"NOT ONLY DID you knock over that poor elderly lady, but you nearly dragged her with you to the ground trying to stop yourself from falling." Cory's laughter has turned into full on wheezing. It warms me with a good mix of nostalgia and embarrassment.

"Are you ever going to let me live that down? The bus made an unexpected sharp turn right when I got up, it all happened so fast."

"I'm never letting you live that down, the woman had arthritis." He continues.

"I apologized. Tried to buy her some bonbons but she started hitting me with her umbrella." I lower my head.

"Okay, I know how traumatic that was for you. I'll stop, for now." He teases with continued amusement. "Now, how are things going with your parents? Have you reached out to them?"

I sigh, a headache already beginning to form just from the sheer memory. "Yes I called the other day. Now you can stop badgering me."

The conversation comes back to my mind. My mom picked up the phone after the first ring, almost like she'd kept her phone by her side 24/7 awaiting my call. "Summer, sweetie. Oh I'm so glad you called, we were about to come down for the weekend cause we were so worried."

Panic rose through me at the thought "that's not necessary, I promise I'm good." School is the only place that's mine, my sacred territory. If they enter they'll just taint it like they do everything else. God, I feel like such a dick for thinking this way, but it's the truth.

"Melissa, is that Summer?" I hear my dad in the background.

"Yes, I'm talking to her." My mom replies. "Summer, have you been in touch with Theodore? We're so worried about him too. Is he eating? Is he doing all his schoolwork?"

"Theo is fine. He always stays on top of his schoolwork, you know that. Just give him some time to cool down, I'm sure he'll be back home soon enough," I said.

"Ah, you children have become too Americanized." She sucked her teeth. "If I tried pulling any of this when I was young, my mother would have flamed my behind for forty days and forty nights, but I digress."

"Summer, honey how are you doing?" My dad asked.

"Jesus, Ronald, must you breath down my neck like this. can I get some space?" My mom said to him.

"Well you're hogging the phone, how else am I supposed to talk to my daughter?"

"It's my phone, I'll hog it all I want. Or would you like to take this too, like you took my life savings and plunged it down the drain with your restaurant."

"You are a nasty piece of work, woman. May god one day heal your damaged soul cause lord knows I can't," my dad said.

I almost began mentally shutting myself out before I realized how I don't need to deal with this. " If you guys don't stop arguing I'm hanging up and you will not hear from me again for the rest of the semester," I kept my voice steady and stern.

"We're sorry, they said in unison, though I could still hear their snickers in the background.

"Listen, Summer." I didn't miss the strategic way my moms voice rose to overpower my dads. "What Theo told you the other day isn't true. That letter is old. We're in a much better place now. We've been able to make the last few payments, I promise we are not in danger of losing the house."

I'll admit the news relieved a lot of stress in an instant. I no longer have to worry about trying to block everything out while crumbling deep down inside. One less thing.

"That's great. I'm really glad to hear," I said earnestly. How's the restaurant?"

"it's picking up again, but it could always be better, of course." It was my dads turn to answer since he managed everything in that area.

"Well maybe if you would let me have some control and implement my grandmothers beef patty recipe we would see more traffic." My mom, of course, couldn't hold in her dig.

"Nobody wants no beef patty filled with peas. That no longer even makes it a beef patty. There's a reason why I don't let you make these decisions, woman."

"Will you stop calling me woman, you know I hate when you call me that. You haven't even read the recipe or you would know it's not just filled with peas."

"Alright, I'm done." Without even saying goodbye I hung up. I tried, but they've done this to themselves. With the house situation settled, I no longer have a reason to talk to them. They can bicker all they want so long as I'm not forced to listen.

"It's good you've talked to them." Cory breaks me out of my thoughts. "I'm just trying to look out for you." He gives me a weird look. "Why didn't you tell me what you were going through?"

"What?" I ask even though I can sense which direction he's going.

"When your mom called me she was crying. Told me about your breakdown last semester. She was afraid you might have another one and wanted me to check up on you. Why didn't you tell me what you were going through?"

I choke trying to play things off. "It wasn't a big deal, just some stress. Besides, you're too busy being... you. No need to worry about me and my regular world problems."

"You're my homegirl no matter what. Just because we're not messing around anymore doesn't me I don't still care about you. if you going through some shit, please let me know. I'll always be there for you."

I don't meet his eyes because I already know the look he's going to give. The one that tries to tell me he's gonna make everything okay. He can't. Life doesn't work that way, so I don't indulge.

"Summer." Carter towers in front of our table, having snuck up without me even noticing. "I think we're free to go now." His hands hang in his pockets and he looks between Cory and I with impatience.

"This your date? So that's why you decided to end our little arrangement." Cory points to an annoyed looking Carter.

"No." My breath is hurried in an attempt to shut him down. "I'm just doing him a favor tonight, that's all."

"Ya, well the favor has been paid. Let me take you back to your dorm," Carter says.

"Okay." I get up, feeling relieved about the interruption.

Cory gets up as well, pulling me into a tight hug. "Take care, alright. You look hot as hell by the way. I just have to let you know one more time."

I laugh into his shoulder. "I'm still not letting you back in my panties." I whisper and earn a chuckle from him.

Carter is quiet as we head out and get to his car. He unlocks the doors and hooks his arms under me to lift me into the seat, not even allowing me the chance to struggle to get in this time. I'll admit, my heart beats just a second faster from the way he does it with such ease. Strength is impressive to me, that's all. Displayed by anyone, really.

He turns the engine on and backs out of the parking lot.

"What music do you listen to?" I ask to just to get him talking and end this irritating silent streak we have going on. The night finally coming to an end has put me in a better mood, and now that we're about to share our last moment together, hopefully ever, I don't mind letting my guard down a little.

He uses his right hand to scratch his chin. "Um, rap mostly, I guess." His words come out strained like talking to me is paining him. I don't let it deter me.

"Let me guess, G-Easy and Macklemore?" I respond.

He turns to me like he's just been insulted before focusing back on the long stretch of the road. "Don't disrespect me like that." He pauses, seemingly deciding if he wants to continue. "Drake, Kendrick, Lil Baby, and sometimes early 2000's Eminem."

"Oh ok." I nod.

Silence stretches on again. "So aren't you going to ask me what music I listen to?" I ask.

He sighs. "What music do you listen to?"

I ignore his tone. "I'm so glad you asked. I know you're super interested to hear. Well, I like a mix of everything. Pop, hip hop, indie, R&B, whatever genre Elton John and Billy Joel are."

"Elton John?" He asks, surprised.

"Yes, what's wrong with Elton John?"

"Nothing. I just wouldn't have guessed you as the Elton John listening type," he replies.

"And why is that?" I'm curious to hear.

"Oh, nothing." He grows timid.

"You can't just listen to trap music all day, Carter. There's so much more to life. You need to broaden your horizons."

"Not with Elton John," he scoffs back.

"Listen." I grab his aux cord. "We're gonna listen to Tiny Dancer and you're gonna like it. No scratch that, you're gonna love it."

The familiar piano melody fills the car. I sing along intentionally over dramatic, which he quietly laughs at.

"Wait the second half of the song just repeats the first half?" He asks.

"Yes."

"What's the point? The song is so long for no reason?" He whines.

"Shh." I quiet him. "it doesn't matter why. All that matters is it sounds good."

"Not when you're screaming it." He fails to keep under his breath.

"I think I've made my point." The song is almost ending so I just turn it off and switch back to the regular station.

"No. I mean, you can play it again if you want. If it makes you happy." He takes his eyes off the road to look over at me, the little panic in his voice sounding almost adorable.

"I knew you liked it." I smile, poking him in the chest. He's surprised and flinches before recomposing himself and giving me a half-assed smile back.

I mentally scold myself for touching him, trying not to let things turn awkward due to me trying to be playful with a guy who clearly isn't very fond of me.

My stomach rumbles before I play the song again.

It must have been loud enough for him to hear, because he asks, "Are you hungry?"

"A little bit," I admit, though that's more of an understatement. I'm starving, especially after unfortunately trying that abomination they call food at the banquet.

"If you want, we can stop somewhere. There's this place I go to a few miles off campus, Manny's. They have the best burgers."

"Oh, no if you're talking about the best burgers then you're mistaken, the Country Line diner across the street from Manny's has the best burgers."

"That's impossible," he says with so much conviction you'd think he was a world class food critic or something.

"Have you tried County Line burgers?" I ask.

He shrugs. "Manny's is already the best, I don't need to try Country Line. Have you tried Manny's?"

"I don't need to try Manny's, Country Line's is the best." I counter

He rubs his chin, thinking. "How about I get us there. You get a burger from Country Line and I get one from Manny's, then we'll judge whose is the best?"

"Sounds good to me. How do you like yours?" I ask.

"Double bacon cheeseburger, well done."

"Okay."

He takes his right hand off the wheel to shake mines.