The Entirely Fabricated Story of Lizzie Nickerson

Chapter 67

Out-of-town students were housed in dormitories located a few blocks from the academy in plain, concrete, academic buildings tucked away in a forgotten part of the city. To give Scooter a break from cafeteria food fatigue at his off-campus dining hall diet, Sonya invited him for a casual pizza dinner. 

During the bus ride home, Lizzie told Scooter about Vinka's warning and how their janitor's supply closet rendezvous could jeopardize their scholastic careers.

"I was worried about that," he said.

"I didn't have time to worry about it until now," she said. "But it makes sense. And now I'm definitely worried." She could barely feel her electricity.

He squeezed her hand. "We'll figure something out."

They didn't speak until they got off the bus.

"So, that Sebastian dude works with you at the academy," he said.

"He doesn't really work with me. I do my own work and he does his work."

"But he's in your department. He sits right near you."

They resumed their walk past the familiar red brick building with the green-striped canvas awning, and empty orange vinyl chairs arranged in line along the sidewalk.

Scooter said, "I think he likes you."

"I like him, too," she said.

"I mean he likes you in a girlfriend/boyfriend kind of way."

"Oh, geez. That doesn't even make sense."

"You're not good at reading people, social cues, and all that, right?"

She shrugged.

"I'm pretty good at it," said Scooter. "And the way Sebastian looks at you, he's definitely crushing on you."

Her brows furrowed.

"He wishes you were his girlfriend."

"Oh, geez. I'm an annoying autistic girl who's very particular and super weird. The total package. That was sarcasm, by the way."

"Yeah, I got that." Scooter grinned. "And also, I think you're an awesome girlfriend."

"I never even thought about having a boyfriend before I met you. Now I brush my hair and shower and everything. Because of you."

"Thanks, I guess. Do you ever think about other guys like Sebastian?"

"Think about them? Why would I think about them?"

"Girls that I know in Atlanta have different boyfriends all the time."

Lizzie sighed. "You should stop listening to your brain when it gets like this."

"Like what?"

"Thinking about all the bad things that could happen. On certain days, my brain goes from me maybe getting kicked out of the academy to me being sent to work in a coal mine somewhere."

Scooter smiled. "There's no way you'd ever work in a coal mine."

"I don't think my neck is even strong enough to hold up my head with one of those big metal helmets on it."

He laughed.

"Oh, geez. I'm too claustrophobic to ride an elevator. A coal mine would be a hundred times worse."

"I think some coal mines have elevators."

"An elevator in a coal mine. If there really is a devil, that was probably one of his ideas."