"That sounds like an invitation to ask if you would like to join me for lunch. Nothing fancy, just the cafeteria, but I’ll pay,” Dane said, eyeing me with such confidence that I was sure that he rarely heard the word no when he asked a girl out.
"Actually, I can't. I have to head over to the Med Center for Anatomy, which I’ll have to do every Monday, Wednesday and Friday immediately following this class. Just thought I should let you know so you don't waste your breath asking me again,” I said curtly, crossing my arms over my chest. He stared at me for a minute, letting my words sink in before the sides of his lips turned up.
"Okay, have it your way today, but eventually you’ll cave," he said, the cocky grin still on his face. Like an answer to a prayer, class ended and we were dismissed. A leggy blond from the back of the room came up and grabbed Dane's arm as he walked out. She whispered in his ear as he placed his hand on the small of her back. I would never admit it out loud, but I felt a little pang of something in my chest. Was I jealous? I didn’t know him very well, but I had the distinct feeling he went through women like I went through chocolate. Just another reason to stay far away from Dane Wright.
I did need to eat so I headed toward the cafeteria to quiet the monster that was growing in my stomach. There was no way I was going to make it without eating something and after what I had just witnessed in the art room, Dane probably wouldn’t be in the cafeteria. I didn’t want to think about what he was doing right now.
Jade was sitting with the usual crowd when I joined her. She eyed me suspiciously, "Are you feeling okay?"
"Why wouldn't I feel okay?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Look at your tray,” Jade said, pointing to my tray. Instead of my normal healthy salad or soup, I had chosen a cheeseburger and french fries. It was something I only did every six months or so and today was a special occasion. My mother never allowed me to eat this stuff at home; it was strictly forbidden. It was just another one of the little ways I could show some resistance without rocking the boat.
"The snooze button got me this morning so I didn’t eat breakfast,” I said, as I picked up a french fry and popped it into my mouth. Missing the alarm had been a very rare occurrence for me. My friends always joked that I was a walking watch and usually I lived up to that statement.
I inhaled my sandwich as I listened to Kevin rave about a new bar downtown called Loft 10. "They have a dance floor and the place is always packed,” he said.
"Kevin, we aren't old enough to get served in a bar. Isn't there a campus party with a keg that we can go to instead?" Jade tilted her head to the left and crossed her arms over her chest. Kevin was attractive if you liked the big bulky jock type. He had short brown hair with golden flecks, blue eyes and huge arms; bigger than my thigh, huge.
"I'll take care of it. Bring me a current photo of each of you tomorrow," Kevin smiled, elbowing Chris.
I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a hand on my right shoulder. I dropped my french fry as Jade and I both turned in unison. "Oh no,” I whispered under my breath as I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. Dane was standing so close that I could feel him against my back.
He knelt down; his mouth was so close to my ear that I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. "Skipping Anatomy to have a cheeseburger, are you? You know, you could have had a free one." I swear all the blood in my body migrated to my face.
"She doesn't have Anatomy until one. Alex would never skip class for a cheeseburger,” Jade said. Thank you, Jade.
"That makes you free for lunch after Art class. Next time I won't take no for an answer." I tried to look down to avoid eye contact only to realize that my head was level with areas of him that I really shouldn't be staring at. If there were any way to get up from this table without bumping into him, I probably would have run for the nearest exit. He raised an eyebrow when I looked back up. "I’ll see you Friday." And just as fast as he appeared he was gone, leaving me speechless and flustered.
Jade didn’t turn back around as quickly as I did. "Holy gorgeous. Please tell me that you’re not complaining about that fine piece of ass being your art partner?” she said, grabbing my arm.
Kevin interrupted before I could answer her. "That’s Dane Wright. I went to high school with him. He can be a real prick. You don't want to get on his bad side. I think he worked his way through half the girls in our school and I have never seen him with the same chick more than once."
Jade closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Just once would be fine with me." I was not one for violence, but a big part of me wanted to smack her. Why did I feel so jealous and possessive over this guy who I didn’t even like? Not like that, anyway.
"Well guys, I would love to stay and chat, but I have to get to Anatomy," I stood up; I didn’t need to hear anymore. I dumped my tray and exited the student center as fast as I could. Dane might have thought he had the upper hand and Jade might have thought he was cute, but this was ridiculous. What gave him the right to bully me into a lunch date? If even half of what Kevin said was true, I wanted nothing to do with him.
It was abnormally cold and windy when I stepped outside. I pulled my hat and gloves on as I started the fifteen minute trek across campus. With all the walking I’d been doing the last several months, I hadn't worried about hitting the gym on a regular basis. This time was also good for centering myself, relieving my stress as I walked from one place to another. My med classes were draining and most of the time I didn’t want to be there, but I pushed through just like I always did.
"Do you want some company?" My skin tingled when I heard his voice. He had to be stalking me; there was no other explanation for this much coincidence.
I pinched my eyebrows together as I looked back at him. "I doubt you have any reason to walk to the Med Center."
"I do if that’s where you are heading to,” he shrugged with his hands in his pockets. He was looking at me with those eyes again and I felt myself melting under them.
"Don’t you have anyone else to stalk?” I asked, letting out an exasperated sigh. I was beginning to think I would never get away from Dane. He was popping up everywhere in my life and it was wearing on me. He was disrupting my quiet existence and I was fighting between annoyance and excitement.
"You’re the only one I want to stalk,” he said, grinning from ear to ear and leaving me lightheaded. Okay, so maybe a small part of me enjoyed the attention he was giving me.
“So, I’m your victim of the month?” I asked.
“No, you’re actually my first victim. I usually don’t have to try so hard,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.
“Yeah? Well you can try all you want because this is all you’re getting,” I said, picking up the pace. A part of me wanted him to try harder and another part was telling me to run. Right now the latter was winning, but if he kept this up it might not stay that way.
“Hey, Alex?”
“Yeah?”
“I won’t have to try for long. I guarantee it.” He looked at me with fire in his eyes and emphasized the last three words by letting them roll off his tongue slowly. I felt warmth spread through my entire body. This guy was really something else.
As we walked we made small talk about the weather and the layout of the campus; I couldn’t tell you half the things that were said because I was so distracted by his proximity to my body. I felt his arm brushing against mine from time to time and his cologne tickled my nose. We made it across campus in record time, due to the brisk pace I used to try and make our time together as short as possible.
"See you Friday,” he said, moving one step closer to me. I noticed his eyes were fixated on my lips. I moved toward the door before he could get any closer. I wasn’t going to let Dane kiss me today - or ever for that matter.
He waved as I opened the door to the main building. "Bye," I mouthed as I disappeared into the Med Center. I rubbed my thumb the over my lips, thinking about what could have been. I was in trouble. Dane was the most exciting and scariest thing to ever enter my plastic world.
Friday arrived faster than I would have liked. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach at the thought of sharing my art with the rest of the class.
Dane arrived before me again and I couldn’t help how my lips turned up when I saw him sitting there in his jeans and tight navy t-shirt. I’d never been one to ogle a man’s body, but my eyes flew to his with magnetic force every time we were in the same room.
"Wow, you look great," he said as I took my seat. He hadn’t taken his eyes off me since I walked in the door.
I felt my face growing warm under his stare. "Thanks, I guess. I figured my old jeans wouldn’t make the best impression in front of the class." I had carefully chosen a fitted black turtleneck dress with black knee-high boots. My hair was down, allowing it to flow to the middle of my back.
The presentations started and I was impressed by everyone’s artwork. We had several painters in the class and a few were very talented. I wasn’t sure if mine would measure up, but there was no going back now.
Dane and I were the last pair to go. My chest tightened as I stood up to present. I was nervous because I had to stand up in front of the class. And nervous because Dane Wright was less than two feet from me and I had to talk about him. Walking over to gather my painting from the easel, I regretted my choice in shoes. I had a serious case of Jell-O legs thanks to my growing nerves.
I placed my canvas on the easel that faced the class. My eyes were focused on Dane, waiting to see his reaction. When he finally looked up his eyes widened and I watched him take a deep breath through his nose then let it out of his mouth. Our eyes met briefly and I quickly glanced away as I tried to speak.
I stood there for a moment, looking at the giant red heart that was centered on the canvas. Within the heart was an angel. I filled the rest of the space on the canvas with a colorful abstract art piece, repeating the word INSPIRE to spell out Jenna at the bottom of the canvas in black paint.