Chapter 209

Orion I was seriously screwed. Like, totally and completely late for dinner. The digital clock on my phone mocked me with its bright 7:00 PM display. I'd completely missed the start of the family dinner party, which meant those two bottomless pits I called cousins were probably demolishing Mom's homemade cherry pie right this second. My stomach growled. That cherry pie was no joke. The crust was flaky and buttery, and the filling was perfectly balanced.Mom only made it once a year, and I'd been counting down like it was Christmas. How did time slip away so fast? It felt like I'd just left the house to meet my buddies for our pre-semester hangout. I'd spent most of winter break hibernating in my room, catching up on sleep and enjoying the sweet silence of not being a student for once. Tomorrow meant chaos. Syllabus week. Awkward icebreakers. Professors who actually thought "group project" was a good idea. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a hermit. I can turn on the charm when I have to, but