Chapter 5

Somewhere between the entrance of Poppy’s Pizzeria and spotting that girl, the craving in my gut dissipated, only to be replaced by a desire to reach out and touch the black strands that coiled around her face. But as I swept into the room, I neglected even a glance to her eyes, which eerily watched my movements, or her curves, which painfully fought for freedom beyond the flimsy fabric; instead, I focused entirely on ordering.

I noticed her as she fluttered over to a booth, her order in hand, and she sat perched like a bird waiting for its worm. Resigned, I joined her shortly thereafter. Across from me, staring at me over a slice of pizza, she grinned.

“Oh hey...um .... uh, I'm sorry I forgot your name, what is it again? Geff? Greg?”

The irony was sweet, tangy even. Like I’d just bitten out of a enticing bright lemon and it took everything in me to not screw up my face into laughter. “Gene. So what're you doing in town?”

“Right! It was on the tip of my tongue. Hi Gene. I'm just grabbing some pizza I just got out of classes. Hey, how was your classes today? I didn't see you around campus.”

I coughed, mid bite of pizza before coolly responding, “Sounds nice. We wouldn't, of course. Different class levels. They were pretty basic, but who cares about classes?”

She smirked, a bit too knowingly. “Oh, that’s cool. So hey, I was just wondering how you got permission to live off campus. My RA told me all years were required to live on campus in a dorm? I remember you saying you commute and I was curious how you got that deal.”

“Noob. There's always rules. They're meant to be broken,” I spoke, fiendishly distracted, “Just gotta...go with it...I like your shirt.”

She smiled, a rosy element blossoming on her cheeks. “So how do you get away with it? don't you have to pay rent on dorm and your apartment?” She paused, “Oh, and uh thanks I just I like the color.”

“Seems odd seeing someone like you so dressed up. Almost look cute, I'd say.”

She mumbled something under her breath in a sad kind of way, before continuing to say, “Anyway, hey you didn't answer my question!”

“I'm aware, take a hint. I don't inquire about your finances, so don't do me that way. So what you doing after classes tomorrow?” I said, folding my arms across my chest.

“I was just curious, due to the fact it would be pointless to waste the money.” She shrugged, “Nothing, I don't know anyone here, so probably studying.”

“Me and a few friends are gonna chill at the beach. You're welcome to come. Get in touch with the locals, cool off or whatever,” I replied, deeply entranced.

“I would but two things, I don't have a car and I don't know where it is… so unless there’s a bus that takes me there at that time I don't know how I'd get there. Thank you for the offer though Gene, that is nice of you.”

“I got a ride. How 'bout I pick you up?”

“Oh, I couldn't ask for you to do that. I don't want to be an inconvenience...but if you don't mind sure, I would love to go.”

“It's no problem, really. Uh, I gotta jet, I'm meeting up with a few people in a bit. Nice seeing you though.”

She asked about a few semantics, and I responded as easily as I had any other question in my mummified state. Problem is, I didn’t have a ride. Nor was I hanging out at the beach tomorrow or even meeting up with anyone that night. But I had to make this happen. I had a lot of planning to do in little time.

Chapter 6