Like This And Like That by Nia Stephens Page B

the mirror, which was a good thing, since Gemma had had enough embarrassment for the day. And now that she was trying to dry herself off under the hand dryer, she knew she was making a serious spectacle of herself.
    â€œDon’t feel bad,” Dan said when she finally rejoined him. “I’m sure plenty of people fall into that fountain.”
    â€œYeah, right,” Gemma said. “That isn’t really what I meant when I said I wanted to get into art!”
    Dan laughed and slung his arm across her shoulder. “I think you’re really cool,” he said. “Other girls might have totally freaked out if that had happened to them. But instead, you laugh at yourself.”
    Well ... I’ve had a lot of practice lately , she thought.
    Â 
    By the time they settled into a booth at La Trattoria Pizza, Gemma’s shirt was nearly dry. Dan had insisted Gemma borrow his jacket so that she wouldn’t get chilled, and she enjoyed the scent of his cologne still lingering on it.
    â€œA large pepperoni and two Cokes please,” Dan said to the waitress.
    â€œThat sounds good, and what are you going to have to eat?” Gemma joked.
    â€œNot shy at all when it comes to food, I see. I like that.”
    â€œIs there anything else you like?” Gemma asked, surprising herself at her boldness. But then again, after you fall face first into a fountain in front of a guy on your second date, what else is left to be shy about?
    â€œI’d like to ask you to go see a foreign film with me. If you’re into it ...”
    Gemma smiled. “Definitely. Plus I’m pretty sure I don’t have the acrobatic skill to crash through the movie screen.”

Chapter 6
    Lost in Translation
    â€œI cannot believe you fell into a fountain.” Maria doubled over with laughter. “Well, okay, I believe it, but I wish I didn’t.”
    Gemma had called Maria to come over the minute she got home from her date with Dan. She was beginning to regret the call.
    â€œDid he see you puckering up like fish?” Maria asked.
    â€œI don’t think so,” Gemma said thankfully. She sat slumped at her computer desk. Maria’s hysteria wasn’t helping. Usually Maria could joke Gemma out of anything, but this was just too humiliating.
    â€œEven after all that, there was no payoff for your pain?” Maria said, nearly choking on her laughter. “Oh, that’s priceless.”
    LeBron wandered over to Gemma and plopped himself down by her bare feet and nuzzled them with his wet nose. Using her toes, Gemma scratched LeBron’s head. Pleased with the attention, LeBron began licking her ankles.
    â€œAt least you’re getting kisses from LeBron,” Maria teased, getting up onto Gemma’s bed.
    â€œRemind me again why I called you over here?” Gemma said.
    â€œI’m telling you, something is not right,” Maria declared. “I really think he may be gay.”
    â€œYou’re wrong,” Gemma insisted. “Besides, I said I was tired of getting mauled by my dates. Dan is just taking it slow.”
    â€œCan the guy be any slower?”
    â€œYou’re the one who said I should go for a different kind of guy.”
    â€œNot that different,” Maria muttered.
    â€œSo you’re saying Dan is gay because why ? Because he didn’t kiss me?” Gemma demanded. She was getting tired of this.
    â€œNot just that. He’s all artsy and stuff. He loves foreign films, he’s into fashion, and his style is impeccable.”
    â€œOhhh,” Gemma said, standing and crossing her arms over her chest. “So you’re saying he’s gay because of all those stereotypes you listed? It’s called having class.”
    â€œIf you say so,” Maria said.
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    â€œDad, this is Dan,” Gemma said when Dan came to pick her up for the movies a few days later.
    She had asked Dan to pick her up at her house, explaining that her