snorted and shook his head, putting a few bills into the cashier's hand and waving away the change.
"He heard you!" I said. I could feel my skin getting hot and red. Why didn't I feel so nervous around this guy?
"No way. Come on, let's go settle this so we can grab some lunch. We can eat in my room."
Adam went to one of the small, circular tables and sat down, cracking open the soda and taking a sip as he looked calmly at us.
Jenn started into the cafeteria and I followed. She stopped beside him, crossing her arms under her breasts and tapping one foot. I felt like hiding behind her and trying to peep over her shoulder.
Come on! I admonished myself. God, had it really been so long since I'd had a crush that I was acting like a little girl?
"So, Adam, Steph told me about last night," Jenn said.
Adam sipped from the can and wiped at his lips with his thumb.
"She did?"
Steeling myself, I came out from behind Jenn to stand beside her. Adam looked at me for a moment, then back to her. Was that supposed to mean something?
"Yeah, it must have been quite the study session. Why'd you ditch her?"
"What are you talking about?"
"It was like you didn't even see me in the lecture hall. I waved," I said, finding the strength to interject.
This time Adam actually glanced around the cafe, as though looking for an escape route. I almost pitied him for a moment. Jenn was such a force of will. I wouldn't want to be the one receiving that stare from her.
"Really? Sorry, I was just trying to remember all my notes. I don't even really remember seeing Dr. Hackett. So, last night worked for you? You got all your studying done?"
"Hey, that's not the full answer..." Jenn started.
I knew he was lying. He'd seen me, looked at me at least twice in the lecture hall. But why was he lying? What was he hiding?
"Yeah, studying was great, thanks. Hey, you wanna grab a bite?" I said to him.
Jenn looked at me, her smug smile gone. Shock and surprise replaced it. I felt bad. I knew she wanted to eat with me and spend more time with me. But I also didn't think I was what she wanted me to be.
Besides, this whole Adam situation was far too intriguing. Just what was this guy hiding?
Again, Adam glanced around. Seeing no escape, he gave me a tight-lipped smile.
"Yeah, sounds good. They do good sandwiches here."
"Hey, you're last name's Arnold, right?" Jenn said. She was rapidly losing control of the situation, and I could hear the desperation in her voice.
Again, the guilt tugged at me, but it just felt right to be there with Adam. It felt good to be with Jenn, but not right. There was a difference, I knew, even though I couldn't fully explain it, even to myself.
"Guilty," Adam said, holding up his hands.
"Arnold as in the Arnold Building?" Jenn pressed.
Adam licked his lips, his eyes darting about. He sipped from the can and made a face as he swallowed. His teeth were very white, I noticed.
"My family paid for it. Not me. I don't even have any classes there," he said.
Another piece of the puzzle clicked into place there. Was that his secret? He was from a rich, old family and didn't want people to know?
That couldn't be it. I felt there was more.
"Hah! See, Steph, he's just another rich townie. Just like small-dick Eric. Come on, I think the cafeteria has meatballs today."
She put her hand on my arm and started pulling me away. I shrugged her off.
"Maybe later, okay? I... I want to talk about the test with Adam. But I'll see you later, okay?"
Jenn sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and chewed on it as she looked at me. But I managed to match her stare as she searched my eyes.
I just couldn't be who she wanted me to be. I don't even know who I want to be, or what. But she did look so hurt.
"Fine," she said, wheeling suddenly to march out of the cafe.
"Jenn...!" I said, taking a step after her.
"I said fine!"
I watched through the glass as she stormed out. It was wrong to let her go like that, I knew. But I couldn't go after her.
"He heard you!" I said. I could feel my skin getting hot and red. Why didn't I feel so nervous around this guy?
"No way. Come on, let's go settle this so we can grab some lunch. We can eat in my room."
Adam went to one of the small, circular tables and sat down, cracking open the soda and taking a sip as he looked calmly at us.
Jenn started into the cafeteria and I followed. She stopped beside him, crossing her arms under her breasts and tapping one foot. I felt like hiding behind her and trying to peep over her shoulder.
Come on! I admonished myself. God, had it really been so long since I'd had a crush that I was acting like a little girl?
"So, Adam, Steph told me about last night," Jenn said.
Adam sipped from the can and wiped at his lips with his thumb.
"She did?"
Steeling myself, I came out from behind Jenn to stand beside her. Adam looked at me for a moment, then back to her. Was that supposed to mean something?
"Yeah, it must have been quite the study session. Why'd you ditch her?"
"What are you talking about?"
"It was like you didn't even see me in the lecture hall. I waved," I said, finding the strength to interject.
This time Adam actually glanced around the cafe, as though looking for an escape route. I almost pitied him for a moment. Jenn was such a force of will. I wouldn't want to be the one receiving that stare from her.
"Really? Sorry, I was just trying to remember all my notes. I don't even really remember seeing Dr. Hackett. So, last night worked for you? You got all your studying done?"
"Hey, that's not the full answer..." Jenn started.
I knew he was lying. He'd seen me, looked at me at least twice in the lecture hall. But why was he lying? What was he hiding?
"Yeah, studying was great, thanks. Hey, you wanna grab a bite?" I said to him.
Jenn looked at me, her smug smile gone. Shock and surprise replaced it. I felt bad. I knew she wanted to eat with me and spend more time with me. But I also didn't think I was what she wanted me to be.
Besides, this whole Adam situation was far too intriguing. Just what was this guy hiding?
Again, Adam glanced around. Seeing no escape, he gave me a tight-lipped smile.
"Yeah, sounds good. They do good sandwiches here."
"Hey, you're last name's Arnold, right?" Jenn said. She was rapidly losing control of the situation, and I could hear the desperation in her voice.
Again, the guilt tugged at me, but it just felt right to be there with Adam. It felt good to be with Jenn, but not right. There was a difference, I knew, even though I couldn't fully explain it, even to myself.
"Guilty," Adam said, holding up his hands.
"Arnold as in the Arnold Building?" Jenn pressed.
Adam licked his lips, his eyes darting about. He sipped from the can and made a face as he swallowed. His teeth were very white, I noticed.
"My family paid for it. Not me. I don't even have any classes there," he said.
Another piece of the puzzle clicked into place there. Was that his secret? He was from a rich, old family and didn't want people to know?
That couldn't be it. I felt there was more.
"Hah! See, Steph, he's just another rich townie. Just like small-dick Eric. Come on, I think the cafeteria has meatballs today."
She put her hand on my arm and started pulling me away. I shrugged her off.
"Maybe later, okay? I... I want to talk about the test with Adam. But I'll see you later, okay?"
Jenn sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and chewed on it as she looked at me. But I managed to match her stare as she searched my eyes.
I just couldn't be who she wanted me to be. I don't even know who I want to be, or what. But she did look so hurt.
"Fine," she said, wheeling suddenly to march out of the cafe.
"Jenn...!" I said, taking a step after her.
"I said fine!"
I watched through the glass as she stormed out. It was wrong to let her go like that, I knew. But I couldn't go after her.
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