Tutoring my Rival Boy novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: Heater

When Chris looked again, the dock was empty.

He lay awake with Leander's coat over him and watched the window until the sky turned gray.

At six-thirty he gave up, climbed down, and found the shed door shut exactly as he had left it.

Nobody had touched it.

That helped a little.

At seven sharp, he stood outside the Ashgrove Hall lobby with his calculus book and a dull ache behind his eyes.

Leander came down the stairs a minute later, yawning, with wet hair and an enormous cardboard box in his arms.

"Morning," Leander said.

"What is that?"

"A present."

"I don't want a present."

"It's not a present. It's a space heater."

Chris closed his eyes.

"Ashgrove."

"It's an extra. My room has two."

"Why does your room have two heaters?"

"My father buys things," Leander said.

"Take it. I won't ask what's wrong with the loft."

"There's nothing wrong with the loft."

"Then it won't miss a heater."

"I don't take charity."

"Then I'll sell it to you," Leander said brightly.

"For a dollar."

"A dollar."

"And you pay it when I get a seventy on the midterm."

Chris stared at him.

"That's not a price. That's a bet."

"It's both. Come on, Chesbro."

"If I get a seventy, you owe me a dollar and I'm very rich."

"If I don't, it's my fault and you keep the heater anyway."

"That makes no sense."

"I wasn't trying to make sense. I was trying to get you warm."

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