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If I thought he was smiling wide before, it’s nothing compared to his smile now. His blue eyes seem to sparkle as the grin takes over his whole face.
“Ana,” he repeats with a sigh, as if just realizing the answer to a lifelong question he had been asking himself. I frown slightly, not sure what to make of his reaction. Especially because it makes my heart flutter. And I definitely don’t know how I feel about that. I’m not sure I like it though.
“Okay. Well, you’ve made me late again, so I guess I’ll see you in a few weeks when you find me and make me late once more?” I say as I walk to the door and pull it open.
“Ana, will you please go on a date with me?” Hayden asks before I can get too far. I look back at him, surprised he is serious about asking me out.
“Why?” I reply before I can stop myself.
“Because I need to know you,” he says simply but so assuredly, shrugging his shoulders, a smile still firmly in place.
I stare at him, not sure what to say. Part of me wants to say no because he is so strange, but the other part of me wants to have more of these awkward and humorous conversations with him. He’s intriguing. Charming, but not in a cringey red flag sort of way.
But what do I have to lose? I mean he could turn out to be an ax murderer, sure. But that probably isn’t too likely. We would be in a public place, I could drive myself. He is interesting, a bit funny, really attractive, and totally not the type that I would normally go for. He’s once again wearing a shirt that I think is promoting another band I’ve never heard of. It could be a store name for all I know. His jeans don’t have rips this time but he’s wearing the same worn sneakers with the black and white checkered design. He could not be more opposite of my type. And for some reason, that’s why I find myself saying, “Okay.”
“Okay?” he repeats as a question. I guess he isn’t sure he heard me right the first time.
“Yes,” I sigh, and turn to walk away.
“YES!” he exclaims loudly, which makes me whip around and look at him in shock. “SHE SAID YES!” He cups his hand and yells towards the various students walking around campus and they all stop and stare at him.
“Ay dios mio, hombre,” I hiss, raising my hands to somehow placate him. “Calm down.”
“Sorry, sorry,” he says quickly. He takes a breath and sighs, his smile still firmly etched on his face. “I think this is the best day of my life.”
“The best day of your life?” I raise my brow at him before narrowing my eyes. “You’re a smooth talker, gringo.”
“No, no, no. I’m not like that,” he promises, holding up three fingers in some kind of salute. “Scouts honor.”
“Are you a boy scout?”
He pauses, “no.”
“I don’t think you can do that then,” I tell him pointedly.
He sighs. “True. Okay, okay, but I’m really not a sleaze bag. You’ll see.” He smiles at me again.
“I guess so,” I tell him, smirking a little, not able to help myself. I start to walk away.
“What does that word mean that you called me?” he asks, stepping forward to close some of the distance between us.
“I guess you’ll see.” I wink at him and he covers his heart, miming getting shot. I swallow a chuckle down, not wanting him to see how much he is affecting me.
“Oh, I will. I promise.” He smiles. “Okay, go to class, Ana. You need to stop being so late.”
My mouth drops and he tips his head toward the sky and lets out a laugh. “You’re hysterical.” I turn and start walking.
“How will I contact you about our date?” he calls.
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” I call back over my shoulder.
EIGHT
NOW, FALL
“So you didn’t go to that dinner with your work friends?” Naomi asks me as I pick at the edge of my hoodie sleeve.
“No.”
