“What a dick!”

Jamie couldn’t believe the gall of her friend. She thought that out of all the guys in the world, she had found the one who was different from the rest. She thought she had found a genuinely nice guy.

“Hey, I’m just being honest. She’s a lot more fun to talk to when her tits are kind of exposed. At least that holds true for me,” replied Jack, in a casual manner.

Jack and Jamie had been friends for about four years. They met in a women’s studies class and got stuck together on a final project. Despite his sarcastic chauvinism, she found that he was actually quite the gentleman. After the class ended, they didn’t stop spending time together. They just kept meeting at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf a block from campus at six o’clock sharp every Thursday evening, as though they were still working on their project. The first time, they didn’t really intend to. They just happened to be there at the same time because they were craving coffee and neither of them really liked Starbucks. It just so happened that it was the most convenient place for them to go.

So even though their project was turned in, finished, never to be looked at again, the following Thursday they both swerved into the parking lot, and ambled into the Coffee Bean, six o’ clock sharp. Jamie saw Jack first; he was slouched, last in line with a blank, bored expression on his face. She stood in the doorway for a moment, outlining his features with her eyes. Her eyes began tracing his neck, his jawline, and soon noted how perfectly his prominent cheekbones framed his half open eyelids, partially concealing irises the color of new grass in the spring. Jamie gulped. It was like seeing his face for the first time, and she felt like… Flying. Her stomach leaped, her flesh was crawling with bumps, the good kind, and her head was a little dizzy. Suddenly, she shook her head, swiveled back towards the lot. No. Her hand was on the door when -

“Jamie!” Jack. He had seen Jamie’s vigorous head shake, turned and saw her attempt at escape.
“Hey, Jamie! Over here!” She tried to feign ignorance; but, at this point, everyone in the café was looking straight at her. She could have just walked out and never have had to see him again; but, then he’d look like an idiot and for some reason, that mattered. She paused for a second, pondering the fact, before begrudgingly turning around.

“Oh, hey Jack!” she said, painting on a smile while fumbling over her sudden epiphany. “I didn’t see you in line. What brings you here? Got another project you’re working on?”

He smiled, his suddenly devastatingly handsome smile and replied, “Oh no, you know, I just come in here hoping to see pretty girls. I just knew you’d show up!” He winked at her, teasingly.

Jamie rolled her eyes even though she could feel her face beginning to flush. “Well, aren’t you the charmer? Where was this guy when we were working on that project for so many hours? He probably would have made the time go by much faster.”

He laughed. He laughed and it sounded like the comfort of home. He offered her a chair adjacent to them and took the one across from her. “I don’t know where he was; probably intimidated by the monster you brought to fight that beast of a project. I actually came here because I was craving some of their African Sunset tea. It tastes like heaven.” Jack smiled and leaned back in the chair, beginning to become lost in memories of his tea.

Jamie’s lips unwillingly raised at Jack’s smile. Little wrinkled, crinkly lines formed at the edges of his eyes. Her own smile grew wider; she was amused that he took such delight in a mere cup of tea, a cup of tea that tasted like heaven.

Jamie was willing to bet Jack tasted like heaven.

The smile slid from Jamie’s face. She stuffed the thought far, far in the back of her brain, worried, not wanting this, this new development, to change. Jamie didn’t want to fall in love. Jamie didn’t want to love at all. She leapt from the table, needing to get out, and before she knew it she was going, some stupid excuse spilling from her mouth.

Jack’s smile faded too when he realized she was leaving.

To Be Continued

A collaborative story between Danny and Alex.

The next week came, though the nights hadn’t been so willing to yield to it. For Jack and Jamie, it seemed as though the sun had been anchored by the weight of their thoughts. Jack wondered why Jamie had disappeared so suddenly, what he’d said wrong, and why his mind had chased after her for miles pass his line of sight. He’d thought she was cute the whole time she was in class; but, he thought that that was as far as it went. He wasn’t really interested in her as far as he was aware; and yet, she wouldn’t vacate the recesses of his mind.

Jamie was mortified at her behavior. Jack had given her no reason to react in the manner that she did, to run away like a skittish school girl. She obviously must not have taken anything from that women’s studies class, other than a strong attraction to her male project partner, an attraction strong enough to make her weak in the knees. It didn’t make any sense at all! He was just another guy. Another guy she had a class with. Another guy she did a project with. Another guy with intelligence. Another guy with perspective. Another guy with a sense of humor that made her sides hurt. Another guy that could make her smile on a dime. Another guy that was not like any other guy. A guy that could be the guy, her guy.

These thoughts plagued both of them throughout their day until a quarter ‘til six rolled around and they both muttered to themselves, “…Maybe I’ll go hang out at the Coffee Bean.”

When Jamie arrived, Jack was sitting in his car, head hung. She pulled right up next to him, and stared at his breathtaking face through the windows. He looked up, right at her. Embarrassment was clearly painted on both of their faces. They walked in together, and sat in awkward silence, sharing timid glances for quite some time. People came and went around them, hustling and chattering about, but still Jamie and Jack said nothing. They stared, and stared, and stared. No words needed to be said. Jamie knew what his piercing gaze meant. It was a hint of a promise, a whisper of potential. He was pleading with her, stay. Stay here. Don’t run away. Talk with me. And Jack knew what her soft reply was. I will stay. I will talk. But I am scared.

Suddenly Jack stood, placed his chair next to hers.
“Don’t be.”
Jamie’s stomach churned. But she nodded.
“Okay.”

“Okay!” Jack smiled; but, it turned to a worried frown. “Is that your stomach rumbling? When’s the last time you filled the tank, little lady?”

Little lady? When did this turn into a western saloon?

“I haven’t ‘filled the tank’ since eight in the morning, partner.” She replied mockingly.

Catching on to her mockery, he responded, “Well then, how’s about we get your belly some rations ‘fore you keel over…” he looked down at her shoes and laughed, “in your boots.”

“Okay, let’s cut this whole Eastwood act out, yea?” she said with a smile on the air of her voice.“Let’s go order some food…” she rummaged through her purse. “I just need to go get my wallet, I seem to have left it in my car.”

Jack stopped her from turning to the door, “Don’t worry about it, I’ve got you this time. You can do me a favor later if you want to.” He smiled. She melted, and then nodded. This was the start of something nice. Exactly what, remained to be told; but, whatever it was, it was nice. They both liked that.

They rose from the table in unison, stepped in line and turned towards the menu, standing in comfortable silence. Warmth was gradually spreading through Jamie. Her face was still flushed from his smile. She looked over at Jack, and asked, “What are you getting?”

He leaned his head over towards her and answered, “A cheese jalapeno bagel.”

“What?”

Jack looked at her. “What do you mean ‘what’?”

“… People actually order those?”

Jack scoffed, pretended to be offended. He turned his back from Jamie, crossing his arms tightly and stomping his foot at her obvious distaste. He was smiling, and Jamie was giggling.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding, come back!” Jamie reached around and tugged at Jack’s arm, trying to get him turned around. He gave and released his arms, and as he moved towards her, their hands brushed. Jamie’s eyes widened a little in surprise, and the corners of Jack’s lips twitched upwards, but neither of them moved. A moment later the woman at the counter hollered for the next in line, and Jack stepped forward, breaking the touch. Jamie shuddered at the flutters in her stomach from such little contact with Jack’s hand. She stepped up next to him, itching to touch his hand again, to hold it, her mind blurred with questions. Would he mind? Does he like holding hands? Would he like holding mine? She was so distracted that she hadn’t realized it was her turn to order.

“Ma’am? … Ma’am? Would you like something?”

Jamie was pulled back to the counter.

“Oh, umm…”

Jack smirked and interrupted.

“Another jalapeno cheese bagel, please.”

“Jack, I -“

He looked at her, smiling, and she stopped talking. “You’ll like it. Trust me.”
_____________________________________________________________

To Be Continued

A collaborative story between Danny and Alex.

… And she did like it. She loved it, actually. She hadn’t bothered to make comment about her feelings for the bagel while they were eating together, partly because she didn’t want to admit that it was the best culinary revelation that had crossed her palate in years and partly because she was wrapped up in his company, and that was something she didn’t want to be blemished by his gloating. She figured she could let him know, subtly, that she liked it by ordering it again when they met up the following week, as they’d agreed. A day which just so happened to have arrived.

I get to see him again, today!

She couldn’t believe that this was something that she had been anticipating over the week. He seemed to have this intoxicating magnetism that she could not bring herself to escape from, not that she really wanted to escape anymore. She had made a promise to stay and it was a promise that she intended to keep.

“Hey guys, I’m heading out, now!” Jack shouted back to his roommate, shutting the door behind him, and dashing down the stairs of his apartment.

He was anxious to see Jamie again. It had been a long while since he’d found a girl this agreeable. As far as he knew, she was still slightly tentative about hanging out with him on a regular basis; but, he still held hope that he could make her keep the promise she’d made him. As it stood, he couldn’t imagine his week without being able to look forward to an evening with her.

Once he got in his car, he checked the time. 5:51. He knew he could make it there by six without needing to be reckless; but, something about going to meet her put him in that wily mindset that he couldn’t resist acting on. He floored his car all the way to the Coffee Bean.

Jamie was waiting at the rendezvous a couple minutes early. She was sitting on the patio outside, waiting for him to make it, when all of a sudden, she heard screeching tires coming around the corner. She couldn’t see the car; but, she only had one thought as reaction:

Idiot.

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