One more hectic shift over with. Only four more days until classes actually started. That meant a couple more weeks of insane shifts at work until next semester. Not being the lowest on the totem pole anymore, I thankfully got the weekend off. Friday was move in day for all returning students. I lucked out on the morning shift Friday so I would be off by the time most actually arrived. Then it was Kai’s annual pre-year picnic on Saturday, which for the first time I was excited about. This year for the very first time I was going to take a date.
Of course I hadn’t asked him yet, but I would when he called back. At least I hoped he was going to call. I really did have a good time with Beau. It certainly was the most unique first date I had been on. Not the activities, necessarily. I’d been on dates where we’d gone out for dinner and then to a bar. My experience of first dates was that they were more about impressing me with what the guy could do or what he had rather than who he was. I guess that right there was a clue to who they were, if they thought I would be impressed with outward appearances. Beau, on the other hand, had taken me to a place that couldn’t possibly have been to impress. In fact, it seemed that he was doing the exact opposite. He took me so completely out of my own element that I’d had no choice but to trust him. We were in an area of the city that I was unfamiliar with and, as much as I hate to admit it, I was uncomfortable with. It made me focus that much more attention on him as I tried to not think about where we were.
Everything about the night with him was a contradiction. At times it seemed as if he didn’t care whether I was there with him or not. That this was just his normal Tuesday night and I just happened to be a part of it. Then he would look at me like I was the only person in the room. I liked that look. The way his eyes would take me all in -- like they were seeing right into me -- was absolutely hypnotic. It was intoxicating. And then there was the challenge. Not the pool game, the one alluded to all evening. Could I handle it? Or, more to the point, could I handle him? By the end of the night I was damn sure going to try.
And I would have, too, if we hadn’t been interrupted. I was still kicking myself for that reaction. After a night to sleep on it, I had come to the realization that it was not Quinn. I was being ridiculous to even entertain the idea that it was him. What was between us was over and I was going to accept that. I resolved right then that if thoughts of Quinn Lobato should come creeping into my mind I would just push them right back out. This was another new school year. It wasn’t exactly a new start. I was still a student, living basically the same life I’d lived last year. But I was still going to treat it like one. Kai predicted that I was going to find my guy soon. That certainly would be a new beginning.
Once my little pep talk was over I was ready to deal with Kai. I’d texted her this morning before going in to work. I’d apologized for not calling last night, stating that it ended up being a late night. I’d said I would see her after I got off work at two. I’d had several texts from her over the course of the morning. Every thought she had that was relevant to me she messaged, as well as a few that weren’t. I should have gone to see her, but I really wanted a quick nap. I figured if I called her she would just talk me into coming, so I opted to text her instead.
Need a nap. Will call after & we can talk, bring Kerri. - S
She immediately replied.
New plans. Pizza @ 5 @ Kerri’s & girl talk after. - K
I tried to nap. I felt tired enough that I should have been able to, but I just couldn’t. Frustrated, I poured myself a glass of sun-tea. I took it out on my balcony and lost myself in a book. Reading can be as relaxing and re-energizing as a nap for me and this time was no different. Honestly, I wished I could have read all night. It was much better than whatever girl’s night activities Kai had planned.
At five-thirty, I realized how lost in my book I had become, threw my book down and raced down the steps in my sweats. If I had to spend the night girl-talking, I was at least going to be comfortable while I did it. Reed called out to me to just come in when I knocked. I entered to find them eating already. From the looks of it, they were all about done.
“About time you got here. The boys were just about to leave. We saved you some but you better hurry up. Reed wants to take the rest of it with them,” Kai said, in way of greeting from Sloane’s lap. Kai had changed the formerly pink stripe in her hair to a bright green and had it in small pigtails jutting up from the top of her head. She wore a short lime green dress with rainbow striped socks and basically looked like a four year old who dressed herself. At least she didn’t have any colored contacts in. I’d known her going on five years but her love for bright colored eyes still weirded me out.
“Hi to you too.” I grabbed a piece and headed to the kitchen to grab a pop.
Kerri stopped me when I passed her on the couch and held out a glass with a slight pink tint to it. “Here, we made berry mojitos tonight.”
I took it from her and went to go sit on the last available chair. Before I sat down I caught Reed staring at me. “Can I help you?” I asked him sarcastically.
“No. I just realized I can now picture you naked.”
“Excuse me?” I wasn’t all that shocked that he said something like that. I just couldn’t figure out what would trigger him saying that. I looked around the room. Both Kai and Kerri looked clueless and Sloane was scowling at him.
“Reed, I think it’s time to go get your ass handed to you in MGS4.” Sloane leaned down and kissed Kai on the top of head as he stood. Kai slipped into his chair and gave him her usually overly sappy goodbye calling him lianren - sweetheart. Even though Kai never learned to speak Chinese before being adopted she liked to use little endearments she looked up on the internet.
“Bring it, tough guy. You are so going down.” Reed continued to taunt him, grabbing the pizza box as they walked out the door.
“What was that all about?” I asked Kerri as I took a bite of my already cold pizza.
“I’m not sure. Those two have been acting weird all afternoon.” Kerri rolled her eyes. “So, tell us about Beau.” I was surprised that she asked before Kai did. I glanced over at Kai and she was bouncing in the chair with giddiness, waiting to hear about it.
“I don’t know. It was alright.” I didn’t want to really say too much because he hadn’t called me back yet or anything. Not that I expected him to call this soon, but I thought maybe a text or something.
“Come on Sylvia,” Kai trilled impatiently. “We want the details. The good details. You promised.”
I laughed at her ardent interest. “Well, he picked me up on his motorcycle. And yes, he looked just as hot as he did that first night.”
“I didn’t think he was hot.” Kerri added dryly as she flipped her dark hair back behind her shoulder.
Kai gave her a “shut the hell up it’s Sylvia’s turn” look.
“We drove for a long time before we stopped to eat.” I took a sip of my mojito. I didn’t really want to tell them about the place he took me. Sometimes the two of them can be judgmental, and I didn’t want them killing my buzz about the night.
“Where did you eat?” Of course Kai would ask that.
I hesitated “Um, I’m not sure the name of it.”
“Was it around here?” I could see Kai mentally flipping through all the restaurants around here.
“No, I’m not actually sure where we were. I didn’t recognize anything around there.” At least that was truthful.
“Oh. Then what? I know you didn’t get home until after eleven.” Kai was so matter of fact.
“Were you watching out your window for me?”
She pursed her lips and looked at the ceiling. She glanced to Kerri, but Kerri just shook her head. “Of course she was. She saw you leave and come home. That’s why your phone rang as soon as Beau left. Do you really think we would have let her interrupt you?”
“So tell us about him.” Kai couldn’t hold back.
“He’s a good pool player. We went to a bar and played pool after we ate. He spent some time teaching me how.” I said as I blushed. Both Kai and Kerri smirked. Kai “needed Sloane” to help her play our first year too even though she was probably better at it than he was to begin with.
“Did it work?” Kerri asked. I felt myself redden even more. “I guess from that blush we can assume it did.”
“Let’s just say if we hadn’t have been interrupted, Kai wouldn’t have seen him leaving.” I scrunched eyes up and covered my face with my hands. Kai and Kerri both freely shared their exploits but I was still bashful gossiping about mine.
There was a lot of squealing and Kai was clapping. Then she stopped dead and looked at me. “Wait, did Quinn interrupt you?”
“No, I haven’t thought about him when I kissed a guy in a long time.” Okay I lied but she didn’t need to know that. “It wasn’t the thought of Quinn that stopped me anyway it was the neighb...oh.” I looked up at her sharply. “You meant my new neighbor, Quinn right?” I took a deep breath. There are lots of people named with names that could be shortened to Quinn; Quinton, Quincy, Joaquin, it wasn’t him. It couldn’t be him.
Both Kai and Kerri were staring at me now wide-eyed. They both knew that Quinn was the name of my ex. “Was it him?” Kerri whispered.
“I don’t think so, but I only saw his back.”
Kerri turned to Kai. “You met him today. Is it him?”
“Wait, what? Kai, you met him? I thought you were waiting for me to go with.” I wasn’t really upset, I just kind of thought we were going to do that together.
“I was. He stopped in with Reed and Sloane after playing basketball with them.”
Basketball? I let out a big breath in relief and laughed. “What? The guys play all the time.” Kerri asked.
“Yes, they do but my...” wait, I about referred to him as my Quinn. “But the Quinn I knew wouldn’t. I don’t think he knew what one was unless maybe he was hit with one in gym.” That was one thing I had in common with Quinn in high school...a mutual hatred of anything related to participating in sports.
I’m pretty sure both of them picked up on my slip but they let it go. “Well, Kai what did you learn about him? I’m sure you grilled him thoroughly.” Kerri and I both smirked.
Kai looked indignant. “I was just getting to know him.”
“You need to write a book on the ‘Kai-ying Adams meet and greet method.’ I’m sure it would come in handy during Government Interrogation training.”
“Do you want to hear about him or not?” Kai pouted. Like she wasn’t dying to tell us all about him.
I ignored her and hoped Kerri would catch on. “So Kerri, I don’t think Jason is coming to the picnic.”
Kerri shifted in a way that Kai couldn’t see her face and winked at me. “Why? I thought he was going to bring that one kid from home. That other friend of yours that we haven’t met yet. He is starting here this year, right?”
“Colby is starting here. In fact he moved in this week. Jase said since he’s off-campus this year. A couple of the guys from back home are coming up Saturday. They have plans to initiate Colby to life without parents. I was surprised Reed didn’t say anything. I would have thought Jason would have invited him and Sloane.” At first Jason didn’t like Reed and Sloane. I think he was jealous of the time I spent with them. But after he hung around us and saw just how devoted they both were to Kerri and Kai, he began to loosen up around them. Soon he was doing stuff with them all the time. It was only Kerri he seemed to not get along with. I never have been able to figure that one out. Sure, Kerri could be a bitch. But it was mutual. I didn’t know how anyone could not like Jase. He was just so warm and fun loving.
“Good, then he won’t be screwing up the picnic,” Kerri said with a huff. If Kerri and Reed weren’t so perfect together I would swear there was sexual tension between her and Jason.
“About Quinn...” Kai cut in. I knew she wouldn’t last.
I turned to her with a grin. “Did you want to tell us something, Kai?” I said, as innocently as I could.
She didn’t buy it and stuck her tongue out at me before she started. “I shouldn’t tell you anything and just let you wait. Then, after you run into him wearing something like that,” she said pointing at my baggy t-shirt and sweats. “And you’ll come complaining to me because I didn’t warn you that you had someone that hot living across the hall from you and I will just laugh. Maybe then you would throw out all that old stuff anyway.”
I looked down at my faded gray t-shirt. Yes, it was old. It was one from our senior class trip, but it was so comfortable. I loved wearing it. I just glowered back at her.
“Fine. Quinn was very charming. I didn’t catch his last name and Sloane said he didn’t remember what he’d said it was either. He’s from here in Minneapolis and his dad wants him to finish med school here. He’s happy to be back close to home. He opted not to live with his parents so he could be closer to campus. This is also the first time he’s lived alone.” Kai said all of that with barely taking a breath.
I just blinked at her. Kerri asked, “Okay, that’s good. But what did he look like?” Of course she would think of looks first.
“He was tall and really toned. They hadn’t put their shirts on after playing ball so I got a good look.” She grinned suggestively at us. “I think you would approve, Kerri. He had really dark sexy hair, but that could be because they were still sweaty from playing ball.”
Okay. Tall - check. Dark hair - check. Toned body? Nope not him. Not that my Quinn didn’t have a nice body, it just wasn’t what one would describe as toned. It was just the body you would expect a nonathletic teenage boy to have. It was a body Kerri would definitely not have approved of. I was feeling good that it wasn’t him. I had just one last question. “Did he have glasses?”
“No.” Kai looked at me and I could see the relief from her eyes too as she figured out what I was getting at. “He’s not yours, is he?” She stated that more than asked it. So she did remember him from his picture. I had only shown it to her once, when she went home with me for a long weekend.
They were both looking at me expectantly. “No. I admit, I was worried that it was him. Just because that would be my luck. The one guy I never want to see again would move into my building.” So why did my heart just twinge a little when Kai said it wasn’t him? “Besides I’m done with it. I’m not going to let thoughts of him in anymore.” I stated it matter-of-factly. I changed the topic, giving them the hint to let it drop. “I’m going to ask Beau to the picnic Saturday.” This would definitely get their attention.
“Really? So why haven’t you yet?” Kai, of course, took the bait.
“Um, he hasn’t called back yet,” I mumbled.
“Don’t worry, Syl. He will. Guy rules say he can’t call you right away.” Kerri rolled her eyes.
“Guys and their stupid games,” Kai giggled. “Like we don’t know what they’re doing.”
We spent more time laughing about stupid things guys do, and talked about our upcoming classes. Kai and Kerri had another shopping trip planned for the next day. Kai promised to buy me something perfect for the picnic. I warned her that Beau wasn’t much of a dress-up kind of guy. She just hushed me and told me to leave it all to her. She mentioned that she was going to ask Quinn to join us too since he was new and that the guys seemed to get along with him.
At the end of the night I came home much less stressed than when I left. Kai and Kerri reassured me that Beau would call and neither really questioned about where he took me. I did have to explain why we were not in my apartment and still in the hallway when Quinn interrupted us, which caused a round of teasing. Both said they wanted to get to know him better at the picnic. The most relief came from the knowledge that it wasn’t Quinn Lobato across the hall. And even though I slept well that night, I still dreamt of dark chocolate eyes behind a pair of heavy glasses.
The next two days went by much like Wednesday had. Stupid customers in the morning, followed by an afternoon of reading. Jason and Colby came over for a little while Friday evening. It was great to see the kid again. He was always so happy, but Friday he practically rivaled Kai in energy with the excitement of being away from home for the first time. They invited me over to Jason’s place Saturday night. I told them I wasn’t sure what the plans for then were. I would have enjoyed their visit a lot more if I hadn’t been worrying about the fact that I still had not heard from Beau.
I was really starting to doubt that he was going to call back. I wouldn’t be taking a date to the picnic after all. I wasn’t even going to get to meet the hot new neighbor. Kai said she had Sloane ask, but he wasn’t able to go. I had yet to meet him. I asked Sloane and Reed about him. Reed just leered at me and Sloane just shrugged and said Quinn was busy. Kai insisted that those two were up to something. When she went home Wednesday night, they were talking on the couch. But when she walked in, they had quickly unpaused the game and acted like they were playing. Of course both she and Kerri were hoping whatever they were up to involved engagement rings, even if neither of them would admit it.
I had a weird encounter with Sloane on Thursday. He came up with Kai when she brought over the new clothes she bought for me. When Kai left to get the shoes she forgot, he asked me if I was really doing okay. I have always felt that Sloane, above all the others, knew just how heartbroken I had been before. I’d had some very insightful conversations with him over the years. Those were generally conversations I initiated. He always just seemed to get me better than anyone else, even Jason. Jase made me happy and I’d had good times with him, but I could never really talk to him like I could to Sloane. Sloane let me talk if I needed to without asking questions like Kai tended to do. He was more sympathetic and understanding than Kerri, who told me to suck it up and move on. And he was way more mature than Reed. I don’t think I’ve ever had a serious conversation with Reed. In fact I don’t think Reed knew what serious was.
It just took me off guard when Sloane asked. I didn’t think I had let on to anything he would have cause to worry about. I reassured him that I was fine and was over the past. I even let him know that I was more than hopeful that things would work out with Beau. Of course that was before three days had passed and he still hadn’t contacted me.
I didn’t know if I should be pissed or relieved when he finally did call me around 1:30 AM Saturday morning. He told me he had been out on a job and couldn’t call me until then. He was back in Minneapolis and wanted to see me again over the weekend.
I invited him to the picnic. He hesitated but finally agreed to go. I smiled and did a little victory dance even though I was in bed.
We talked some more about our week. If I hadn’t been so tired I could have listened to his voice all night. I don’t know if he was trying not to wake others at his place or if it was just the fact that it was night, but he kept his voice low for the whole call. The low, rough baritone of his voice left me wet and needy when he told me that he was looking forward to picking up where we left off last time. He ended the call not long after that, promising to meet me at my house around one the next afternoon. I rolled back over after he hung up and smiled into the dark. Tomorrow was going to be a good day.
I woke up to a phone call at nine. Normally I would have had Kai to blame for a call that early, but it wasn’t her ring tone. I answered groggily.
“Sylvia?” Who the hell else would it be?
“Yeah.”
“Hi. This is Bobbie. I’m so sorry to have to call you but Corrina can’t come in and we need someone to fill in for her.” Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Something like this always has to happen. I couldn’t turn it down either. Everyone had been so good to me when I took off a couple weeks to go visit my dad in June.
“What time was she supposed to work?” Maybe I would be lucky and be done at two then I would only miss like the first half hour of the picnic.
“She’s on 10 to 6 today.” Crap, there went that.
“Oh.” I looked over at my clock. Damn, not very much time. “Sure. I may be a little late. I haven’t really gotten up yet. I still need to get ready.”
“That’s fine. We’re just happy you can come in and do it.” I could hear the relief in her voice. I knew firsthand how bad it sucked to have to be the one to call around to find replacements at work. “See you later. Thanks Sylvia.”
“Sure,” I grumbled lamely, and closed my phone.
I let out a frustrated growl and called Kai. I knew she’d probably been up since dawn making sure every detail of our day was planned. She was disappointed and told me to check with them as soon as I got off, to see where everyone was going to be for the evening. Jason finally called Reed and invited them all over to his place for the evening if everyone wanted to come after the picnic. I told her I would and then texted Beau. I knew he wouldn’t be up yet.
Picnic off. Have to work. Done @ 6 if you still want to go out. - S
I threw off the covers, found clothes, and headed to the bathroom to shower and get ready for work.
As predicted, we were fairly busy until two when things started slowing down. The nice weather had everyone outside enjoying it. Several of us employees were standing around talking when the assistant manager came over and told me that since I came in on my day off I could go ahead and take off early.
I flew out of there. I called Kai first and told her. She said they were all still at the park and hadn’t even started eating yet. I quickly called Beau, who thankfully answered, and he agreed to pick me up in a half an hour and we would go meet everyone there.
I rushed home, very grateful now that Kai had bought me something to wear. It saved me having to stare in my closet, trying to decide what to wear. Kai had actually done a decent job with this outfit. I was afraid that she would come back with a dress, but she surprised me with a light beige pair of capri pants and a deep emerald gauze shirt. It was a nice smock-like top with a little ivy pattern embroidered along the open v-neck. It was very comfortable. She finished it off with a pair of beaded flip flops. Thank God she didn’t go with heels. We often played games like Frisbee when we went to the park, and I sucked at it normally. I couldn’t imagine how much worse it would have been wearing a dress or heels.
Beau had gotten there really fast. I didn’t have time to do anything other than leave my hair up in the loose ponytail I wore to work. When I answered the door, he looked me up and down again like he did the first time. When he met my eyes he smiled wide. “You look sweet enough to eat.” So did he. His jeans were a little looser today riding low on his hips. The black sleeveless shirt showed off his impressive biceps.
I laughed at him even though I was blushing. His look and the way he growled the words out hit me at some base level. I briefly remembered just how good he felt pushed up against me on the other side of the door he just happened to be standing in front of. I had to stop those thoughts. “Let’s go. We’re already late.”
“As you wish.” He motioned me to lead.
He brought his bike. I told him which park we were going to. I loved riding behind him again. I wished I wasn’t wearing the stupid helmet, though. I would have loved to lay my check against his back as I held on to him.
The park was busy. People were taking advantage of the nice days we had left before fall set in. Even though this was the park closest to the campus, there were still lots of kids running around. The slides and swings were teeming with them. I loved hearing their laughter and watching them run from one piece of equipment to the other. One little boy ran headlong into me from behind, toppling both of us over. I laughed as I pushed back up to my knees. I stopped when I saw Beau yank the kid up roughly and tell him to watch where he was going. He looked over at me then and saw my frown and his faced morphed completely into nothing but concern.
“Sylvia, are you okay?” He helped pull me up. I wanted to tell the kid it was okay, but he was already off running in the opposite direction.
“I’m fine. He was just having a good time playing tag. He didn’t mean to knock me over,” I chastised as I brushed my hands off on my pants.
Beau rubbed his hand up and down my back like he was soothing me. “I know. I was just worried you were hurt. I guess I was a little harder on him than I should have been.” He looked away from me then. “Is that girl waving at you?”
It was Kai. She was jumping up and down waving both arms. I waved back to let her know I saw them. “Yeah, that’s Kai. So are you ready to meet everyone?” I could see Kai and Kerri over by a picnic table. It looked like Kai had just set all the food out. She’d had one of the local delis make everything. It looked like she had quite a spread set out. “Hope you’re hungry. From the looks of it Kai plans on feeding the entire park.”
He laughed and kept his hand on my back. He was still slightly rubbing along my spine as we walked over to them.
“Wow, Kai, this looks amazing,” I said when we got to the table.
“Oh, Sylvia, I’m so glad you got off early and could make it. Kerri, go tell the boys we’re ready to eat. Hi, Beau. I’m so happy you were able to come with Sylvia. The guys are off playing Frisbee. We’ll make sure you get introduced to everyone.” Kai was dancing happily around the table, making sure everything was ready. She had all the food on one table and another close by for us to sit at.
I heard the guys laughing as they approached and looked from Kai to them. “Good news, Sylvia,” Kai started to say, just as my gaze locked onto a pair of hauntingly familiar brown eyes. “Quinn was able to come after all.”