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“Lucas again?”
“Ahem!” Professor Ambone suddenly appeared in front of them. “Ladies, time to put the chit-chat away.”
Amelia gulped as he placed the small blue notebook in front of her, followed by a thick stack of papers she assumed were the problems. She took one look at the first one, and her eyes opened wide in horror. She looked over at Melody, who was quickly scribbling away, and then she looked at Professor Ambone, who was staring straight at her from the front, as if he were expecting her to do something she shouldn’t. She quickly looked down at the first problem again, groaning, flipping through to the other pages to see if she knew any of the other ones, and started scribbling away.
After class, she met up with Melody in the cafeteria, throwing a slice of pizza onto her tray just to have it, but Amelia found that she didn’t have an appetite. When she sat down, Melody was already at their favorite spot, digging into her salad.
“You left class pretty quickly today,” Melody said. “I’m guessing the exam was a breeze for you?”
“Are you kidding me?! I didn’t know a single answer. I only handed my stuff in so I could get the hell out of there. I could only sit there and stare for so long. I’m pretty sure I failed.”
“Lia! Why didn’t you study? I reminded you every day for the past week to make sure you’re prepared. What the hell were you doing instead?”
“I don’t even know.” Amelia slid into her seat. “It’s like, ever since I came back from spring break, my mind has been elsewhere.”
She nodded. “Is it because of Alistair?”
“Alistair?”
“Yeah, whatever happened to him? He seemed like such a perfect match for you,” Melody asked, taking a bite of her salad.
Amelia shrugged. “Just didn’t really connect like I’d hoped. Besides, I only went out with him to make Aunt Evelyne happy. Three dates. That’s what I promised. Nothing more. He’s not really my type.”
“You know, Amelia, for someone who says she wants a boyfriend, you sure are awfully picky. I thought Alistair was a great guy. Incredibly sexy, too.”
“Yeah, but he’s not… he’s not Lucas Liard.”
Then suddenly, her phone rang. Amelia pulled it out of her jacket pocket and saw a message from none other than Lucas Liard himself.
Hey, Amelia. Saw you super liked me. Down to grab a drink tonight?
“Oh my god, oh my god!” Amelia practically danced in her seat. “You’ll never guess who just asked me out! Lucas! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this moment? How much I’ve been obsessing over him?”
“Oh, I sure do. But don’t you think it’s a bit odd how he blew you off for so long, and he’s justnowgetting back to you? If he really liked you, he wouldn’t have waited.”
“Nah, I’m sure he just had other things going on. I mean, it’s Lucas Liard, the most eligible bachelor in town, maybe in the entire county! And he wants to go out withme. Me! I can’t pass up the chance.”
“Hmm, I don’t know, Amelia. I don’t trust him. What if he’s just using you?”
“Mel, look, I don’t have time for your rational judgment right now. I gotta go. I need as much time as I can get to prepare for tonight. I’ll call you later!” Amelia rushed through her sentence and grabbed her bag, leaving her pizza to grow cold on the cafeteria table and rushing out the door.
***
“DO I LOOK STUNNING, or do I look stunning?” Amelia asked herself as she danced in front of the floor-length mirror in her dorm later that night. “Fit to be Lucas Liard’s queen, I might add?”
The time was seven, and Lucas said he’d be here to pick her up for their date. Amelia had been preparing for the past three hours, making sure her makeup was perfect, every strand of hair on her head was perfect, her face free from blemishes or wrinkles. She was finally going out on a date with the man she couldn’t stop stalking, and she wanted to make a good first impression, give him something that he’s never going to forget. Make him remember her forever.
“Perfect,” Amelia slipped in her last earring and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, “and just in time.”
She picked up her phone, expecting a text from Lucas telling her that he was outside. But she saw nothing. Ten minutes soon passed, then fifteen, then thirty. Still nothing.
“I guess he’s not coming.” Amelia sighed and took off her shoes. “Something probably came up. I’ll text him tomorrow and see if he wants to reschedule.”
And then something. Her phone dinged, and it was a message from Lucas.
Hey, sorry, my car broke down, and I couldn’t come get you. Do you think you can meet me at Duggard’s Bar? I live right near there.
Duggard’s Bar was nearly forty minutes away from where Amelia lived, and she’d let Melody borrow her car tonight since she’d expected Lucas to pick her up. She could always hail a cab, an Uber, something cozy to take her downtown, but being so late at night, it’d be a struggle just to find one that wouldn’t charge her an arm and leg.
