Alicekai'd 1.3: Fangirl

 

 

     Still here.

     The first thing I do this morning is head over to the commons area. I'm starving, and there is no way to fix food at the dorms.

 

     Yes, he still works the counter. Don Lothario. He doesn't speak to me other than the things he needs to say to fill my order. I get some eggs and bacon, and like before: poof! They appear.

     I eat in silence. Then, I get a notification on my phone that I have work in two hours.

     Whoops. Better fix that. I quit. Funnily, this doesn't affect my scholarship status.

     'Go talk to him!' I tell myself internally.

     I don't listen, instead giving him a lopsided grin as I walk past.

     I've signed up for two classes this term: The Write Expectations and Writing Fiction... Or Are We? I'm secretly hoping the second class will give me some answers to my predicament.

     My predicament... which I'm slowly starting to hate less and less.

     I mean seriously, my life in the "real" world wasn't all that great. I certainly didn't get a free ride to college, instead amassing a huge amount of student loan debt. It certainly was harder to get ready in the morning. Here, I can even plop on some fake eyelashes in the literal blink of an eye. I have tiny feet. Okay, not a big deal, but I hated my waterski-feet before. My hair is always perfect. Always.

     My only true concern (if I finally decide staying is a good thing) is how long my life expectancy is. There's no real way for me to check. Online, people don't mention anything about it.

     I do miss my friends, though. I know almost no one here, especially since Angela died. Sure, I could get to know people (like Don Lothario), but I worry that I'll miss them should I somehow find a way home.

     Maybe I could check out some clubs and organizations.

 

     The debate team, for example. I attend one of their competitions. Honestly, I'm not that impressed. The way they present their arguments just reminds me of presenting my sales pitch to a client--from my old job at the marketing firm. That was the part I liked least, the part I hated, about my job. I wanted to come up with the ideas and logos, etc. Selling it wasn't my strong suit.

     The guy in front of me is kinda cute in a dorky way, but something about him makes me feel like I'll definitely be an idiot if I try to speak to him. It's like he's famous. How do I know that right off the bat like that? More this-has-got-to-be-the-game reality checks.

     As I try to keep from thinking too much about it, I look to my left. There's a snack stand. I could go for a snack.

     It would appear that I'm doomed to fangirl today, for who else but Don Lothario himself is manning the snack stand. Coffeeshop? Whatever.

     He sees me and smiles. "University getup looks good on you."

     "Um, thanks." I bite my lip.

     "What can I get for you today?" His eyebrows raise.

     "Uh... I don't know. What would you suggest?" How long can I stretch this out?

     "Well, there's the donuts, coffee, and other things, but honestly," he looks both ways, "this stuff is all crap."

     I can't help but laugh. "That's not the best sales pitch." I order a coffee anyway. OMG we actually talked! I don't want it to end, and there isn't anyone standing in line behind me. "Well, what place does have things that aren't crap?"

     His eyes sparkle, almost like he just thought 'bingo!' "I'd love to show you sometime."

     Wait, what? Did he just...? "Sounds fun." I barely control the urge to want to bounce up and down.

     We exchange numbers! We're going to dinner tomorrow night! Is this real?

     No. No, it's not, I remind myself. Bummer. But I can still have a good time.

     I decide not to overdo it, wardrobe-wise, for the date.

     "So this is the place?" I ask when we appear outside the restaurant. It looks familiar... only not quite.

     "It is." He smiles. Then, he takes my hand. "Come with me, Alice."

     I like how he says my name. He has a kind of accent, hard to place, but just enough to be totally hot.

     He's holding my hand! I feel thirteen again.

     He orders for both of us, and I'm okay with it. Normally, I'd be really put out about something like that, the whole women's lib thing, but I don't mind this time. After all, this was the place he said had better food, right?

     Besides, it's DON LOTHARIO.

     The server leaves after getting the order, and Don turns to me.

     "You look especially beautiful tonight, Alice."

     Eeeeeee! Don Lothario said I look beautiful! I smile. "Flattery will get you everywhere." WTF? Why did I say that? 

     "Will it," he states more than asks, and he looks at my skirt.

     Change the subject! "So, what did you order us?"

      "For you, the herb-crusted salmon." He grins, remembering that's what I'd ordered the first day I saw him. "I thought you should try how it should taste."

      He remembered! I'm so caught up in my own thoughts that I miss what he ordered for himself.

      He asks me about my life. I tell him I was created not too long ago--a test. He laughs and says that he also was just created one day. So it IS a thing. Then he asks me about my interests. Our food arrives, and he still manages only to get me to talk about me. He doesn't talk about himself. Our only interruption is when my phone beeps.

     "Boyfriend wondering where you are?" he asks, a mischievous smile playing about his lips. The man at the next table mutters something about aliens.

     "No, uh, classmate wondering if I took good notes the other day and wants to borrow them." Wait a minute... "Why did you ask about a boyfriend?" Why would I go on a date with YOU if I had a boyfriend? 

     "I assumed you must've had one."

     I'm not amused, not with the line of thought I'm forming. "Why would you assume I had a boyfriend? Why would I go out with you if I did? Do you often take out other people's girlfriends?"

     His mouth opens in shock as he obviously tries to figure out what to say next. "No! I guess it was my way of trying" he mutters under his breath, "stupidly, I realize now," in a normal voice, he continues, "of trying to make sure you didn't have one. Please, I mean no disrespect. I only wanted to make sure."

     Nope. I get up, pushing my chair under the table.

     "Alice, wait." He gets up too, blocking my path for the moment. "That was stupid of me. I just wanted to make sure that this was a date, not just dinner." He takes my hands. "I don't remember making that clear earlier, but I find you very attractive, Alice."

     I can't explain myself. Maybe it's still a fangirl thing. Maybe I'm lonely. Maybe I'm both. Probably all of the above. After the initial shock wears off, he kisses me back, and we stand here, at the patio of the restaurant, kissing for a moment.

     When we finally remember that we have a small audience, he pulls back to ask, "So I'm forgiven?"

     I smile, still holding his hand, and lead him out of the restaurant.