Page 23 of War

Someone else said, “I tried to wake him at noon for lunch but he didn't want to get up.”

“Zion.”

I came to when someone patted my cheek. Groggily, I looked around, only to find that I still sat in a lobby chair. Joey knelt in front of me, and Amantha sat at her computer.

“Welcome back to reality. You were out,” Joey said. He stood, wearing street clothes like he was ready to go.

I wiped my sleepy eyes and glanced at the clock, only to see it was 5:00.

“Aww, I slept through lunch? You were supposed to wake me,” I chided Amantha.

“I tried. You seemed to need sleep more so I let you sleep.”

“I've got to head to class. Are you two okay if I go?” Joey asked.

“Yeah, we're fine. Thanks, Joey,” I said.

Amantha nodded at him.

“All right. Good night.”

“Good night,” we echoed.

After Joey disappeared through the door, I stretched and looked at Amantha.

“Therapy tonight?”

She nodded. “Yes, I'm headed straight there when I leave.”

I wanted to spend time with her, but I knew she would refuse an offer to take her to therapy.

“What do you and Neo have planned for dinner?” I asked.

“We’ll probably find leftovers in the fridge. Why?”

“How about I bring pizza over when you get out of therapy?”

She hesitated. “I’m not looking for a romantic relationship right now.”

“Well, good. Because I don't do romantic relationships,” I said.

“The most we can be is friends. I was warned about how you like to sleep around. I can't let you be involved with Neo then have you suddenly disappear because we slept together. The poor kid has been through enough.”

Ouch. What she said was the truth, but I was a little offended by that.

Defensively, I fell back in my comfort zone.

I held my hand up in the Vulcan salute.

“I’ll behave. Scout's honor.”

She narrowed her eyes. “That's not the Scouts’ hand sign, that's the Vulcan salute from Star Trek.”

“Fine, I swear on my life—”

“I've seen your life. It's a train wreck. Swear on something else.”

I smiled. I liked her a lot.