*I'm interested to see what people think of this chapter. I wanted to make sure all of the characters were getting attention, and not just Jeff & Annie. Also, I always loved Ian Duncan (and John Oliver) and appreciated that he never gave up on his crush.

Chapter 17 – Outdoor Living and the Culinary Arts

Britta sat in her tent on the quad, stomach rumbling. She wasn't sure how much longer she had in her to keep up this game. Luckily, it was summer, so sleeping outside wasn't the end of the world but once school started again, what was she supposed to do? Maybe she needed to put a call into George and Deb. She had worked so hard to get out from under their thumb and be her own person; someone who didn't rely on their parents when things got bad.

She heard a familiar voice from outside the tent. "Hey, Britta. I was just in the neighborhood."

She poked her head out and found Ian Duncan holding a six pack of root beer and a pizza.

"Are you trying to manipulate my feelings with pizza?"

"Is that an option?", he asked with all seriousness.

"I'm not sleeping with you because you brought me dinner."

"Didn't know that was ever actually on the table, so you're safe there." He handed her the pizza and took a seat on the grass outside of the tent. Britta was hesitant but eventually sat down on the grass and opened the pizza. What does he want with me if he's not trying to sleep with me?

"So, what's going on? Why are you living in a tent on campus?" Britta looked at him, puzzled by his concern.

"I'm confused. You're not being creepy. Is everything okay with you?"

"I'm not always creepy, am I?" Duncan opened a root beer and took a swig.

"Creepy or intoxicated, usually."

He held up his bottle of soda as he exclaimed, "Hey! Root beer!"

"Yeah, what are you, seven?"

"I'm trying to get sober again and honestly, I have no idea what sober people drink. This was the first thing I saw that wasn't water." He laughed as he took another sip. "It's so sweet; how do people drink this?"

This made Britta laugh. She hadn't seen this side of Ian before. Maybe that one time he took her home instead of hitting on her after her anarchist friends were being shitty. What if he wasn't such a bad person after all? Her first impression of Jeff was that he was a selfish asshole and look how that turned out. Well, she was right about that but there were layers to him. He just needed to be given a chance. She grabbed a root beer and took a big gulp.

"Ugh, this is terrible!" she giggled as her face began to scrunch. He laughed and clanked his bottle against hers before taking another sip. "Ian, why are you still drinking it?" Britta said through the laughter.

He held up the bottle in disbelief. "This was fifteen-dollar root beer. Those damn hipsters make everything so expensive."

"This shit was fifteen-dollars!? Why the hell did you buy it?"

"Again, first thing I saw that wasn't water or booze."

"The gentrification of America is what is making…" She looked over and noticed that she was losing him. "Never mind. So, big plans this weekend?"

"There's a Liverpool football match on Saturday that I usually catch at the bar but that's probably not the ideal location given my present circumstances."

"What's a Liverpool football match?"

He sighed. "As you Americans would call it, a soccer game. The team is from Liverpool, England. You know, like the Beatles?"

"Oh, right! I knew that." Britta took a bite of her pizza, embarrassed by her lack of knowledge. She was supposed to be a citizen of the world yet she didn't know what a soccer game was. Duh Doy! "Well, I'd offer my place, but I don't have cable…or a TV…or walls."

"Britta, I say this in the most non-threatening way possible. I have an extra bedroom. No one would even have to know. I have both walls and a TV, with cable!"

"I don't need charity." Ian looked at her tent and back at her.

"You kind of do. And that's okay. We all need someone to help us off our ass every now and then. Besides, you could help me figure out what sober people do."

"Like a sponsor?"

"Well, no. You're not an alcoholic."

"So, like your therapist?" Her face lit up. He cringed, but went with it.

"Well…yeah, sure. Like my therapist."

"I could be okay with that. At least that way I'm working for my rent. Earning my keep."

"Right...If that's what keeps you from living in a tent on campus." She gave him a smirk and clanked her root beer bottle against his.

"Roommates", she said as she took the final sip from the bottle. "Ugh! Don't ever buy that shit again." Ian went to take another sip but paused as he kept his gaze on her and smiled. As she put her empty bottle back in the carrier, she looked up and caught his stare. She smiled back at him. "Thank you. For everything."

"My pleasure."