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“So they say.” My mouth tugged up without my consent. “I swear I’m not. Everyone has their things that make them twitchy, right? What’s yours?”
He tapped his chin and hummed. “Gnarly toenails. Can’t stand the sight of them.”
“Don’t look down,” I whispered.
His eyebrows shot up. “No.” His body bent in half so he could see my feet under my desk. My perfectly groomed feet. “You little liar.”
We both broke into ridiculous laughter until our professor called our attention, then we got serious. Despite his self-deprecation, Ben took notes and paid careful attention the entire time. I found myself getting distracted by his presence, even though the lecture was interesting. I’d never had guy friends, but it kind of felt like maybe Ben could be one. If I were looking for a boyfriend, he’d be a prime candidate, but I’d already promised myself I was doing this semester, and maybe the entire year, solo. And I was one hundred percent certain Ben had girls falling at his feet. It wouldn’t be terrible not to be one of them.
At the end of class, Ben went his way, and I went mine, but I promised to save him a seat next time. He winked, then sauntered off with the kind of confidence I didn’t quite have yet but hoped to acquire in the near future.
* * *
I collapsed on my keyboard,and Nina patted my shoulder. “I have so much work to do.”
She leaned her hip on my desk. “Come to lunch with Laura and me.”
I gestured frantically to my computer screen. “Did you not hear the part about all the work I have to do?”
“Girl, it’s Saturday. This isn’t due until Tuesday. And you need to eat. Throw a bikini on under your clothes and come out with us.”
I pulled a face. “A bikini?”
She poked at my arm. “You need sun. Your summer tan is already disappearing.”
After a moment or two of contemplation while I gnawed my thumbnail to death, I agreed to go. Iwasgetting tired of sitting in my cinder block room while a gorgeous day was happening just outside my window. I even threw on a bikini under my T-shirt, though I highly doubted I’d be revealing it.
We grabbed Laura—who hadn’t bothered covering her bikini—on the way to the dining hall and picked up sandwiches to take to the huge grassy area in the center of campus. On the tour I took with my parents last year, we were told it was something like eight or nine acres, and running up the center was a rectangular fountain drunk students liked to dance in. Straight-faced, our tour guide also mentioned it was extremely frowned upon.
Laura spread out a sheet on the grass. The late September sun was bright, but not oppressive. I was more than thankful to be here rather than chained to my computer.
Taking a bite of my egg salad sandwich, I surveyed the other students sharing the grass with us. What appeared to be an entire fraternity had a raucous game of Frisbee going across the lawn. Closer by, a guy with dreadlocks was snoring under the hat covering his face. Beneath the shade of an oak tree, a couple was making out. Groups walked together on the paved paths crisscrossing the grass. Any college brochure would proudly display a snapshot of this scene.
“How’re your classes going?” Laura asked.
“Decent. I’m still figuring out the work/life balance. Like...how I can have a life and get all my work done,” I said.
“By not being crazy,” Nina said.
I smacked her shoulder. “I’m not crazy, I just have high standards.”
Even though she was wearing sunglasses, I felt her eye-roll. “Tali got a B once and cried for a week,” she told Laura.
“That’s not true. I’ve gotten more than one B.”
“Did you, or did you not cry over a B?”
“That particular B was completely unfair and unjust.” I threw a chip at her. “Are your grades up for discussion?”
“Fuck, I wish I had a cousin my age. I’m jealous of how cute you two are,” Laura said, nibbling her sandwich.
Nina threw a chip back at me. “She’s not all that.”
I held up my sandwich. “You want egg salad in your hair?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
Laura fell back on the sheet laughing. “Oh, man, I think I’m still a little drunk from last night.”
