Chapter 3: Loaded with Love

Grandma actually Venmo’d me two thousand dollars on the spot.

The Venmo notification nearly made me drop my phone. My heart hammered. Two grand? For a hoodie? For a second, I thought maybe she’d hit an extra zero by mistake. I was so excited I almost jumped up and hit the ceiling.

“Did you just give me next month’s living expenses in advance?”

“No, next month is next month. This is for buying clothes.”

I let out a squawk so loud, someone down the hall yelled, “You good, man?”

Grandma, Grandma, I love you! I love you like a mouse loves cheese!

I kissed my phone screen, then waved my balance at my roommate. Derek just shook his head, grinning like he’d seen this a hundred times.

“See? Your boy is loaded now.”

Before bed, I sent Grandma a good night message.

I typed: “Night, Grandma.” She replied, “Good night.”

I sent her a sticker of the dramatic “Wrong!” from the TV drama she’s obsessed with lately.

“Shouldn’t it be ‘Sweetheart, good night’ today?”

“Alright, sweetheart, good night.”

Just as I was about to fall asleep, my phone buzzed again.

“Should I call you sweetheart every day from now on?”

I was so sleepy. “Of course.”

You’re my favorite Grandma in the world.

Too bad I was so tired I didn’t type out the second half.

The next morning at eight, all four of us in the dorm woke up late.

Our alarms blared and no one moved until Derek groaned, “Guys, we’re screwed.” I even wore mismatched sneakers in my rush out the door.

Right as I got downstairs, I ran smack into someone from the girls’ dorm.

I looked up—it was the hottest girl in our major, Natalie Grant.

Natalie has great grades, looks, and family background.

Her only flaw? She’s way too cold.

And, she really seems to dislike me.

We’re in the same department, and I only got her on Messenger two days ago.

She started off by asking what kind of tricks I was up to again, and said I was inexplicable.

My roommates all said, “She seems cold, but I didn’t expect her to be so blunt.”

I actually wanted to confess to her on the spot, but when I remembered Natalie’s tone, I swallowed my words.

Can’t let people look down on me.

I deleted her in a flash.

But today, Natalie’s look at me was different.

Her gaze was as cold as ever, but there was some complex emotion mixed in, making a sharp contrast with the warm morning sunlight.

I felt a bit guilty under her stare.

My roommate called from ahead, “Hurry up, Caleb, or we’re really going to be late!”

Yeah, she’s probably just mocking me for my mismatched sneakers.