by Bella King
I headed toward a corner of the library where they kept dry non-fiction reference books, a place that few people frequented. There were a few tables down there that were ideal for my studies because they were so quiet.
I tossed my bag into a chair and sat down in the one beside it, pulling out my laptop and placing it on the long wooden table in front of me. I was surprised to find another student sitting across from me already. Apparently, the word was getting out about how great of a place this really was.
I glanced up at him before opening my computer. He was good-looking, and probably a senior. He was dressed in a slick cream buttondown and a black sweater. He wore glasses, but he was too handsome to be a geek.
I found myself staring at him longer than I should have, and he noticed. I flipped my laptop open in front of me, but it was too late. I got his attention.
“Nice spot,” he said, waving a pen in the air around him.
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s my favorite place in the library.”
“Mine too, now that you’re here,” he said smoothly.
I let it slide. He was a good looking guy, and I had warmed up to accepting advances because of Oliver. He had broken through a wall the other night, and I felt more open because of it, even if I wasn’t into Oliver specifically.
I smiled at him, and he smiled back, revealing a set of almost perfect white teeth.
“My name is Todd, by the way,” he said, reached a hand up over the table to shave mine.
I shook his hand. His grip was firm but friendly. “Lydia,” I replied.
“That’s a beautiful name,” Todd said.
Boy was this guy slick. As if I hadn’t heard that line a million times. My wall came back up when he started with the shitty pickup lines. At least Oliver didn’t do the pickup artist junk. Was I overanalyzing this? Probably.
“I need to get back to studying,” I said, looking back down at my computer.
Todd nodded. “Agreed. Some people say bros over hoes, but I prefer grades over babes.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I’m on the same page.”
Todd flashed me another winning smile and went back to his work. I sat there, feeling slightly uncomfortable in my own skin after that brief conversation. In just a span of a few days, I had advances from two different guys, not including my desperate ex-boyfriend.
I tried to focus on my studies, but Todd’s words rang in my head. Why was I so concerned with guys all of a sudden? It seemed that it all began with Oliver, but that wasn’t where it would end. Already, I was beginning to warm up to strangers more.
This could go either way for me, pulling me out of my studies and ruining my college career, or simply giving me a better grasp on my social life and leading me toward a fulfilling relationship with Mr. Right this time. Time would tell.
Todd looked back up at me and stared in my direction until I acknowledged him again. I looked up.
“Do you want to get dinner at the dining hall together later?” He asked casually.
Time to make a decision Lydia. What do you do? Blow this guy off or let yourself get pulled in again. Eh, he was too handsome to say no to right away.
“Sounds fine to me. I think they have potatoes again tonight, though,” I finally replied.
Todd laughed. “Those dried up things are alright if you smother them in ranch dressing. I don’t know why they don’t just boil them instead of roasting them. They would be palatable that way.”
I smiled. “Yeah, that would be way better.” I looked down at the time in the bottom right corner of my laptop. It was five. “We could leave at seven if that’s good with you,” I suggested.
“No problem. Sounds like a plan,” Todd said cheerfully. “Back to work, I guess.”
I nodded, digging back into the homework I was doing.
All the while I was studying, I kept thinking about what Mia was doing with Oliver. It almost made me jealous that she was over at his place playing poker with him. I wondered if he was attracted to her. They were probably goofing around and laughing.
I stared at the words on my screen, trying to concentrate on what I was doing. I was going to the dining hall with Todd, practically like a date, and I was thinking about what Mia and Oliver were doing. I couldn’t have everything. If I wanted Oliver, I shouldn’t be pushing him away.
There was something selfish inside of me that wanted Oliver to like me, but for me not to like him back. I wanted to have my pick of anyone and not feel like dating was a big game that I had to struggle with or a challenge that was hard to overcome.
Choosing to go to dinner with Todd wasn’t going to make Oliver jealous, because he wouldn’t know about it, but I imagined him finding out and feeling like he missed his chance with me. It would be a power move, done solely to make me feel like I was the one in charge.
The only women that did shit like that were women who didn’t feel strong on their own. They had to use men to give them a sense of power that they lacked in their normal life. I wasn’t trying to be one of those women, but now that I got a hint of what it could be like, I found myself allured by what it could do for my confidence.
Enough, Lydia. Get to work.
I turned my thoughts back to homework and jammed the keys on my keyboard until the words I was typing began to resemble something sensible and academic. After a few minutes, I was back in the zone and didn’t snap out of it until Todd got up to signal it was time to leave for dinner.
Chapter 13
Todd had a small pile of potatoes on his plate with a hell of a lot of ranch dressing drowning them to the point where they were barely visible under it. I laughed when I saw it.
“Hey, don’t knock it ‘til you try it,” Todd said, sitting down across from me at the dining hall table.
The table was still sticky from whoever had sat their last, but the place was booming with students, and there wasn’t anywhere else to sit. I had done my best to wipe up the loose crumbs with a napkin, but someone must have spilled soda on the table or something because my sleeve stuck to it when I put my hand down.
“Ew,” I said, peeling my arm from the table, black fuzz from my sleeve adhering to the table.
Todd sunk his fork into the slathered white potato and pulled it off his plate. “It’s not bad. You should try it,” he said.
“No, I’m saying ew about the table,” I said, “It’s all sticky.”
Todd leaned over and chuckled. “That’s pretty bad. They don’t clean anything until the end of the day. I give them one star.”
Lighthearted, not too serious, and friendly. I’d give Todd a five star so far, but it was too soon to tell him anything like had. I still had my guard up against men.
Todd popped the dripping potato into his mouth in one bite, chewing on it and nodding. “It’s really not bad,” he said after swallowing.
I laughed. “I’d rather not risk the calories,” I replied, taking a sip of water in preparation for the dry potato I was about to place into my mouth.
“Aw, come on. You look fantastic,” Todd said.
He better watch it least I start ego tripping. I smiled at him and said a quiet thank you. He made me feel nice, but I wasn’t used to all of these compliments back to back. It was almost too nice.
“So, what brings you to Briarwood?” Todd asked, staring at me intensely.
“School,” I replied dryly.
He laughed, leaning in toward me. “I like you. You’re funny, but I meant, what are you studying?”
“Engineering,” I responded, watching his face to see how he would react to a woman in STEM.
His eyebrows shot up across his forehead. “Really? That’s awesome. Conquering a male dominated field. You’re a brave woman,” he said, waving his fork at me.
I chuckled. “Alright, it’s not like a hellscape or anything, but it is challenging.”
“I bet. I could never do that. I’m majoring in Health and Wellness.”
I should have known. He was far too friendly to be in any technic
al field, and his body was lean and muscular. I didn’t see a single piece of meat on his plate either. Probably a vegetarian.
“Cool,” I said. “I guess you’ll be the fitness trainer that fucks people’s wives.”
Todd nearly spat out his food, his eyes bulging out like a fruit bat. “Jesus, I hope not. I’m not really that kind of guy.”
I shrugged. “There are worse ways to be.”
Todd frowned, truing serious. “I’m really monogamous. One woman, and that’s it.”
Weren’t we all? Save for a few oddballs, I assumed most of the young adults on this campus were looking for just one partner. I could hardly imagine juggling two or more, but hey, if that’s your thing, more power to you.
“That sounds very nice,” I replied to Todd. He seemed defensive about his reputation. Usually, the guys that were had something to hide. “Are you taken then?” I asked, digging into the reason he had asked me to dinner.
Todd shook his head. “Free as a bird,” he said. “For now,” he added with a flick of his fork.
I figured as much. “Same here,” I said, taking some soggy green beans onto my fork and examining them before placing them into my mouth.
“Consider this a date then,” Todd said hopefully.
I didn’t have the chance to shoot him down. We were interrupted by flying food. Someone behind me had tripped, and his tray went flying into Todd, smacking him right in the face and covering him with a variety of food.
The guy that flung the plate tumbled down dramatically beside the table, looking up with what I swore was a flicker of a smile before springing back to his feet. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” he said, looking at the mess that was Todd’s face.
Todd was sitting in shock, struggling to maintain his friendly demeanor as greasy liquid dripped from his face. His cute sweater was completely covered in white sauce, and there was a green bean stuck to his cheek.
I should have felt bad for him, but I had to hold back a snicker at how wild he looked covered in food. There had been egregiously large amounts of messy food on the tray tosser’s plate, and most of it had landed right on Todd. I didn’t have a drop of cheese sauce on me.
Todd pursed his lips together and smiled. “That’s alright,” He said through gritted teeth. I could tell he was annoyed but trying to hide it.
I wouldn’t have, but I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve.
I looked at the guy that had tripped and recognized him as one of Oliver’s friends. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but it seemed odd that the second someone tried to pick me up, they were interrupted by flying food, courtesy of Oliver’s posse. Interesting.
I got up, handing Todd a napkin even though he wouldn’t be able to do much with it. He wiped his face with it, returning it to the table soggy.
The guy that had tossed the food took his tray back and scooped the slop back onto his plate. “Can’t let this go to waste,” he said.
I was repulsed. “You’re going to eat that?”
He laughed. “I’m joking. I don’t want to leave you two with a mess,” he explained.
“Weren’t you at the party on Saturday?” I asked, pointing my finger at him and squinting my eyes.
“Oliver’s party? Yeah. Mia is still at his place, I think, finishing the game.”
“They sure are taking a while. Didn’t she go there several hours ago?” I asked.
The guy nodded. “Oh yeah, they sure are hitting it off. I’d watch out for Mia. She seems like she really wants Oliver’s cock.”
I groaned. “You’re nasty. I don’t like Oliver.”
“Are you sure? I saw you two disappear in the bedroom the other night.”
I stood up. “That’s quite enough,” I hissed. “That’s not any of your business.” I tried to telepathically communicate that I was sitting with a messy yet suitable bachelor, but this guy wasn’t getting the message. If he was, he was ignoring it.
“I mean, you probably have a chance with him. He’s a nice guy.”
Todd was still seated, cleaning the vegetables off his sweater while he frowned at the both of us and our conversation. I’m sure he felt a little foolish after hitting on me to find out that I was shaking up with someone else. I didn’t want him to think that, but it was probably too late to change it.
I shook my head. “What was your name again?” I asked the guy.
“Jordan,” he replied.
“Well, Jordan, I think if you actually asked Oliver, he would tell you that nothing happened and that we’re definitely not involved.”
Todd put his hands up. “Listen, I don’t want to get in the middle of whatever this is. I think I’m going to go.”
My chest rose and fell in a heavy sigh. “See you, Todd.”
He waved, rushing out of the dining hall to get cleaned up and change his clothes.
I turned back to Jordan when he had disappeared. “What the fuck was that about?”
Jordan looked at me, scrunching his face up as though I were talking some alien language. “I tripped. What, I’m not allowed to trip?”
I groaned. “You didn’t do it on purpose?” I asked accusingly. I had my arms crossed tightly, and I was leaning into Jordan as though I could intimidate the truth from him with my small figure. It didn’t work very well.
Jordan laughed. “I don’t know who that loser was you were talking to, and quite frankly, I don’t care.”
“I don’t really know him that well either, but Todd’s not a loser. He was very polite.”
“Polite and pussy both start with a P, but one won’t get you the other,” Jordan replied in a sing-song voice.
I rolled my eyes. “Is that the Oliver gang motto or something?”
Jordan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Huh, that’s a good idea. I’ll pitch it to him next time I see him.”
“Please just leave me alone,” I said, grabbing my plate of half-eaten food from the table.
“Sheesh, no need to get your panties in a bunch,” Jordan said, brushing my shoulder as he walked past me.
He nearly knocked the tray from my hands. I took a step back to stabilize myself before walking toward the exit. I placed my tray on the conveyor belt to the kitchen and left the dining hall. I would have to have a talk with Oliver about keeping his goons away from me. I was certain this was his doing.
Chapter 14
I got back home to find Mia in the living room watching TV again. She sprung from the couch the minute I got home, pulling money from her pocket and waving it in my face. “I did it!”
I pulled my head back. “I hope you’re talking about poker,” I said.
“Duh. I beat Oliver. Here’s your fifty bucks,” she said, handing two twenties and a ten to me.
I took the money. “Thanks.”
Mia frowned, tilting her head to the side. “Hey, is something wrong?”
I took a deep breath in. “Do you know who Jordan is?”
Mia shook her head but stopped herself. “Oh, yeah. He’s one of Oliver’s friends, right?”
I nodded, slipping my shoes off and walking into the living room. I propped myself on the side of the couch. “Yeah, so I met this guy in the library. His name is Todd.”
Mia raised her eyebrows at me several times. “Ooo, Todd.”
I ignored her. “Todd invited me to the dining hall with him, and we were having a nice dinner when Jordan comes up, throwing his fucking tray at Todd. I swear he pretended to trip. I’m pretty sure he did it on purpose.”
Mia burst out in a vivacious cackle. “Holy shit, that’s golden.”
“I have to tell you something serious. I’m kind of freaked out by Oliver now,” I admitted.
Mia’s face grew serious. “Why? He seems nice enough. I was just over there, and he was a total gentleman.”
I leaned back on the couch more, placing my hands against the side cushion to hold myself up. “You know that shit that happened when we were at his place drinking on Saturday.”
“How could I forget it?�
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“Well, he told me today not to talk about it. Like, he only did it because he was drunk, and he doesn’t want me to tell people about it,” I explained. “He claimed to have a crazy ex, and that’s why, but I really doubt that.”
Mia pouted. “Aw, I’m sorry, girl. There are plenty of other fish in the sea though. Todd, for example.”
“Are you even listening?” I was growing heated, digging my fingering into the plush cushion. “I told you, I don’t like him like that. All I’m saying is that he was really strange about it and probably lying about his ex.”
“I can find out about the ex thing,” Mia offered.
I relaxed my grip on the sofa. “I was going to ask you that if it’s not too big of a deal for you.”
Mia beamed at me. “That’s what friends are for, Lydia. We’re besties!”
I smiled back at her, feeling the weight of the conversation beginning to lift from my body. My pulse returned to a normal rhythm, and I relaxed my jaw. “That’s true. We have to stick together, no matter what.”
Mia opened her arms. “Give me a hug.”
I stood up straight and walked into her embrace. Everything from that day sort of melted away with that hug. Mia was a special friend, and I didn’t know where I would be without her. She was my rock, and I was glad that she was helping me out with all this.
I was also glad that I was going to have help getting to the bottom of why Oliver was behaving so strangely around me. Jordan must have been watching me in the dining hall, making sure to humiliate Todd, or probably any other guy I was with, the moment he noticed me enjoying myself. He was part of Oliver’s posse, with Oliver as the ringleader.
As I pulled away from Mia’s comforting arms, I thought about my own crazy ex and how he too had stalked me after I told him that I was leaving him to go to a different university. He had grown wild with anger and refused to leave me alone, following me around and showing up to my house at night.
Those had been some scary times, and I was a bit concerned that Oliver might be doing something similar. He had left a note for me while I was at work, tried to find out where I lived, and possibly sent Jordan to spy on me.