by Tabatha Kiss
“Well...” I search my brain for an excuse, any excuse, to release me from this hell. “My roommate is on her way, so...”
He shrugs. “Well, I’m already parked here, so how about you pop the hood? It’ll only take a few minutes.”
I swallow hard. “Okay...”
I retreat to my car, digging into the front pouch of my backpack for my keys. My door creaks loudly. I feel more than a little self-conscious about that. In broad daylight, it’s easy to see how much of a clunker mine is compared to his super sleek sports car.
I sit in the driver’s seat and pause. A lever. There should be a lever somewhere that opens the hood...
I duck down out of sight, pretending I know exactly what I’m doing while I frantically search for it.
There!
I pull it. The hood pops in front and he opens it the rest of the way, maneuvering the skinny metal rod to keep it propped up. I take advantage of the large barrier between us and breathe an epic sigh of relief that I found it on the first try before climbing back outside.
“Okay,” he says as he grabs the jumper cables off his hood. “We take the red clip and attach it to the plus sign on your battery here.”
I peek inside as he clips it onto something in my car. “Uh-huh.”
He turns toward his car, the hood also open wide. “We put the other end on my battery here. And then,” he grabs the other black cable, “we do this with this...”
I nod, watching him as he fiddles with the black cable. “Pluses and minuses,” I say. “Got it.”
He gestures toward his car. “Pop in and start my car, would you? Big red button on the dash next to the stick. You can’t miss it.”
“Okay...”
I take a step back.
“Wait—” He gently loops my arm and chuckles. “Don’t trip.”
I stop. I nearly plowed right through the red cable extended between our cars.
“Oh...” My cheeks blaze red. He releases my arm. “Sorry. I, uh...”
I fidget left and right, trying to find the best way to limbo beneath the cable, but there’s zero way to do that gracefully.
Screw it.
I drop to my knees and crawl beneath the red cable all the way to the driver’s side of his car, constantly scolding myself as dirt and gravel dig into my kneecaps. I open his door and peek inside, easily picking out the red button on his dash right where he said it’d be. I put my foot on the brake and push it, bringing the engine to life.
I stand up and close the door behind me. “Okay—”
One step back and I bump into... him.
“Whoa...” He reaches out and takes my elbows as I stumble backward. “You okay?”
“I’m fine...” I nod, repeatedly. “Just... didn’t see you there.”
He sidles to my left, resuming his casual lean against the car door. “We’ll let that run for a few minutes and see what happens,” he says.
I realize I’m still nodding. I stop.
We’ll see what happens. Yes.
And at the top of that list: my freaking funeral.
“My name is Drew, by the way,” he says, extending his hand.
“Oh, right...” I chuckle awkwardly as I shake his hand. “Heidi,” I greet. “My name is Heidi.”
He smiles, showing off a mouth of beautiful, perfect teeth. “It’s nice to meet you, Heidi.”
“You, too, Drew,” I say with instant regret. “Hey, that rhymes.”
If he’s still smiling, I wouldn’t know, because my eyes fall right to my red sneakers. My palms sweat. My entire body feels like a radiator despite it officially being hoodie weather in Chicago right now. God, I need this to end. Charge faster, battery. I’m begging you. Hurry and release me from this terrible silence.
“So, about last night...”
No!
Please no.
I’ll take the silence, please.
I slowly look up. “You know, we don’t have to talk about that...”
“I think we should,” Drew says, amused.
“I think we shouldn’t.”
“You know that point when you look back on something embarrassing that happened to you, but enough time has passed so you just laugh about it like it wasn’t a big deal?” he asks.
I sigh. “In theory, yes. I’ve heard of it.”
“Well, I like to get there as fast as possible,” he says. “And I think the two of us should work on that.”
“We should?”
“Yeah! I mean...” He cants his head. “Okay, cards on the table, last night was weird.”
“Very weird,” I agree.
“One of the weirdest nights I’ve had in a while, but it was nothing that can’t be explained by a little bit of awkwardness between two people who just met. You invited me into your home. We had a pleasant chat. There was a spark or two, but then...”
“I sneezed on your face,” I say flatly.
“And then you sneezed on my face.” He smothers his grin. “But it was funny! If my roommate had come home and told me that happened to him, I’d be in stitches. It’s objectively hilarious.”
I look down as I fight the urge to wither and die. “Not feeling the funny just yet...”
“Then, let’s do something about that,” he says. “What are you up to tonight?”
I glance up. “Tonight?”
“My housemates are throwing a party and I’d be honored if you’d come and be my guest for the night.”
“You’re... asking me to a party?”
“Yes,” he says.
“Tonight?”
“Tonight,” he repeats.
“I sneezed on your face and now you’re asking me to a party?”
“Yes.”
“Tonight?”
“I feel like we’ve seen that sign before,” he quips.
I deflate all the air from my lungs. “Sorry, I’m just confused, and surprised... but mostly just confused. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of germs being a big turn-on.”
Drew smiles, flashing those damned dimples again. “It wasn’t the germs so much as the cute girl they came out of,” he says.
I nearly choke. “Huh?”
“And the little awkward chuckle she does when she’s nervous or the wrinkle she gets between her brows when she doesn’t understand something.”
I furrow my brow and he points excitedly at the bridge of my nose.
“There!” he says, grinning. “That one right there.”
I breathe a laugh.
“And there’s the chuckle,” he says. “You’re killing me, Heidi.”
“I’m sorry,” I squeak.
“It’s okay. You can make it up to me by coming to the party tonight.”
Is this really happening?
He stares at me, patiently waiting for my answer while my heart pounds against my ribs.
I guess it is.
“Uh…” I nod. “Sure. I...”
Shit.
Jenna.
“Can’t,” I say, exhaling hard. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can,” Drew says. “I believe in you!”
“No,” I say, smothering a laugh, “I really can’t. I promised my roommate I’d hang out with her tonight.”
He pauses. “Like, all night?”
I nod. “Hanging out with her is usually an all-night affair, unfortunately. I’m sorry…”
“No, it’s cool. I get it,” he says. “It sucks, but I get it.”
My gut churns, but I find the courage. “Maybe we can do something next week?” I ask.
Drew smiles. “Sure,” he says. “I can wait a few days.”
Oh, dear lord, I just asked out a boy.
“That’s even better, actually,” he adds. “I don’t have to worry about one of my housemates stealing you from me. A few of them are slightly more attractive than I am.”
I chortle. “Only slightly?”
“Hard to imagine, I know.” He points at my car. “Why don’t you try starting her up?”
/> I pause, completely forgetting the original reason he came out here. “Oh, right,” I say, spotting the long cables connecting our cars. “Will do,” I say as I begin the short trek around to my driver’s side.
I lower myself inside and say a quick prayer as I turn the key.
The engine revs to life.
“Yes!” I say, standing up. “She lives another day.”
“Awesome.” Drew detaches the clips from my car. “Leave her running for a little while. Let her charge.”
“I will,” I say. “Thank you so much.”
“It’s no problem,” he says as he lets his hood drop with a loud thump. He hooks the cables in his arm and joins me on my side. “If it happens again, let me know. I’ll keep my cables handy.”
“Oh, I will be more vigilant about the lights from here on, I’m sure.”
“You got your phone?” he asks.
“Uh...” I take it out of my back pocket. “Yeah.”
He snatches it from me. “Just going to send myself a text,” he says, tapping with his thumbs. “Text me back about… anything. Anything at all.”
I bite my lip. “All right.”
Drew gives the phone back. “I’m officially late for class, so I should get going.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was worth it.”
I blush. “Well, go on. Please. Go live your life. You’ve given me enough of your time already.”
He laughs as he drops the cables into his passenger seat and grabs his backpack from the backseat. “I’ll see you around, Heidi,” he says as he locks the car.
I nod. “I’ll see you around, Drew.”
He walks toward campus, then pauses and turns back. “Oh, and congratulations,” he says.
“What for?” I ask.
He gestures at my car. “You just learned a new life skill.”
I gasp. “Oh, my god!” I say, excited. “I totally did!”
“You totally did!”
“Holy crap.” My smile dips. “I should have taken notes...”
Drew laughs as he turns. After a few steps, he glances over his shoulder at me, his face still plastered with the same dimply smile as before.
Learn a new life skill. Check!
Fall in love with a stranger...
In-progress.
Chapter 5
Heidi
I press the charcoal against the paper as lightly as possible. I brush it down the bridge of his nose, keeping the shading light but noticeable. Today, I spotted a freckle just beneath his right eye, so I take a moment to dab one in place.
Drew.
A stranger no more, but that doesn’t make him any less fall-worthy.
“Are you sons of bitches ready to par-tay?!”
I sit back as I look at Jenna standing in my open doorway. Both of her hands rest on the frame as she presents herself in a little black dress and strappy, red heels. A tiny purse. Flawless make-up.
I snort. “You certainly are,” I answer.
Jenna frowns as she steps into my room. “What are you doing?” she asks.
“I’m just...” I glance at my sketchbook. “Practicing for class.”
She tilts her head as she studies at the sketch. “Nice,” she says, meaning it. “You made Resting Prick Face look mildly approachable.”
“Thank you.” I stand up and look at my black-stained hands. “Let me wash up and we’ll go.”
“You’re not wearing that, are you?”
I check myself. Baseball t-shirt. Jeans. Red sneakers. My basic everyday attire, and plenty good enough for a walk down to Bobby’s house.
“Yeah?” I say.
“Uh, no.” She shakes her head. “Change.”
“Why?” I ask. “We’re just going to Bobby’s, right?”
“We’re not going to Bobby’s,” she says. “Bobby’s canceled.”
“Again? Why?”
“Just…” She slices the air with her hands. “I’d rather not discuss it right now.”
“Okay. Then, where are we going?” I ask.
“To one of the biggest parties of the year!” She spins toward my closet and exhales. “It’s okay. It’s fine. I will find you...” she sneers at my clothes, “something.”
“Party?” I ask. “What party?”
“The Alpha Delta Xi party, stupid.”
My gut churns. “A frat party?”
“No. This will not do.” She steps back. “We’re going to my closet.”
I follow her into the hall. “I can’t go to a frat party!”
“You can, you will, and you are.”
“But...” I linger in her bedroom doorway as she disappears into the depths of her own closet. “Can’t we just... chill here? We haven’t talked in ages.”
“We talk every day, Heidi,” she says, barely visible between a line of identical little black dresses.
“But not like we used to!” I say, trying to make it sound appealing. “Remember those sleepovers we used to have? We’d give each other makeovers and plan out what our dream houses will look like when we marry Zac Efron. That was fun, right?”
Jenna emerges with a hanger in each hand, both dangling a dress way outside my comfort level. “Heidi, we’re in college. We’re college girls now.”
“I know...”
“All those sleepovers and makeovers and chats about Efron were preparing us... for this.” She holds the first dress up to my body, shakes her head, and tosses it aside. “Basic training is over, baby. Tonight, we go to war.”
I wince at the second dress she holds up against me. “War for what?” I ask, humoring her.
“For dick. What else?”
Thankfully, she tosses that one aside, too, and retreats into the closet.
“I don’t need dick,” I argue. “I’m pleasantly dick-free, as a matter of fact.”
She returns with one blue dress, somewhat old-fashioned in style, but at least it covers the important bits unlike the other two. “That’s because you’ve never tried it,” she says, holding it up.
“I’ve... tried it.”
Jenna arches her brow, knowing the truth. “Feeling Peyton Baker’s boner pressing into your hip while slow dancing at the Iowa State Fair to Champagne Supernova isn’t trying it.”
I deflate. She’s right.
Again, Jenna sneers at the dress and tosses it away.
As she strides back to the closet, I reach down and pick it back up, careful to only touch the hanger with my charcoal-blotted hands. A halter top, front-button closures, and a skirt that falls past my knees? I don’t hate it.
And it has pockets!
“What’s wrong with this one?” I ask.
“Not slutty enough,” she says.
“Great. It’s perfect.”
Jenna groans as I escape into the hall with it. “Fine, but you keep the top two buttons open!” she shouts. “If you sneeze, I want to see some nipple!”
I wince at the word sneeze.
Nope. Still not funny.
I’ve never been down Greek Row before.
I’ve passed by it plenty of times on my way across campus, but I’ve never had a reason to be this far east of the quad. Jenna seems to know her way around, so I keep on her strappy heels as we make our way down the sidewalk.
“I just love the smell of party in the air!” she exclaims. “Don’t you?”
I nod as I plunk behind her in the uncomfortable shoes she made me wear. “Uh-huh...”
“The music in my ears. The bass beneath my step.” She inhales deep and happy sighs it right back out. “It’s going to be a good night.”
I study the street ahead of me. Nearly a dozen large houses line the road, six on each side with giant Greek letters lit up above the entrances, but only one of them is packed tonight.
Alpha Delta Xi.
Jenna spins around and halts in front of me, making me run right into her. I stumble back, somehow staying upright on the sidewalk.
“Huh?” I ask. “Wha
t?”
“I said, are you going to at least try to have some fun tonight?” she asks, apparently for a second time.
“Oh.” I force a nod. “Yes. Yes, Jenna, I will try to have some fun tonight.”
“Like, real fun. Actual fun. Drink-in-hand, boy-wrapped-around-pinky fun.”
“You know, the entire concept of fun is subjective—”
“Heidi.”
I laugh. “I told you I will follow your lead.”
“You’re going to do everything I tell you to do?”
“Yes,” I answer.
“You promise?”
“Within reason, yes.”
Jenna smiles and spins forward again, this time hooking her arm around mine to make sure I keep up. “Excellent,” she says. “Onward we go.”
“Just...” I stare hard at her, “don’t do that thing you always do.”
“What thing I always do?”
“Abandon me.”
Jenna gasps. “I do not abandon you.”
“You latch onto the first boy toy you can find and then disappear, leaving me to guard your purse.”
“That is a vile and odious lie!”
“It’s the whole truth and nothing but.”
“I’m contacting my lawyer and suing you for slander.”
I snort. “Tell your mom I said hi.”
She playfully scoffs as she reaches out to pop the second button on my dress. “Say hi to this, whore.”
I sigh, letting her make the wardrobe adjustment as we approach the Delta Xi house. People spill out of the house onto the porch, creating a long line that extends across the lawn.
“Oh, shit!” Jenna says. “I forgot about this.”
“Forgot about what?”
She releases my arm and rifles through her purse. I watch with wide eyes as she withdraws a stack of a dozen ID cards from an inner pocket. She sifts through them once and hands one to me.
I read it and my jaw drops. “Jenna, is this what I think this is?”
She keeps one and zips the rest inside. “Don’t make a thing out of it,” she says.
“I can’t use this! This is so illegal!”
“So is carding at a frat party.” Her eyes roll. “Damn fascists.”
“She looks nothing like me!” I say, teetering on the edge of freaking out.
“She has black hair.”
“She’s Asian!”
