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“And persistent. I’m very persistent.”
Silence.
“Most people can’t resist me.”
She looked up at me, raising an eyebrow. “I’m sure. Like I said before maybe you should go find your after-hours girl again. She’s obviously enamored.”
I cocked my head. I should’ve known she didn’t believe me about the night in Miami. “I told you nothing happened that night with Jeanette, but I find your jealousy adorable.”
She gritted her teeth. “I amnotjealous.”
We arrived at her class, and I thumbed her chin. “It’s okay to admit it.” She jerked away and stormed into the auditorium. “Enjoy your day,” I called out with a smile. I realized my signature smile that I always had ready at the drop of a hat was genuine this time.
The next morning was dark, cloudy, and cold. It was January, and you never knew what the temperature would be in central Texas. It could be hot one day and cold the next.
The door opened, and Natalie stared straight ahead as she took the stairs, not even glancing my way. She turned and made her way down the sidewalk. I caught up to her peering down at her. “You’re going to flat-out ignore me today? That’s rude.”
“Why can’t you leave me alone?” Her voice was a thin thread about to break.
I could’ve been a dick and made a snide comment, but I didn’t. I paused studying her noticing something was off. “What’s wrong?”
She waved a hand in the air and kept walking.
I reached out and stopped her.
She threw her arms around her waist, caving in. “I’m sorry.” Her voice sounded shaky. “I’m just…” The words trailed off, and she rolled her lips together.
“Hey. Talk to me?”
“It’s nothing.” She averted her gaze.
I pulled her off to the side, away from the students walking behind us, and several feet away until we were alone. “Tell me what’s wrong, Natalie.”
She dipped her head and swiped a finger under her eye. “It’s my dad’s birthday today.” She exhaled and said in a quiet voice, “He would have been fifty years old.”
Would have been. I tipped her chin up staring into her misty eyes. “I’m so sorry, Natalie. Do you want to talk about it?”
Her mouth quivered fighting the urge to tell me. But in the end, she relented. “He died of a heart attack… that night after you dropped me off from the formal.” She sniffled and forced a laugh, while I hid my surprise. “I had to take an Uber home because I didn’t have my car. And then somehow, between leaving the campus and arriving at my parents’ house, I lost my phone.” Her voice rose higher with tears. “He was already pronounced dead by the time I made it home.”
“Fuck.” Seeing her tears affected me more than I wanted to admit. I pulled her close and held her, letting her cry. I remembered that day at practice when she said she’d lost her phone, and I’d given her shit about it. I mentally berated myself for being a jerk.
Eventually, her tears subsided, and she pulled away, swiping her face. “I’m fine, really.” Patting her cheeks, she said, “I have to go. I’m going to be late for class.”
She turned, and I clutched her hand. “You don’t have to go. Maybe you shouldn’t go. Let me take you to get a cup of coffee.”
“No. I have to go. I have a test in a few days, and I can’t miss this class.”
“Natalie, I can get the notes for you. Fuck, I’ll talk to your professor if I have to. Just let me take you for a cup of coffee and take your mind off this for a few hours.”
“No.” She shook out of my hold. “I’m fine. I’m already running late.” She took off in a run down the sidewalk, while I stood there in bewilderment. She was distraught but wouldn’t skip class. She wouldn’t let me take her for a cup of coffee. I slammed my hand against the tree in frustration ignoring the sharp pain that shot up my arm. Why was she so stubborn?
Natalie
“You didn’t have to pay for my coffee, but thank you.” I sat down in the opposite booth of Mark Burns, my lab partner in my Advanced Human Anatomy class. We’d just finished a study session, and Mark suggested we go to the Velvet Bean for a cup of coffee.
“You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do since you carried the heavy load of our work today.”
I didn’t want to brag, but this class what right up my alley. For Mark, not so much, but he was driven and didn’t want to blow up his grades by failing this class. He was worried about losing the contents of his stomach when he heard we would use human cadavers. Regardless, he needed this class, so he was motivated and assured me he wouldn’t be a dead weight, no pun intended. However, I did low-key question if this field was in his best interest.
