"You’re awfully calm about the whole tuition thing. What are you, a trust fund baby?"
"Ha!"
"Are you a Kay Scholar?"
"God, no. I’m not ‘in need.’ My mother works here, and one of the few perks she gets is tuition reimbursement for her family."
"Oh, snap!" he said very loudly. "That’s a great deal!"
"I can’t complain but sometimes the commute can be a pain."
"Anytime you need to crash, my couch is your couch."
"That’s sweet of you..." She tried not to cringe. "But Zainab usually has me covered, and if not, there is always the couch in the math lounge. But shhh."
"How can I compete with that?" he laughed. "But let me give you my number in case you change your mind." She copied it into her phone then gave him hers. "So are you and Zainab BFF besties?"
Emily made sure she didn’t laugh. "We’re trying not to put any labels on it so we don’t lose the magic of our relationship."
"Do you guys ever do anything that isn’t cafés and studying?"
"We’ve been known to log some marathon hours in front of the television."
"Sounds exciting."
"Don’t dis USA and TNT."
"Could you guys be interested in going to someone else’s living room?"
Emily wished she could grip her seat without being noticed. "It depends on the living room."
"Two of the Solar Car guys are having a party next Friday, and if you and Zainab aren’t busy, I thought maybe I could talk to you there instead of having to listen to more about the engine design."
Saying "I have to study" a week in advance would be a really bad excuse, even for her. "Do these people have names?"
"Carlos and Vijay are the ones with the apartment, but they’ll be joined by Jordan and Richard. And I think Richard said something about a Jesse and Michael."
"Okay, well-"
"There’s always a lot of beer."
Emily smiled and shrugged. "Have a great time but-"
"But no one will make you drink it," he said quickly, "and they also put out a lot of food."
Damn, why was the prospect of free food making this more attractive? "I’m a vegetarian."
"To my knowledge no animals are killed while making the guacamole, but if you’d like I can check."
She was out of graceful excuses. "Let me check with Zainab."
"Awesome! I’ll text you the address. No, I’ll see you in class on Monday, have a great weekend." Before she could say anything else he grabbed his bag and left.
Emily scowled. Maybe she’d get lucky and Zainab would have made plans already.
By five Emily was at the café. She felt like she won the lottery when she got one of the plush chairs. She nursed her cup of tea slowly so she wouldn't have to worry about people looking at her like she didn't belong there.
She found a battered copy of the Globe. There never seemed to be much local news on Fridays but at least there was movement afoot in the rest of the world.
"Anything good?"
Emily looked up into smiling green eyes. "Mildly amusing," she said, "but never good."
Mitch sat down next to her. She remembered the night before he had been dressed like a hot preppy. Today he was still in jeans but he’d traded the button down and crewneck for a dark blue shirt with a white tee peeking out and a dark grey jacket. His clothes made his eyes stand out even more.
"You clean up well."
"Thank you very much. And...is that what you’re wearing?"
She took out a folded black dress from her bag. "I was thinking of this." The dress was from a thrift shop but the original owner hadn’t worn it more than once. It had been in very good condition when she bought it for all of fifteen dollars and she hadn’t worn it more than three times herself. It was the kind of dress that was comfortable, but still clingy in the right places.
Mitch put his hand on the dress and rubbed it between his fingers, then pulled it over to him. "I’m sure this will have just the right effect."
"And what effect is that?"
"I bet you know."
"Oh, right, when does a woman dress for anything other than a man’s interest?"
"You’re the ones with the heels."
"For your information, I dance better in heels. And it’s nice to have some part of your wardrobe function as a weapon."
"And the dress? What’s the advantage of something that shows off that much of your legs and arms?"
"What can I say? I get pretty warm when I dance." She pulled the dress back from him slowly. "Why are you wearing what you’re wearing?"
"I think the shirt’s a little cooler than the sweater." He shrugged. "I can get pretty hot myself."
"Promises, promises."
"You’re nineteen, aren’t you?" There it was.
"You caught me. Don’t worry, Zainab knows a bunch of places where I won’t be carded. I wouldn’t want to cramp a frat boy’s style."
"There you go. You don’t seem like a big drinker anyway."
She could tell he was disappointed. Should she leave? "I never picked up the taste. Beer is disgusting. Wine isn’t as much of a turnoff, but all it does is make me sleepy. I do cook with it though."
"What a lush!" Mitch laughed, and then stopped abruptly. "You cook?"
Was there something wrong with cooking? "How else do you expect me to eat?"
"You don’t get enough sustenance from the tea and snacks here?"
"On my budget, I think I could eat about three times a month here before I ran out of money. It’s much cheaper to cook at home and bring it with me."
"Wow. Most of the people I’ve met literally don’t know how to use a can opener or boil water, much less ‘cook’." He cocked his head back. "What’s your best dish?"
"Vegetarian lasagna," she answered.
"What’s your favorite dish?"
She raised her eyebrows. "Scalloped potatoes and cream of spinach."
He nodded. "Mm hmm. What was the first thing you learned to make?"
"Macaroni and cheese."
"What were you cooking when you were twelve?"
"Chicken breasts. I wasn’t a vegetarian yet."
"What’s your favorite vegetable?"
"Broccoli."
"How do you deal with woody stems?"
"Cut off the florets, then peel the stems. Wait a minute. What’s your best dish?"
"Stir fried tofu and bok choy."
"Gotcha!" She clapped her hands then pointed her finger at him. "How do you stir fry tofu without crumbling it up?"
He smiled. "You heat up the pan for one minute, then heat up your oil, and add the tofu."
"And then...?"
"You wait at least three minutes on the first side before you start turning."
"Wow. Wait. Why do you eat tofu?"
"I’m a vegetarian, too."
"No way! Since when?"
"After my Eastern philosophy class. I wouldn’t call myself a Buddhist but when you see it in that light, it just feels wrong. If I we were desperate for food and it was between a chicken and me, the chicken would lose. But that isn’t the case most of the time. And you?"
"President of my high school's Animal Right’s Club. I’ve calmed down since then but I still don’t eat meat."
"What did you do?"
"Back then you wouldn’t want to wear a fur near me."
"Are there any criminal warrants out on you?"
"There may be a few fur owners who might have had a gripe with me three years ago but I think they would have replaced their coats by now." She laughed. "‘Criminal warrants’- how very ‘Law and Order’ of you."
"Ugh!" He shuddered. "That show is the worst. To think people actually believe that’s what the police and court systems are like! No wonder this country is such a moral cesspool."
"Pre-law?"
"Criminal Justice. As close as we get at this school."
She rolled her eyes. "I didn’t realize I was surrounded by so many people who were settling w
hen they deigned to come here."
He put up his hands as if he were protecting himself. "I was very grateful to get here, and I’ve been squeezing my education for all it’s worth, although, maybe not as much as some people. But I’d have to be blind not to notice its reputation."
"I’m sure since you left your frat you’ve met many more of the academically-motivated."
"Hold on there. I was single-handedly responsible for making us the fraternity with the highest grade point average, and when I left they became one of the lowest. Yes, I ‘participated’ in most of the festivities, but only if it wasn’t a school night."
"You’re right. Frat boys can be smart. Oh wait. You’re not in a frat anymore, are you?"
"I concede nothing, but you like to win, don’t you? Maybe you’re the one that should be a lawyer when she grows up."
"Great idea, except I have no passion for it."
"Then what are you passionate about?"
"I will tell you on one condition."
"Go on."
"Stop talking to me about when I grow up."
"Fair enough."
"I really like yoga and Pilates."
"Really?"
"What?"
"Nothing, I just expected you to say something about superconductors or international banking." He said then thought for a moment. "Do you think that would work for me? I’m looking for a new workout."
"There are so many different kinds of yoga out there that you can use it for almost anything if you know what to look for."
He frowned. "Except maybe getting really built up, right?"
She shrugged. "I’m a bad test case. I’d have to eat nothing but protein shakes, egg whites and probably meat, lift four hours a day and take steroids before I’d get big muscles."
"So you’re basically a guy."
She smiled. "Yes, I’m a guy. And what do you do?"
"Not enough. I used to run and lift weights, but I overdid it. My doctor told me I could walk again or run again- once. I try to hit the weights and some of the cardio machines at the gym, but I feel like such an old man when I get, you know, on the elliptical."
"Well, yeah! Those are things that, like, twenty-five year olds use!"
Mitch made a face. "Point taken."
"Uh huh."
Zainab walked in a little bit later. "Thank you for joining us!" Mitch said as he kissed her on the cheek.
Zainab looked serious. "Sorry. I was researching our options and I just found out about the crackdown at the Tiger clubs last month."
Mitch frowned. "You mean because of that cokehead they caught in a bathroom?"
Zainab nodded. "Word is that in addition to bringing his stash, he also had a few underage companions with them. None of which is noteworthy except that one of the girls was connected to a City Councilor. He was pretty pissed, so IDs are actually being checked now."
"There are some places we can go Metrowest, and then there’s a bunch of places on Route One," Mitch suggested. "And I’ve got a car. Not a problem."
Zainab groaned. "We’ve got a car but most of the other guys don’t. So we’ve got to stay T-accessible."
Emily put up her hands. "Guys, it’s no big deal."
"You’re not getting off that easily. There is an option over the river."
They waited. "But?" Emily finally said.
"It’s being hosted by Tau Epsilon Theta."
Mitch's stopped breathing. "Maybe I shouldn’t go."
"Who or what is Tau Epsilon Theta?"
"They were Pi Alpha Gamma’s biggest rival. We didn’t always play nice," Mitch said. Emily could tell from Mitch's voice that was an understatement.
"Haven’t you been out of Pi Alpha- your fraternity- for a while now?"
"Not long enough."
Emily stood and saluted. "Guys, have a great time. I’m going to go home, make myself a Shirley Temple, go crazy with some Battlestar Galactica, and call it a night. But you, my friend, are mine tomorrow at nine, so don’t invite anyone over, okay?" Before either could respond, Emily dashed for the door.
She walked out into the twilight. It was always so tense going out and coordinating who was going, where they were going, how they could sneak her in. So Emily was just going to go home, get comfy and go to sleep. All was well. But... sometimes it was nice to do something different. Maybe tonight she’d go see a movie instead.
"Emily!"
She turned around and saw that Mitch was running after her. She stopped and waited. When he reached her he took a deep breath. "Boy, you walk fast!"
"Not fast enough."
He tilted his head. "I can’t let you bail on my account."
She shook her head. "Sorry, but it’s bad enough when there’s a friendly bouncer. This serves the greater good."
"Nice Star Trek Two reference but I couldn’t live with myself if you went home."
"You’ll be fine then because I’m going to see a movie. I think Copley’s playing the latest Brad Pitt-"
"And you’re such a big Brad Pitt fan?"
"Just because he’s beautiful doesn’t mean he can’t act. But I’m going one way and you guys are going the other. Have a great time and hopefully I’ll see you around."
"Fine. I’ll see the movie with you."
Emily’s cheeks tingled. "You can’t."
"I can’t go see a movie? There must be a constitutional amendment."
Emily never realized before how difficult it was to argue with someone who had gorgeous green eyes and a great smile. "You and Zainab had plans."
"No, you and Zainab had plans, and I elbowed my way in."
"That’s not an improvement, just so you know."
"Zainab isn’t going to miss us."
"Are you underestimating my importance to her?"
"I think you’re underestimating how many people she’ll have around her tonight." He smiled. "And what do you have to be afraid of? It’s a movie, it’s not like I’m asking you to elope."
Emily sighed. "A movie?"
He put his hand on his chest. "Just a movie."
She thought for a moment then moved in closer and put her hand on his. "Only," she whispered, "if it is the most sweeping, cheesy, romantic Brad Pitt ever."
"And if that’s not playing?"
"Then you are going to buy me the best dinner of my life and tell me about what happened in the battle of the two fraternities."
"Sounds like a plan. Let’s say bye to Zainab and get my car."
She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "I’ll meet you there. I want to walk."
"Are you going to make everything hard?"
She grasped his hand and shook it. "Yes," she said. He grinned and walked away.
She had been walking for five minutes when Zainab called.
"What are you doing?"
"I think I’m seeing a movie with Mitch. Don’t be mad. Now the rest of you can have fun."
She could see Zainab shaking her head through the phone. "You know you’re the one I wanted to hang out with tonight, right?"
"So come with us."
Zainab laughed. "That would be fun, with the two of you making googly eyes at each other over me."
"Zainab! I wasn’t- I’m not going to-"
"Yeah, sure. Are you still coming over tomorrow?"
"Yes, dear. So don’t be too hung over, because I’m putting you through your paces."
"Whatever you say."
Emily looked at the phone after Zainab hung up. "I’m not," she said before she put the phone in her bag.
CHAPTER 3
Emily got to the mall and sat down on the stone ledge by the pool in front of the movie theater. Ugh. Brad Pitt really was playing.
"You beat me here." She turned around to see Mitch. He looked at the marquee and grinned. "It’s playing after all, and you’re just dying to see it, aren’t you?"
"You win."
"Now what?"
"I believe we agreed that you were going to buy me dinner-"
"The
best dinner you’ve ever had."
"-the best dinner I’ve ever had, and then tell me all about why you’d rather spend the evening with a little kid like me than go to that frat party."
"Can you be bribed out of part two?"
"Not unless the bribe is my diploma."
He clucked his tongue. "Dinner it is then."
"Let’s see: there’s Friday’s but every time I’ve gone there before, I’ve gotten food poisoning. There’s Chili’s but I made myself something Mexican for lunch...oh!" She smiled and clapped her hands. "Au Bon Pain!"
"That is the best dinner of your life?"
"No... but I’ve sort of been in the mood for one of their cheese sandwiches."
"We could always walk down to Newbury Street."
"I’m so not in the mood to wait in a line on a Friday night with the beautiful people while I’m holding all of my stuff."
"Au Bon Pain it is!"
"Cool. Do you mind going to the one on the upper level? The lower level can get so crowded."
"Sure, but then you have to explain your touch of agoraphobia."
"Huh?"
"You’ve managed to talk your way out of dancing, Newbury Street restaurants and a ‘crowded’ Au Bon Pain. That’s starting to sound like a pattern."
"It is. It’s all part of my plot to get you alone with me." She smiled. "And I guess it worked."
"Is that the truth, or just your way of trying to end the conversation?"
"That," she touched the tip of his nose lightly, "would be telling."
They walked to the escalator and then through the bridge to the adjoining mall in a comfortable silence. While riding down, he turned around. She looked up at the ceiling, trying to suppress a giggle, but couldn’t. She started laughing, then he followed, and by the time they got to the other side they couldn’t stop.
"People must think we’re crazy," she finally said.
He looked around. "Nah, I think they get it."
"You’re not very gallant, you know."
"Did you want me to carry you through the revolving doors?"
"No, but maybe we could go to your car."
"Wow, things are moving along pretty quickly."
"I’d like to get rid of these bags."
"Oh! Okay, you stay here and I’ll bring the bags to the car."
"Thank you. And for your reward I’ll get you a drink. What’s your poison? Don’t say coffee."
The Smartest Girl in the Room Page 3