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a smile."Hi, I'm looking for Duke."
    He points a finger at me and smiles broadly. One of his teeth is partly broken, but it doesn't look like something recent. It makes his smile more playful. "You are his girlfriend, Skye, right?"
    I look at the couple still fighting down the hall. This time it’s the guy talking loudly, and it looks like the girl is about to explode. I bring my eyes back to the guy in front of me and nod. "Yes. I guess you're his roommate."
    He lets the door open and walks back inside. Expecting me to follow him in, I suppose, I take a couple of steps inside the little room and close the door after me. He goes back to his bed and lies down, no longer looking at me. One big bag is at the foot of his bed. "I'm Grayson."
     
    Interesting name. But there's no trace of Duke. I don't like it. Does it mean he’s spent all this time with the brunette girl? Because I know he doesn't have a class right now. I check my cell phone for what feels like the hundredth time, but of course there are no missed calls or texts. My heart stings a little more.
    "Do you know where Duke is? I don't want to impose."
    Grayson's eyebrows shoot up high on his forehead, hidden behind his fair hair that needs a good cut. But I suppose saying this aloud would make me sound like his mother. "I didn't see him when I came back. And really, when you knocked I was just busy looking at the ceiling. But I think the ceiling will be here later … so if you want to wait for him here, it's fine with me."
    His green eyes are on mine, and it is kind of freaking me out to have his full attention on me when we're alone in a closed place. I can't think about it for too long though because Duke walks in before I can answer Grayson.
    I turn toward him and see his eyes traveling to and from Grayson and me, his frown deepening. He could muster a smile when he sees me, but no. Of course not. I sigh and adjust my bag on my shoulder, ready to walk out of here. Now, I'm not so sure I want to talk with him.
    "What are you doing here, man?" Duke asks his roommate as he lets his backpack hit the ground without paying much attention.
    Grayson stands up in a jump, straightening his back in a satisfying sigh. "I had a fight with my girl. A big one."
    "And she banned you from her place?"
    Grayson laughs without conviction, his green eyes lost in the past for a second. "I left willingly. I need some time away. I hope I'm not ruining your plans with Skye." He looks at me with an apologetic smile, and it relaxes me. I shake my head.
    "No, we don't have any plans, and it's your place too," Duke replies with a shrug, not once looking at me or asking me why I was waiting for him to come home.
     
    "All right, but I'm leaving you to sort whatever you have to sort out. I'll be at the coffee house." He takes his keys and cell phone from his desk and walks to the door.
    "But you can stay, man. Everything's good."
    I keep quiet, but I murder Duke in my head. Can't he see I'm here to talk to him? Grayson chuckles and waves at me. "It's obvious you forgot what it's like to have a girlfriend. She wasn't here waiting for you just ‘cause you have pretty tats and beautiful eyes." And on those words, he leaves us alone in a deafening silence.
    Duke finally turns around, his frown still there. It's going to be harder to talk with him than I thought. I don't really want to know if he wants someone else, and yet, I have to know. When I think about it, we never had the honeymoon phase everybody talks about. From the very beginning it was difficult between us. Maybe it was a sign we shouldn't have ignored.
    "Is that true? Are you here because you want to talk about something?" Duke asks me softly with concern in his voice. It almost brings me to my knees. I'm not sure how I'd take it if he wants us to stop.
    I take a deep breath and look him directly in his eyes. I won’t be a coward. "Where were you?"
    He looks away, and it's like a punch in my gut. He never looks away from me unless