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“I don’t know. Why does it matter? Why do you keep asking me about Troy?” She stuffs more fries in her mouth, eating really fast like she wants to hurry up and leave. I’m making her uncomfortable, which is not what I wanted. I’m just trying to figure out why she’d want to date someone like Troy.
The waitress stops by. “Here’s your check, but no rush. Take your time.”
She leaves and I pick up the check and set it beside me.
“Jake, you’re not paying,” Tara says.
I get some cash out and catch the waitress as she’s passing by. “Hey, could we get a to-go box?” I hand her the money. “It’s good. I don’t need change.”
“Thanks!” She smiles at me. “I’ll be back with the box.”
She takes off and I finish what’s left of my fries.
“You weren’t supposed to do that,” Tara says, looking at me across the table. “I’m going to pay you back.”
“Next time.”
“What?”
“Next time we go out, you can pay.”
She smiles a little. “I thought you said this was a one-time thing.”
“It could be, if that’s what you want.”
“I’d kind of like to see you again. If that’s okay.”
“Works for me,” I say, like I don’t care either way, but the truth is, I was hoping that’d be her answer. I really want to see her again.
“Here’s your box,” the waitress says. “Have a good day!”
As she leaves, I say to Tara, “You can keep eating. I wasn’t trying to rush you.”
“I’m full. I’m going to take the rest home.”
“We can stop by your apartment, but then we’re going out again.”
She puts her food in the container. “Where are we going?”
“You pick, since I picked the restaurant.”
“Can we go to your college?”
That’s the last thing I expected her to say, and I’m not sure I want to take her there. Tara’s part of my old life and college is my new one. It feels strange to intermix the two. I’m not sure why. It just does.
“Why do you want to go there?” I ask.
“I’ve never been to a college campus. I want to see what it’s like. And then maybe I could see your dorm.”
“There’s not much to see. The campus is just a bunch of buildings and my room isn’t anything special.”
She frowns. “Are you embarrassed to take me there? Is that why you don’t want to go?”
“No,” I say, surprised that’s where her mind went. “That’s not at all what I was thinking. I just don’t think the campus is that great. I thought we could do something else. But if you really want to go there, I’ll take you.”
We leave the restaurant, drop the food off at her apartment, then head to campus. I still feel strange taking Tara there. Maybe it’s because I’m not comfortable being there myself yet. I still feel like I don’t belong there. Growing up, I never imagined myself going to college. Dean told me I would, but I didn’t believe him. I didn’t think it would actually happen, for either of us. But then Dean got a scholarship, moved us to Texas, and I went to a high school where I actually had to learn stuff. My guidance counselor just assumed I’d be going to college. I was shocked when I got in, and even more shocked that I got a scholarship.
“This place is beautiful,” Tara says, gazing at the lush grass that covers the middle of campus, the tall trees, and all the old buildings. “How could you not like this?”
