like you and Rachel were in a dangerous situation. I’m glad Jack was there.”
My head ducked. “Oh—oh my god. I thought you meant… no, I mean, you don’t have to worry about that either. Fat Harry’s is usually fine, and it’s not far from where we
He only shrugged. “It’s a family walk, then!”
I caught his hand knowing very well that was not what he had in mind. Outside in the cool air on the crisp white sand and gorgeous turquoise waters, it was hard to think that anything could go wrong here. Mom, Dad, and Nana walked ahead still talking about whatever new problem needed to be solved.
Julian and I hung back, keeping close enough to the shore that our feet were wet and he decided to cuff the bottom of his jeans. The wind pushed his dark hair around his face, but it just sent mine flying in all directions.
“I feel like all we do is talk about me and my change of plans these days. Tell me about Loyola. What’s happening with your cool project?”
Our fingers were laced, and with my other hand, I caught my curls in a knot by my neck. “It really is cool, even though all we’ve done is the planning part. Next semester is when we’ll set up our interviews, do some ‘man on the street’ stuff, really get out there.”
He smiled. “Algiers sounds like a neat place to research.”
“Just like everywhere else in the city, it’s got some really rough spots.”
“Keep out of those when you’re ‘on the street.’”
I laughed and nodded. “Don’t worry.”
“So you just hang out with Rachel and Brad all the time? Not making any new friends?”
Pressing my lips together I looked up at the blue sky with faint white clouds drifting past. “Not really, I guess. I mean, I have friends in class, but I’m just so slammed. Whenever I do go out, it’s usually with those guys.”
“It’s about the same at SCAD, although a group of art students usually goes out along The Strand every weekend. Sometimes I tag along.”
“What’s The Strand?”
“Bars, karaoke, standard college stuff.”
I stepped closer and hugged his waist. His hand went on my shoulder. “Sounds fun.”
“It’d be more fun if you were with me.”
Slowing down, I pulled him to sitting beside me. For a few moments, we only watched the waves rolling in. Seashells were everywhere, but most of them were broken. Still, Julian found a white one that was intact and even had a little hole at the base.
“I can make a necklace with this.” He held it out to me, and I took it. “Just need some dental floss.”
Wrinkling my nose, I laughed. “Waxed or unwaxed?”
“Waxed of course.”
He took it back, then glanced up at me once more. “You never see anybody else you know on campus?”
I knew who he was talking about, but I decided to play dumb for a little bit. I scooted around so I was facing him with my legs crossed. “Summer’s supposed to be at Tulane, but thankfully I didn’t see her any this entire fall. It’s weird—as close as the two colleges are, it’s really easy to avoid people.”
“Well, now you’ve jinxed it. You’re going to see her everywhere come spring.”
“Noo!” I cried, putting my hands over my face. “What have I done?!”
“So that’s it?” His arm was still propped on his knee, and I reached forward to lace our fingers.
“I did run into Jack one night at Fat Harry’s.” I took a deep breath, remembering how strange that night had been. “Rachel and I were having so much fun, and some drunk guy kept hitting on her, grabbing her waist and stuff. I thought Jack was going to get in a fight with him, but Brad showed up and the guy took off.”
“Smart asshole.” Julian’s jaw tightened, and he dropped his knee. “I don’t really like hearing that, you know.”
“But nothing happened! I mean, we talked a little, but as soon as the drunk guy left, Jack did too.”
“That’s not what I meant. Sounds like you and Rachel were in a dangerous situation. I’m glad Jack was there.”
My head ducked. “Oh—oh my god. I thought you meant… no, I mean, you don’t have to worry about that either. Fat Harry’s is usually fine, and it’s not far from where we
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