CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Joseph had planned to go to the food court with Eric for lunch after class, and he decided to go ahead without waiting for him. Eric knew how to find it himself, and he probably wouldn't have waited either, Joseph told himself. When Joseph saw that Tom was there sitting alone in a booth, he was glad that he had a moment to talk before Eric scared Tom off again.
"Anyone sitting there?" he asked Tom.
"Oh hey, Joseph! Naw, I was just working on an assignment for class."
"You have homework already? I thought the only ones that had class right now were us poor freshmen with our orientation."
"Oh yeah, I remember that! No, this is real homework. Sorry, I mean... not that your homework isn't, you know... real or anything."
"Oh no, it's pretty much busy work. You don't have to apologize. Anything interesting?"
"Not as interesting as you," Tom said, closing his notebook. "Have a seat!"
"So really. How did you end up with homework already?"
"Oh it's a thing the professors like to do to torment us. Before they had these website thingies they couldn't inflict homework on us until we actually showed up. Now we're expected to read the syllabus before class and come prepared."
"The nerve."
"I know, right? I remember the days when you could expect that the first class was all about laying down the class rules and reading the syllabus word for word, but now they expect you to figure that all out before you show up. It's like they think we're adults or something."
"Or something. I don't think I'd mind that so much. This orientation feels like a big waste of time."
"Oh, I guess for you, huh? I mean, you're probably, like, a hundred and fifty years old by now, right?"
"No," said Joseph, staring at the table. He realized that in his eagerness to join Tom, he had forgotten to get anything to eat. "I've only been a vampire a few months."
"Really? Well isn't that something? Usually the vampires that come here are just looking to relive their younger years and mingle with the young-uns. But you're a young-un yourself!"
"Yeah, well. Guilty as charged. I'm a freshman-aged freshman. How old are you?"
"Me? Twenty-one."
"So old enough to drink?"
"If I wanted to. It was a lot more interesting when I was too young to do it than it is now. Can't imagine it makes a difference to you, right? Since vampires can't get drunk and all."
"Right."
"Speaking of, how's your brother? Is he still...?"
"Human?"
"I was going to say recovering, from the drunk... I mean, I guess... well..."
Tom was interrupted by a voice from behind them, both to Joseph's relief and annoyance.
"Hey boys! Can I join you?"
He recognized the voice as Hannah's.
"Absolutely!" said Tom, not seeming to mind the interruption.
"Yeah, we were just chatting about... stuff. You know, waiting for Eric to finish up with the dean," said Joseph.
Joseph felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, but he ignored it. It was probably Eric. He would just figure out that Joseph came straight to the food court.
"Yeah, I heard the freshman dean was teaching orientation this year," said Tom. "He doesn't usually interact with the students. Lucky him!"
"Yeah, lucky him," Hannah said, not really looking at them.
"Are you okay?" Joseph asked.
"What? Oh yeah," Hannah said and her mood immediately brightened. "I'm just a worrier! Wanna make sure that my roomie doesn't get kicked out of school her first week."
"That's very thoughtful of you," offered Tom.
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm sure Joseph does the same for Eric."
"Yeah," was all Joseph said.
He didn't really care about Eric's grades any more than Eric did, which was not at all, but they did look out for each other in other ways.
"Oh hey, there's Taylor!" said Tom.
But where was Eric? Joseph wondered.