Incendiary Hearts

Chapter Seven

Hi there, here's the next chapter! Had to change a thing on 'the memory part' in the previous chapter, to make it all fit, but nothing of importance has changed. Hope you all had a great new year and that you take care of your loved ones!

Kind Regards,

Michelle

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"No, he's not the best teacher!"

"But he's so cool!" Savannah insisted.

"Yeah sure, he's cool, but he doesn't seem to know that much about microbial biology. At least not when we ask questions outside the syllabus," Scott said, sipping his beer confidently.

"Of course he knows about microbial biology, he's a professor for God's sake!"

"Just cause he's a professor doesn't mean he's as knowledgeable as the other teachers we have."

Kevin kept half an ear on his recently newfound friends while they kept bickering over who the best teacher was, glancing at his watch every so often. Ten past nine. Michael was so far a no-show. Even though he'd said he'd promised to try to come, Kevin hadn't been convinced he would. But he had hoped. God had he hoped...

Eighteen past nine. Maybe he was just running a little late.

Nine thirty. Kevin sighed and took a chug from his beer.

"I'm sorry, are we boring you?" Savannah asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kevin was brought back to Earth. "Oh, I'm sorry, of course not. My mind was just elsewhere."

Her eyes turned curious. "Where?"

"I sort of asked a friend to join us here," Kevin confessed.

"You have more friends than the two of us?" Scott asked, playing all hurt. He received a smack on the back of his head from Savannah. He grumbled a complaint while rubbing his head, although, thankfully not loud enough for Savannah to catch what he was saying.

"What friend?"

"Oh, it's just an old family friend." Kevin tried, and failed, to tone down his relations with Michael. His interest in the man was written all over his face.

"Ooooh, I see. Tell me more." Savannah clasped her hands together, leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table.

Kevin sucked on the insides of his cheeks. Suppose he could tell them, as long as they would keep their cool once Michael arrived. If he arrived... the possibility was growing smaller and smaller for each passing minute. Kevin had told Michael to come at eight thirty, right? "Well, he sort of grew up with my family. But we kind of lost touch over the last couple of years."

"How did you reconnect?"

Don't blush, don't blush, don't blush. "Turns out I moved into his apartment building."

"My oh my, I must say you hear stories about chance encounters, but this..."

"I know," Kevin murmured. "Anyways, we kind of reconnected and I invited him here," he continued, steering the conversation into a more comfortable area. "But he didn't promise he'd come, just that he would try to."

"And you really want him to," Savannah added, and the blush finally revealed itself. "Oooh, you fancy him, don't you!" She giggled excitedly.

"Stop teasing the poor guy, Savi," Scott intervened, though he was also smiling. "Or have you forgotten what happened with Jamie Johnson?"

"Don't you dare say another word Scott Adams, or I swear to God!" Savannah pointed a warning finger at Scott, who laughed.

"Who's Jamie Johnson?" Kevin asked with a hint of curiosity. If nothing else, he was glad the conversation was redirecting away from him.