By the next morning, I was dying for the sight of her. I had that new relationship feeling you get when there’s someone you’re interested in, and you can’t wait to be with that person. When the need is so strong, it’s like a living, breathing thing.
That’s when I knew for certain that this thing was more than a flash in the pan; that I wanted more and was willing to give more of myself than I’ve been willing to give for the past three years since coming here.
I want more of sitting across from her and listening to her soft cultured voice, seeing that sweet innocent smile. I want to look at her, just look to my heart’s content because she’s that beautiful. I rolled out of bed and hit the showers feeling lighter than I have in months. Today was the first day I’d awakened without dread clouding my mind.
Today for the first time, I chose to believe there was hope for my dad instead of the defeatist attitude I’ve carried with me since learning of his illness. Today I wanted to believe that life was going to be beautiful. “Damn!” I switched off the water in the shower and stepped out. It’s like that?
I hadn’t asked her about her classes, something I plan to change as soon as I see her again. For the first part of the morning, I barely paid attention in class, but I got my shit done. The guys had regaled me with tales of their antics from the night before, and I’d listened halfheartedly while not sharing anything about my night with her.
I was tempted to call her between classes, but when I did, her phone was turned off. I did find myself looking over people’s heads, trying to find her as I moved across campus from one class to the next, but she was nowhere in sight. By the time lunchtime rolled around, I was ready to snap someone’s head off.
And then I walked into the cafeteria and saw her sitting at the same table from the day before. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until the air left my lungs in a gush. “Where’re you going?” Steve stopped on his way to our usual table as I headed in the opposite direction.
“Be right there, bud!” I walked to her table and stood in front of her. “Come here.” I held out my hand, and she took it before getting to her feet. I dragged her along behind me before turning back to her friend. “You coming?”
As before, the others at the table just stared, and when her friend jumped to her feet with a smile and said bye, there were only a few guys left. I smirked at the one who looked the most put out. The one who’d been trying to talk to her yesterday put my arm around her shoulders and walked her to my table with her friend trailing behind.
My guys were all looking at me like they’d never seen me before. I hadn’t given them any explanation, hadn’t mentioned her to them all morning, but they’ll know soon enough. “Guys, this is Lisa… my girl.” I felt the slight jerk of her body and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly without missing a beat or taking my eyes off my boys.
Of course, they started asking me shit that I wasn’t about to answer, and I waited for the murmurs to die down, “and this is her friend Jessica. Grab a seat, Jess. Move over, Chad.” I glared at him when he seemed stuck. You’d think she was a foreign object the way they were reacting to my announcement.
“Sure, sure, no problem, ladies.” He moved down, making room for Jessica while I seated Lisa next to me. The table was dead silent for the first few seconds as the guys looked from me to her, sitting by my side and back again, and I could see the wheels turning.
Their questions will have to wait until later, and as much as they were dying to know, I knew they wouldn’t dare ask anything that would embarrass her. Not unless they wanted my foot in their ass.
“We’ll be right back.” Her friend dragged her to the food table, and I took the time to warn the guys to be on their best behavior before we, too, went to get some grub. They beat us back to the table, and by now, the almost full cafeteria was abuzz with talk about the two girls sitting where none had been allowed before.
I ignored the looks and the whispers behind hands as I sat with my hand across the back of her chair. I have to admit to feeling just a bit odd under the intense scrutiny, and I had a moment’s worry that I might’ve thrown her into the deep end.