significantly by the time Thanksgiving break arrived. After the gathering at Winslow’s, she and Kate left the next day for their respective homes. Dylan spent most of the holiday in her room outlining her notes for her exams to lessen the workload when she got back. She was in the middle of Psych when a request for a video chat from Nina popped on her screen. She wanted to impress her so she accepted, only to discover Kai White on the other end. Dylan’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Busy?” Kai asked. He was so casual with her.
“A little…” she said, biting her lip, unsure of what to say a s she tried not to look so starstruck. Her heart was bouncing around in her chest. “Getting my Psych notes in order. Exams are coming up.”
“Nina and I have a bunch of meetings with some label execs in L.A. I had a break and she made the mistake of leaving me with her laptop. I saw your name in her contacts,” he explained after a half-smile. “What are you studying in Psych?”
“Intro to Social Psychology,” she said.
“I thought you were a film major?” he asked.
“I needed the credit to round out my schedule, and my best friend begged me to take it with her,” she said. “Or coerced, rather.”
“Is this the ‘Screw Your Roommate’ friend?” he asked.
“Yes!” she said, laughing. Kai furrowed his brow in silence.
“So, like, studying people…and how we interact with each other?” he asked, leaning back a little. His face stayed serious like he was really interested.
Dylan smiled and nodded. “Yup. And how we see ourselves and others and how we’re influenced by all the information we pick up in the world.”
“Ah. And perception often dictates behaviors and beliefs,” he said. His lips slipped into another half-smile. “So the film student likes to study people too. Sounds cool.”
“Cool only in theory,” she joked, sliding her pen behind her ear. “Only when a GPA isn’t on the line.”
“You plan on only studying over the holiday?” he asked. “I think J.Kutch is performing in D.C. this weekend. Are you gonna go?” He was a popular rapper she was familiar with.
“No…” She tried to think of a reason to explain away her lack of a social life. Everything besides what it really was: her refusal to do anything fun anymore. “Lots of family stuff.”
“Oh…yeah...right,” Kai said, rubbing the back of his neck. “‘Cause if you want to, just let me know…he’s a good friend of mine.”
“Thanks, but I just don’t think I’ll have the time.” Dylan gave a gracious grin. “And are you namedropping?” she teased.
Kai leaned in to the camera as though he were about to whisper into her ear. “Definitely. How else am I going to impress the girl filming my series? It’s a bribe, actually. My career is essentially in your hands!”
“Oh,” she said, holding one of her hands up then smirking. “No pressure or anything.”
“None…except…what’s your middle name?”
Dylan furrowed her brow in confusion. “My middle name? Kimberly.”
“Dylan Kimberly Carroll. The name I’ll drop when I’m sitting at the same bar every night when I’m forty , screaming at anyone who’ll listen to how my career got completely derailed. The fight won’t be discussed, just Dylan Kimberly Carroll.”
“Oh, great,” she said, smacking herself on the forehead. He was kind of funny.
Kai looked away from the screen for a second. “Well, I hear my overlords heading my way,” he said after a laugh when he twisted his head back around.
“Oh…okay,” she said, trying not to sound so disappointed. Twice now, she had gotten sad when he had to go. She pressed out a strained smile.
“So, um, good luck with studying,” he said weakly, looking disappointed as well.
“Thanks. Bye. ” She released a heavy breath after he disappeared. Were she and Kai becoming friends, or was he just being friendly because they had to work together? Either way, as she continued to prepare
“Busy?” Kai asked. He was so casual with her.
“A little…” she said, biting her lip, unsure of what to say a s she tried not to look so starstruck. Her heart was bouncing around in her chest. “Getting my Psych notes in order. Exams are coming up.”
“Nina and I have a bunch of meetings with some label execs in L.A. I had a break and she made the mistake of leaving me with her laptop. I saw your name in her contacts,” he explained after a half-smile. “What are you studying in Psych?”
“Intro to Social Psychology,” she said.
“I thought you were a film major?” he asked.
“I needed the credit to round out my schedule, and my best friend begged me to take it with her,” she said. “Or coerced, rather.”
“Is this the ‘Screw Your Roommate’ friend?” he asked.
“Yes!” she said, laughing. Kai furrowed his brow in silence.
“So, like, studying people…and how we interact with each other?” he asked, leaning back a little. His face stayed serious like he was really interested.
Dylan smiled and nodded. “Yup. And how we see ourselves and others and how we’re influenced by all the information we pick up in the world.”
“Ah. And perception often dictates behaviors and beliefs,” he said. His lips slipped into another half-smile. “So the film student likes to study people too. Sounds cool.”
“Cool only in theory,” she joked, sliding her pen behind her ear. “Only when a GPA isn’t on the line.”
“You plan on only studying over the holiday?” he asked. “I think J.Kutch is performing in D.C. this weekend. Are you gonna go?” He was a popular rapper she was familiar with.
“No…” She tried to think of a reason to explain away her lack of a social life. Everything besides what it really was: her refusal to do anything fun anymore. “Lots of family stuff.”
“Oh…yeah...right,” Kai said, rubbing the back of his neck. “‘Cause if you want to, just let me know…he’s a good friend of mine.”
“Thanks, but I just don’t think I’ll have the time.” Dylan gave a gracious grin. “And are you namedropping?” she teased.
Kai leaned in to the camera as though he were about to whisper into her ear. “Definitely. How else am I going to impress the girl filming my series? It’s a bribe, actually. My career is essentially in your hands!”
“Oh,” she said, holding one of her hands up then smirking. “No pressure or anything.”
“None…except…what’s your middle name?”
Dylan furrowed her brow in confusion. “My middle name? Kimberly.”
“Dylan Kimberly Carroll. The name I’ll drop when I’m sitting at the same bar every night when I’m forty , screaming at anyone who’ll listen to how my career got completely derailed. The fight won’t be discussed, just Dylan Kimberly Carroll.”
“Oh, great,” she said, smacking herself on the forehead. He was kind of funny.
Kai looked away from the screen for a second. “Well, I hear my overlords heading my way,” he said after a laugh when he twisted his head back around.
“Oh…okay,” she said, trying not to sound so disappointed. Twice now, she had gotten sad when he had to go. She pressed out a strained smile.
“So, um, good luck with studying,” he said weakly, looking disappointed as well.
“Thanks. Bye. ” She released a heavy breath after he disappeared. Were she and Kai becoming friends, or was he just being friendly because they had to work together? Either way, as she continued to prepare
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