It sounded harmless enough. “That sounds fun. I’l see what the girls are doing.”
Kim looked at her watch and yawned. “Stick a fork in me. I’m done.”
“Nigh, are you ready?” Beth asked.
“Nigh?” Ryan asked with a raised eyebrow.
I grimaced. “It’s a nickname they came up with to torture me. Don’t cal me that.”
“Noted,” he said.
Kim and I stood, waiting for Beth to gather her miniature office supply store.
“This is why I don’t bring anything,” Kim said, gesturing to Beth.
“You borrowed my pen!” Beth objected.
“Oh. Right,” Kim said, tossing the pen into Beth’s bag. “Al packed.”
Beth rol ed her eyes and looked at me. “Wil you put some tape on her mouth?”
“I don’t think tape would help,” I grinned.
We walked back to Andrews and Kim waved goodbye, continuing to her room. I col apsed on my bed as Beth gathered her things to head to the showers. As I traced the imperfections of the ceiling with my eyes, my mind drifted to Jared. Not only had I gone from never seeing him to running into him regularly; it was as if I was seeing him at wil .
“Ryan asked you out for this weekend?” Beth burst in, towel-drying her hair.
“No. He asked us out for this weekend. I guess some of his friends are going for drinks; he asked us to come along.”
“What did you say?” she asked, suddenly interested.
“I said it sounded like fun.”
“You want to go?” she squealed.
“I guess you do,” I chuckled, rol ing my eyes.
“Yes! I do! You wanna go? Please say yes!” she dropped to her knees beside me on my bed.
“I want to go,” I said flatly.
Beth tackled me. “Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!” she cried.
“You’re welcome! Now get off!” I laughed.
The next day was warmer, a good day to take a walk off-campus. Providence transformed from a beautiful crystal ine city of white into the soiled, wet mess the cars and mud quickly created. The pristine snow had become a grey-brown sludge lining the roadways and sidewalks. I happily slipped on my black and white fleur de lis galoshes and stomped through the slush in hopes of proving my sheer-wil theory concerning Jared.
After an hour of walking, the sun no longer kept me warm. I slipped into the first coffee shop I came upon and ordered the largest size they offered, thawing by the window.
It occurred to me how ridiculous I had become; walking around in near-arctic temperatures to see if Jared would materialize. I was the future savvy CEO of Providence’s premiere shipping company for the love of al things holy! What kind of crack pot had I turned into? Over a boy? An incredibly attractive, intel igent, courteous, wel -dressed, fantastical y-smel ing boy. But he was just a boy. Man. Boy. They were al boys.
When the blood circulated again in my fingertips, I made my way back to the school. It was closer to sunset than I would have liked so far from campus, so I quickened my pace.
Two blocks from the school, I pressed the button at the light and kept my distance from the corner, fearful of the inevitable splashing of the cars passing by. The light changed and I trotted across, noting that the warmth from my coffee was waning.
Before I made it to the half-way point of the cross walk, a car horn blared beside me. I jumped, and my eyes darted to the light. It was stil green. I turned to glare at the offending vehicle, but my eyes widened when a black Escalade came into view. Jared waved, quivering from a barrage of laughter.
I wasn’t sure if I was annoyed or euphoric, but the mixture of emotions propel ed me to the passenger side of his car. I whipped open his door and climbed in.
“You scared me to death!” I said, slamming the door behind me.
“I’m sorry!” Jared exclaimed, trying to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up.
The light turned green and he looked at me. “You want a ride?”
I stared at him blank-faced. “Seriously? I’m in your car.”
He shrugged and pul ed forward.
“You look frozen,” he said, touching the end of my nose. That one tap sent adrenaline running throughout my body and I felt nothing but warmth. He reached for the knobs under his radio and twisted the heat to its highest setting.
“I went for a walk,” I said, unable to subdue the ridiculous grin on my face.
“I see that,” he frowned, disapproving.
“Where are you on your way to?”
“To pick up a client.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“Are you always this vague?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re ful of piss and vinegar today.”
“May I remind you that you honked at me in the middle of a busy street? I could have been kil ed.”
“Doubtful. The light was on our side.” I dwel ed on how he said ‘our’ for a moment.
“Let’s not discount the possible rabid motorists flying through the wet intersection. My hesitation caused by your honking could have led to some serious sidewalk chalk drawings.”
Jared laughed. “Are you sure you shouldn’t apply for law school? You have quite an imagination.”
“So I’ve been told,” I grinned.
“What are you doing this weekend?”
“I’m having drinks with some friends. I would invite you, but I assume you’l be there,” I watched for a guilty or stunned expression at my comment, but I was quickly disappointed.