Read My Summer Roommate for Free Online

makes a face in response and starts the car. “It’s working fine.”
    I’ll believe her when we reach Izzy’s house.
    “So who’s going to be there?” I ask.
    “Just us. I mean, her dad and aunt, Harper, and us. Maybe her cousin Evie.”
    “Okay.” I wonder if there’ll be anyone to talk to. Or at least if they’ll have beer.
    “I’ll keep you company, Chris,” she says , and smiles in my direction. How did she guess what I was thinking?
    “And Harper’s cool too.”
    “I know, but he’ll be with Izzy.”
    She chuckles. “I guess you’re right. He’s glued to her side.”
    I think I heard a bit of wistfulness in her voice, but I don’t ask her about it. Maybe she’s had something with him, too.
    “What happened to Adam?” I ask, because I remember I saw Chloe and him together at a party in March. She hasn’t mentioned him since she moved in with me.
    “Why do you want to know?” She sounds defensive. I didn’t mean to upset her.
    “Just curious.”
    “We broke up.”
    “Oh.”
    I’m sort of glad about it, because Adam’s a dick. Personally, I don’t understand what girls see in guys like him. He’s a douche and arrogant to boot. I only put up with his shit because he’s friends with Mike.
    “I guess I should say I’m sorry.”
    “But?”
    Is she reading my mind? I look at her to see what she’s thinking. She doesn’t seem to be pissed at me.
    “I’m not really.”
    The corner of her lips curls up, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes.
    I feel like I should explain. “I’m not a fan of Adam’s,” I say apologetically.
    “Me neither.” This time she grins.
    “So. What are you studying?” she says, throwing me off with the sudden change in topic.
    “Er, sport pedagogy.”
    “I thought it’d be something … sporty.”
    Is she mocking me? What’s wrong with sport pedagogy?
    “I mean, you being a snowboarder and all.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “What?” She turns to look at me, but quickly re-focuses on the road again.
    “It’s a serious study subject, like any other. There’s a lot of psychology involved. How to inspire kids to do sports and how not to overstress them with competitions. Stuff like that.”
    “I didn’t mean …”
    I don’t let her finish. “I started competing when I was ten. It was hard, between school work and constant training, and with an asshat coach who didn’t give a shit about trying to fit the training around school work. It gets to you, when you’re ten and no one really listens to you.”
    This time she looks at me for longer, I see it out of the corner of my eye. I don’t want to return the gaze because I realize I sounded pretty whiny.
    “I believe you. Having too many responsibilities as a kid can break you.” She says it like she’s talking from experience. I wonder about that, but at that moment we arrive and she parks on the curb in front of what must be Izzy’s house.
    She’s out of the car before I even open the door, getting the nicely wrapped parcel from the back seat.
    Izzy greets us at the door and when she sees me, she quickly covers her surprise with a wide smile. “Come on in.”
    The girls hug and giggle and whisper and Izzy blushes , and a swarm of voices can be heard from the backyard beyond the long hallway. To me it’s all a blur. I catch Harper, who goes past the open back door and then retraces his steps and raises his hand in salute, recognizing me. He waves me out onto the porch, and I skirt around the laughing girls and go to him.
    There’s a table on the lawn, covered in dishes and bottles. Next to the porch steps, there’s a barbecue with steaks on it that Harper is now expertly turning over.
    “Drink?” he asks.
    I accept it and the next second I’m shaking the hand of an older man. He seems equally lost.
    “This is Isabelle’s dad,” Harper introduces us.
    “Chris.”
    “Forgive me if I’ve seen you before and forgot,” he says breathlessly. “I’m not good with faces.” He cringes and at