li fe badly needed contemplating. Alas, deep thinking would have to wait. The family reputation was on the line. Steven Newman’s son had to be properly impressive during the Q&A that followed the screenings. It was expected.
At The Cellar, I quickly downed two beers while Rachel nursed her first. A cute blonde in tight jeans walked by our table and smiled at me.
“Hi, Danny,” she said with a musical lilt and blew me a kiss.
“Hi,” I responded lethargically, and she walked by. “Rach, do I know that girl?”
“How would I know? She certainly seems to know you though.”
My brain kicked into high gear trying to f igure out how the girl knew me. It was impossible. I knew too many girls and lately they all seemed to be blondes.
Rachel obs erved me thinking and laughed. “If you want to be with her I won’t be offended. It’s not like I’m your date.”
“Rachel, are y ou, of all people, encouraging me to pick-up some strange girl?”
“If it gets your mind off my roommate, go ahead. I won’t tell.”
“I can’t. I’m too busy thinking about your roommate.”
“ Elizabeth isn’t your sister anymore, is she?”
I took a sizable gulp of beer three, afraid to confront what had become painfully obvious. From the moment we’d reunited, it felt different. The pleasant surprise of Eli’s curvy body in my arms as we embraced that first day had filled me with conflict.
Why couldn’t Eli be an unattractive, skinny, flat-chested girl with bad hair? Life would have been so easy. Eli and I could have remained best friends forever. I never would have found myself with desires I could no longer deny.
I took another gulp of beer. The buzz was coming.
“You’re right, Rach. Eli’s not my sister anymore,” I finally confessed.
Instead of being cathartic, weirdness and a sense of “what happens next?” overwhelmed me. I finished beer three and ordered another.
Rachel was smiling. In my state this surprised me. Then she took my hands from across the table. This was puzzling. Rachel usually disapproved of my wasted lifestyle.
“That’s great! You and Elizabeth belong together.”
“We’re n ot together, Rach. I’m here with you and Eli’s on a date.”
“Danny, y ou’ll work it out. Admitting your feelings is half the battle.”
“ Eli’s on a date, Rach,” I repeated.
“Only bec ause you didn’t ask her first. Elizabeth did it to avoid thinking of you. We both know you ruined that option.”
CHAPTER 21 - ELIZABETH
Shortly after Rachel and Danny left, Greg knocked on the door. In sharp contrast to Danny’s entrance, Greg’s seemed reticent. He smiled shyly, pleased by my appearance.
“Ready in a minute,” I called out. Greg quietly seated himself in the living room while I brushed my hair one more time.
Normally Greg wore jeans torn at the knee and his flannel shirts hung loosely on his slender frame. Tonight Greg wore chinos and an oxford shirt. His trademark hiking boots and down vest marked him as being Greg. He had cleaned up nicely.
In the short time I had known the sophomore, I found Greg to be the antithesis of Danny. Greg was from a small town in Massachusetts. His father was a veterinarian and his mother was a high school principal. Both believed in the importance of serving their community.
A product of rural New England, low-key Greg was a double major in Physics and Environmental Studies. He planned on pursuing a Masters degree in Environmental Engineering.
I was nervous. I hadn’t had a date since last summer, and that one, ugh, never mind! Greg and I were going to go to a movie. Perhaps later we would end up at The Cellar, a very public way of showing that I was not Danny’s girlfriend.
What was wrong with me? Life should not revolve around Danny. Greg was a nice guy and pleasing to look at. I should enjoy this evening because it was enjoyable, plain and simple. Its effect on Danny should not enter into my dating satisfaction.
Stop thinking of
At The Cellar, I quickly downed two beers while Rachel nursed her first. A cute blonde in tight jeans walked by our table and smiled at me.
“Hi, Danny,” she said with a musical lilt and blew me a kiss.
“Hi,” I responded lethargically, and she walked by. “Rach, do I know that girl?”
“How would I know? She certainly seems to know you though.”
My brain kicked into high gear trying to f igure out how the girl knew me. It was impossible. I knew too many girls and lately they all seemed to be blondes.
Rachel obs erved me thinking and laughed. “If you want to be with her I won’t be offended. It’s not like I’m your date.”
“Rachel, are y ou, of all people, encouraging me to pick-up some strange girl?”
“If it gets your mind off my roommate, go ahead. I won’t tell.”
“I can’t. I’m too busy thinking about your roommate.”
“ Elizabeth isn’t your sister anymore, is she?”
I took a sizable gulp of beer three, afraid to confront what had become painfully obvious. From the moment we’d reunited, it felt different. The pleasant surprise of Eli’s curvy body in my arms as we embraced that first day had filled me with conflict.
Why couldn’t Eli be an unattractive, skinny, flat-chested girl with bad hair? Life would have been so easy. Eli and I could have remained best friends forever. I never would have found myself with desires I could no longer deny.
I took another gulp of beer. The buzz was coming.
“You’re right, Rach. Eli’s not my sister anymore,” I finally confessed.
Instead of being cathartic, weirdness and a sense of “what happens next?” overwhelmed me. I finished beer three and ordered another.
Rachel was smiling. In my state this surprised me. Then she took my hands from across the table. This was puzzling. Rachel usually disapproved of my wasted lifestyle.
“That’s great! You and Elizabeth belong together.”
“We’re n ot together, Rach. I’m here with you and Eli’s on a date.”
“Danny, y ou’ll work it out. Admitting your feelings is half the battle.”
“ Eli’s on a date, Rach,” I repeated.
“Only bec ause you didn’t ask her first. Elizabeth did it to avoid thinking of you. We both know you ruined that option.”
CHAPTER 21 - ELIZABETH
Shortly after Rachel and Danny left, Greg knocked on the door. In sharp contrast to Danny’s entrance, Greg’s seemed reticent. He smiled shyly, pleased by my appearance.
“Ready in a minute,” I called out. Greg quietly seated himself in the living room while I brushed my hair one more time.
Normally Greg wore jeans torn at the knee and his flannel shirts hung loosely on his slender frame. Tonight Greg wore chinos and an oxford shirt. His trademark hiking boots and down vest marked him as being Greg. He had cleaned up nicely.
In the short time I had known the sophomore, I found Greg to be the antithesis of Danny. Greg was from a small town in Massachusetts. His father was a veterinarian and his mother was a high school principal. Both believed in the importance of serving their community.
A product of rural New England, low-key Greg was a double major in Physics and Environmental Studies. He planned on pursuing a Masters degree in Environmental Engineering.
I was nervous. I hadn’t had a date since last summer, and that one, ugh, never mind! Greg and I were going to go to a movie. Perhaps later we would end up at The Cellar, a very public way of showing that I was not Danny’s girlfriend.
What was wrong with me? Life should not revolve around Danny. Greg was a nice guy and pleasing to look at. I should enjoy this evening because it was enjoyable, plain and simple. Its effect on Danny should not enter into my dating satisfaction.
Stop thinking of
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