That’s why it was such a shock when she’d accepted Jess so readily and invited her into our home. As far as she was concerned, my only interest was to be in my studies. But I’d been over the moon when he asked and totally devastated when I had to turn him down. That was also my first real brush with heartache and jealousy when Tommy found someone else to take to the dance.
I grew almost panicked at the thought that mom may somehow find out about Cody and put an end to this as well before it even began. I was too green to question the strength of my feelings coming so soon after only just meeting him. But there was something about him, something enigmatic and awe-inspiring.
I hadn’t really believed the hype surrounding him. In my mind, he was probably no better than the boys I’d left behind in high school, all puffed up with a distorted view of themselves. But nothing could be further from the truth. For one, he was older by three years with a man’s body, no doubt from years of playing football, and the way he approached me was missing the ineptness of youth. In short, he was all man.
I didn’t see him again until after my last class of the day. He came out of nowhere and fell into step beside me as I walked down the hallway. My whole body turned pink, and I felt awkward while my heart felt like it was going to either stop one minute or gallop out of my chest the next.
I had no clue what I was supposed to do in this situation. Should I play coy? Flip my hair around like those girls in the movies? What? Oh well, this wouldn’t last for long. Not once he figures out what an utter ass I am when it comes to this stuff.
I’m sure someone like him is more accustomed to worldly women. Girls who know what they want, know how to handle someone like him, and aren’t afraid to breathe in his presence. Could he tell how out of my depth I was right now? I barely remembered how to put one foot in front of the other as he walked in step beside me.
He didn’t try to touch me, didn’t invade my space or anything like that, and for the longest time, I thought he wasn’t going to say a word until... “So, how come I never saw you before today?” I cleared my throat because I’d been eyeing him from the corner of my eye, trying to take him all in now that I wasn’t in total shock.
He really is gorgeous. His eyes were a deep-sea blue that defied reason, and I could see that what hair was left on his head, hidden under his cap, was raven black.
He dropped his gaze down at me from his six-three height when I didn’t answer, and I swallowed. So intense! “I was sick.” He frowned as if he didn’t like my answer. “You’re all better now?” Now his hand came up and touched my back fleetingly before pulling it away just as swiftly.
Geez, Lisa get a grip; it was just an innocent rub. Though my body’s temp went up a few degrees. “Yes, I am.” I had to swallow again since my words came out sounding like a landed trout on meth. He didn’t ask me what had been wrong, which showed that he had manners, and I was glad of that.
Though Mono is a pretty well-known condition these days, some people still act as though it were the plague, and I wasn’t in the mood to explain it to the hottest guy on campus. I held myself up straight, all five foot two of me, which looked ridiculous next to his towering muscular height, trying my best not to look like a sickly wimp.
He didn’t say anything else, which made the walk unbearable. I would’ve preferred it if he were even a little crass, so I could use it as an excuse to avoid him in the future. But his silence left me feeling tense and unnerved. Not to mention the fact that he seemed deep in thought whenever I peeked at him from beneath my lowered lashes.
Before long, we were at my dorm, and he stopped outside the door. Another awkward moment passed as I stood there with my head down, not even seeing the floor I was staring at. What to do? I’m nowhere near ready to invite him into my room, but how does little old me get big old him to adhere to my wishes if it came to that?
He seemed to pick up on my unease and stepped back a little, and only then did I realize that I’d been holding my breath. Good, he wasn’t going to ask to come in. I’m really going to have to ask Jess about this dating thing if this is what this was.