In Her Eyes by Wesley Banks Page A

him.
    “I had a lot of fun today.”
    “Me too,” Casey said.
    When she was inside she leaned her back against the door and sighed already looking forward to Monday.

27
    Cool Ranch
     
    April 10, 2015
     
    Casey’s back was still against the door when she heard the old truck engine start up and back out of the driveway.
    “These chips are stale,” Nikki said walking out of the kitchen. She crunched down on another cool ranch Dorito and Casey nearly screamed.
    “What?” Nikki said, her mouth half full of Doritos. She pointed to the bag. “You weren’t saving these were you?”
    “You nearly gave me a heart attack. “What are you doing here?”
    “I’m sorry, but my roommates were driving me absoposilutely crazy.” She walked over to the couch and Casey followed. “Seriously,” she went on. “They never stop studying.”
    “It’s med school,” Casey said. “That’s kind of the point.”
    Nikki stopped eating and looked Casey up and down. “Umm, why are you all dressed up?”
    Casey smiled and bit down on her lip.
    Nikki dropped the bag of chips and ran to the window. She spread the blinds apart and looked out. “Was he here?”
    “Mayyybeee,” Casey said.
    “How could you not tell me?” Nikki yelled.
    “I was nervous. I just didn’t want it to be a big deal.”
    “And?”
    “And it was amazing.”
    Casey told Nikki about Aunt Diane and Uncle Jim, and Peanut and Butter, and the corn field, and the breakfast. When she got to the part about the monkey balls Nikki didn’t even question it. She just sat there eating one chip after another like it was popcorn and she was watching a movie. By the time Casey was done it felt like she had been talking for hours.
    “So let me get this straight. Not only did you just go on a date with a super hot college athlete. But he’s an engineer and a cowboy?” Nikki looked around the room like she was lost. Then she reached over and pinched Casey on the arm.
    “Ow!” Casey yelled. “What was that for?”
    “Sorry, I just wanted to make sure this was real life.”

28
    Silent
     
    April 13, 2015
     
    Parker jogged alongside Ben as they began their twenty-fourth and final lap for the day. Coach had called for an “easy ten,” which meant 10,000 meters and they weren’t allowed to run it faster than forty minutes. That was just over seven minutes per mile, so it was just a nice jog for most of the guys.
    “Seriously, how did it go on Saturday?” Parker asked again.
    Ben gave the same answer he had for the last twenty times Parker asked. “It went fine.”
    “Fine? Seriously? You were obsessed with taking this girl out, and all I get is an ‘it went fine?’ How fine? Fine as in you probably won’t see her again? Fine as in she’s a bit of a freak and you guys had wild barn sex?”
    Ben looked over at Parker, “What the heck is wild barn sex?”
    “I don’t know, man, I’m trying to live vicariously through you right now and you won’t let me!”
    “Vicariously?”
    “Yes, man, I’ve been brushing up on my vocab. Girls like the smart guys these days.”
    “Last week you told me girls liked guys majoring in agriculture, and the week before you were convinced it was all about wearing your visor backwards and upside down like you were Karch Kiraly.”
    “Girls are fickle, man, you gotta go with the flow,” Parker said.
    “You realize you have mental problems, right?”
    Parker and Ben jogged across the finish line and pulled up in the grass infield as the rest of the team followed suit. Even though it was an easy pace, everyone was sucking wind. Between breaths, Ben said, “If you must know…I asked her out again for tonight…but …she hasn’t called me yet…so…I don’t even know what the deal is.”
    Parker grinned, “Man, this is good.”
    “How is this good?”
    “Well, not for you. But, I mean, for me. I figure if you’re having problems with girls, then at least I’m not the only one.”
    Ben just shook his head.
    They