Chapter 4

“Marcus! You made it!” Ajay’s smile is blindingly bright as he closes his laptop and tosses it casually onto the desk with a loud clatter that makes Marcus cringe.

“Yeah, sorry…I got caught up.”

Ajay tilts his head, clearly waiting for further elaboration, but Marcus doesn’t offer any additional information. Ajay doesn’t need to know how Marcus woke up to a burst pipe in the bathroom, and then had to spend thirty minutes arguing with his super as to why this was unacceptable.

Eventually Ajay nods, dropping his feet to the floor and gesturing to the chair next to him. “Doesn’t matter. You’re here now. Just text me next time you’re running late so I know you aren’t being mugged or run over by the shuttle or something.”

Marcus winces. “Yeah, I…I’m sorry. I know you’re busy, and I don’t want to…I can just leave if you’re—”