"New semester, new furniture?" Thomas says, holding the package like it's a rare book.
Emmett laughs. "If by furniture you mean a box with someone else's dirty laundry, then yes."
"You deliver books, Mr. Lopez," Thomas corrects, smiling without warmth. "What do you have today?"
"One box for Jensen, two for the library, and a bag of bad coffee somebody left in an office," Emmett says, bouncing on his heels. "And a mystery girl on Riverside who looks like she needs a blanket."
Thomas's hand tightens around the cardboard. "Mystery girl?"
Emmett points. "Across the street. Small. Carried like a secret. You'd notice her too if you saw how she hugged that sketchbook."
Thomas turns. The girl moves slow, shoulders drawn in, head ducked under a beanie that does not hide the way she looks like she wants to be invisible.
"Is she a student?" Thomas asks.
Emmett shrugs. "Probably. Another art kid. They multiply."
"She's not just an art kid," Thomas says.
Emmett nudges him. "Professor Jensen, you're scaring me. You never talk about students like that."
Thomas doesn't answer. He watches the girl press herself against the storefront glass, fingers worrying at the strap of a canvas bag. He remembers a name that shouldn't have come up on a random Tuesday before classes: Giana Deleon.
"Is that her?" Emmett asks, lowering his voice. "Giana? The Deleon kid?"
Thomas blinks. He hadn't meant to say it aloud. "Yes."
Emmett whistles
