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“Make sure to read chapters three and four. Another worksheet will be provided next class period, so be prepared. Remember participation and the worksheets are twenty percent of your grade.”
Students start packing up their stuff into their backpacks, and I meander in the aisle, waiting for Noah to be free, but the man next to me is waiting for me at the door, waving me over.
“By the way, I’m Adam. Here is my number,” he says, handing me a piece of paper and walking off.
I don’t turn around because I feel him staring at me, and the heat rushes to my cheeks as students push past me out the door. Do people not see him doing this? He is going to get himself in trouble. I walk out the double doors, and down the stairs. How am I ever going to focus in class?
A part of me thinks I need to cancel this date because maybe it is wrong to lead someone on. I can’t see myself dating anyone else right now. My head is set on Noah, and even if it’s five months from now, I don’t think this pull is ever going away. It’s too fucking strong.
By the time I get to my front door, sweat is dripping off of me, and I regret not wearing something lighter. Black isn’t the best color to wear when it’s a million degrees outside. I get inside, drinking in the air conditioners, and take my shoes and socks off to let my body heat reset.
I go through my backpack taking out Great Expectations and starting the third chapter, even though I’ve read the book a million times. Deep down, I know that I don’t need to read it again to pass any exam or discussion, but maybe I will pick up on something I missed the first few times I read it. It happens with movies sometimes. You have to watch it a couple times before you pick up on things you missed on the initial watch.
My phone vibrates, and I pick it up off of the coffee table.
Adam: So, diner at six?
The date is happening, but I don’t plan on kissing him or anything. Maybe I can talk him into being just friends. I’ll pay for my meal and he will pay for his. He just caught me off guard when Noah was in my head, and maybe it felt nice for someone else to want me. Adam is worried about taking me out in front of other people. Okay, so that’s a dig at Noah. I can’t be mad at him for not wanting to jeopardize his career for me.
Me: See you there.
I have never met Adam in my life, but he is probably close to thirty, and a non-traditional student like me. He looks like a guy that would work in finance and be named Chad. That makes me chuckle.
Around five-thirty, with little energy, I head over to my closet to find something to wear. Maybe a summer dress and some flats? I don’t feel like getting dressed up, and going to the diner, but I agreed to go, so I suck it up. Who knows, maybe Adam is going to be sweet and get me out of my head about Noah. That’s what I need. Someone to take my mind off of him until the end of the semester. But I'm not that kind of girl. Relationships should mean something, and not just be a fling. Adam deserves better than that. So, I decide to give him a shot.
After lining my eyes, and putting some bounce in my hair, I turn off my lights, grab my keys, and head to the diner. When I pull up outside, I can see Adam in a booth, and he is tapping away at the table. Nervous twitch. He doesn’t need to be like that around me. I smile, unbuckle, and walk inside, with the bell alerting my entrance.
He turns around and smiles. “You look beautiful, Leslie.”
I have a seat across from him, and pick up the menu like I don’t already know it by heart. The waitress recognizes me.
“Hey girl, it’s been a little bit since I’ve seen you in here.”
I nod, and go back to looking at the menu while Adam orders a Dr. Pepper, BLT and fries.
“I’ll have a Mountain Dew and the cheeseburger basket, please,” I say, handing her the menu.
He wipes his hands on his pants, and then entwines his fingers. “So, I’m new here. Don’t know much about the area. This is the only place I’ve eaten.”
“It’s pretty good. Fries are the best.”
My phone vibrates in my dress pocket, and I pull it out to make sure it’s not an emergency. Why the hell is Noah calling me?
“Do you need to get that?”
I shake my head, and put it back in my pocket. “Where are you from?”
“Michigan, actually. My father lives here, and isn’t doing too well. I moved here and decided to sign up to finish some classes.”
Adam is already turning out to be a good guy. I mean, changing his whole life to move here to take care of his father. That’s admirable.
“I’ve lived here my whole life. My family comes from a line of firefighters. My dad’s the chief.”
He chokes on his drink. “You’re a firefighter?”
Why does everyone think I’m kidding when I say that? The stigma around there only being male firefighters pisses me off. “Yeah my dad, sister and myself.”
I don’t even mention that I’m finishing my degree to get away from it, because I'm already a little irritated.
