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I pull my earbuds from my ears. “Didn’t you see me standing here?” I answer her question with one of my own, hoping my smile tells her I’m only kidding.
“I expected you to sit down. This is your usual spot, right?”
“You noticed?” I’m sure it’s not very suave to keep smiling like a loon, but her admission makes my day.
She rolls her pretty brown eyes. “Of course I noticed. I also noticed you watching me during my run the past few weeks.” Her voice rises a bit, almost like she’s hinting at something. It suddenly occurs to me that my attention may have been unwanted. What if she was only paying attention to me because she was wary, not interested.
“Oh… I uh.” I push my glasses higher. “I mean…yes I watched you – you’re very beautiful – but I would never have approached you. I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“Well that’s a shame.”
“Excuse me?”
“I sort of wanted you to approach me.” She kicks at the ground with her tennis shoe.
“You did?”
“Why do you think I ran into you? You didn’t leave me any other choice, although that might have been a bad one.” She rubs her arm. “You’re sturdier than a brick wall.”
I glance down at myself. At nearly six-two I am pretty solid. Wait – she ran into me on purpose?
“Are you hurt?” I start to reach for her arm then pull back, unsure if my grip might hurt her more.
“Nothing permanent.” She smiles timidly and glances at the ground before meeting my gaze again, some of her earlier bravado giving way to uncertainty. It’s cute.
Flirtatious even.
“So, it’s okay that I like watching you run?” The corner of my mouth pulls up as I watch her fidget.
“Oh no.” Her brown doe eyes blink innocently, although her soft lips fight a smirk. “It’s rude to watch, unless you’re planning to ask me out?”
Yep, flirting. I’m rusty, but I can do this. “I can’t ask you out if I don’t know your name.”
“Brynn.” She bites her lip as she offers me her hand.
“Charlie.” I take it, her delicate grip sending a bolt of electricity up my arm. That’s unexpected, but not unwelcome. I think I’m smiling like a loon again. Chris would be mortified to call me his brother.
“So Charlie.” She bounces on the balls of her feet to keep her muscles warmed up. “When do I get to see you again?”
“What’s wrong with now?” I ask boldly. That would make Chris proud.
“I have class.”
“In the evening?”
“Twice a week.” She nods. “But at least it’s Tuesday/Thursday and not Friday.”
“They’re playing a movie on the South Quad Friday. Would you like to go?”
“What movie?”
“Come to think of it I don’t actually know.” I adjust my glasses.
“Hmm, that’s an enticing offer.” Her eyes sparkle. “The movie ‘I don’t actually know.’”
“We could do something different, if you don’t like movies.” I feel my ears turning red.
“I like movies,” she giggles. “I’d love to go to the mystery movie with you. Let me give you my number.” She gestures to the phone in my left hand.
I pass it to her and watch her fingers peck away at the keys. She hands it back with another bashful smile.
“Talk to you soon.” She gives me a little wave and continues on her run.
The breath I didn’t know I was holding comes rushing out. I have a date. Holy shit, I have a date! I need to talk to Chris, ASAP.
