Cowardly? No. I have other shit to get done before meeting the team in lab and I don’t need to face Professor McHottie on top of it.
In my last fifteen minutes of history, I’m flipping through my notebook when I find my note I made a few weeks ago.
How to be a badass:
1. Date who I want. (And not who I don’t.)
2. Pursue my own career and personal interests.
3. Become financially independent.
So the first one’s easy. I’m not dating anyone.
But I am pursuing my own interests, and if our team can win this competition, it’ll set me up for a legitimate career.
Still, there are problems. Big ones.
This afternoon is the first team meeting since break, and I haven’t talked to Madison except our run-in at the bar a week ago.
I hoped to arrive early to corner her, but our history prof ends the day by announcing the midterm time, which conflicts with one of my labs, so I stay late to plead my case.
As I head across campus, the late afternoon sun has me stripping off my sweater. The pleated skirt and tank top are cute for class but less than ideal for actually working. But I don’t have a second to head home and change like I’d planned.
At least Sawyer won’t be there. Today, I’m grateful not to have to face him.
I’ve always liked the engineering design lab. It’s not the lab itself, but what goes on there: projects, creativity, exploration of ideas.
I run into Adam on the way in.
“You’re here early,” I comment.
“Madison suggested getting a head start.”
I’m immediately on alert.
She changed her mind and she’s planning to tell them about me and Professor Redmond.
“Missed you over break,” he says. “A few of us went to a party at Keaton’s.”
I focus on his words and not the feeling of impending doom. “Remember when you broke that vase of his mom’s back in senior year when you were high and throwing it around like a football?”
“I thought I was a dead man.” He shakes his head.
“You get away with everything. It’s that smile.”
The smile in question appears. “Everything okay? Your mom skipped lunch with mine, and when you texted to say you weren’t coming to class, I wondered if something was up.”
Adam puts his hand on the small of my back, and I step forward. “Yeah. We’re doing okay.”
“Liv…”
I cut him a look. “It’s been a little stressful with my dad’s work, and Emma.”
“I’m here for you. You know that, right?”
His eyes search mine, looking genuinely concerned.
And as much as he was a dick earlier this semester, he does understand what my world is like because it’s his world, too.
We make our way into the lab to find Madison’s already there, facing a whiteboard, plus Royce, but it’s the third figure between them that has my chest tightening.
Sawyer’s wearing a black T-shirt over jeans and boots. His hair is tied back and he writes on a whiteboard.
A dull object pokes my stomach and I curse as I run into the corner of a lab table.
Adam grabs me, a hand on my waist and another on my shoulder. “Easy there,” he laughs. “Need me to carry you to lab? Cuz I’ll do it.”
All three of them turn this way.
Our professor’s gaze flickers over me and Adam, making every inch of my skin tingle.
“Glad you guys could make it,” Madison says. “We’re going over the schedule for the rest of the semester and we started brainstorming what we can improve on after regionals.” She motions to the whiteboard.
“Since when does Professor Redmond come to meetings?”
Royce arches a brow and Madison blinks at me.
“Since now,” Sawyer replies, a warning lurking just below the surface.
“Go with it, Liv.” Adam laughs at my side. “We’re getting extra help, it’s a good thing.”
“This is just a team meeting,” Royce says, crossing to us. “It’s still a long road to nationals and we can’t do it without him.”
He’s right. I should focus on being the team leader they can trust, the one who pulls her weight.
I glance at Sawyer and take a deep breath. “Sure. No problem.”
An hour later, Sawyer’s been less watchful mentor than drill sergeant. He’s been giving us all kinds of menial tasks. Wires and circuit components are scattered across the lab counter, none of which are attached to the robot.
“Are you sure we need to practice this kind of circuitry? We’re not going to use it.” Royce holds two wires up to the light.
“If this robot is going to be able to function in a range of environments and be small enough to fit in a modest space, you need flexibility.”
“Listen, we just need to build a thing that gets the judges off, yeah?” Adam gripes, nodding to the robot. “A little refinement and it can jack you off, Professor.”
Madison groans and I rub a hand over my face.
“Not my type, but thank you, Adam.”
Royce frowns. “We’re here to design something that could change the world.”
Adam looks at all of us. “And by that they mean make cash.”
“Or you could do something that actually makes a difference.” We all turn toward Sawyer. “Everything we design starts with a vision of what could be. A future that’s different than the present we’re living in. You could try to make everyone’s world better, not only your own.”
My heart thuds against my ribs. It’s as much as I told him before at Fall Ball.
“And before you forget, there’s an important call to discuss the requirements for the next phase of the submissions. I assume you’ll all be there enthusiastically taking notes,” he continues.
Groans go up. “It’s midterms,” Royce sighs.
Madison shakes her head. “Whatever, we’ll be there.”
But I step forward. “It’s okay. I’m the team lead, I’ll take care of it.”
“You’re the best.” Adam reaches out to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear before I can stop him.
I don’t look at Sawyer, but I feel his attention scorching my skin.
“And you’re out of materials.” Sawyer nods to Adam. “You can head to the supply room to get more.”
It’s grunt work but Adam doesn’t blink. He’s probably happy for a reprieve, and to stretch his legs. “Need your pass, Professor.”
“It’s okay. Mine has enhanced permissions. I’ll go too.” The words are out before I think to stop them. The reason mine has enhanced permissions is because Lancaster made them that way, which is a sore spot for Sawyer. But I hop off the counter where I’m seated.
“You think you two can find it?” Royce says. “No hooking up in the supply room.”
Adam laughs.
Sawyer’s heavy stare settles on my back until we’re out the door.
“Seriously. As if we can’t do basic electrical engineering without having to practice,” Adam starts as we head down the hall. “This is where you say ‘you’re imagining things, Adam, he has our best interests at heart.’”