Pinkie Promise

by Sarah Clay

  As soon as I arrive at my classroom I walk up to the back of the room and take a seat. Pulling out my books and pen so that I'm ready for when the teacher arrives. Sloping down a little in my chair, I continue asking myself how I'm going to pull off this whole business degree. It's only the hundredth time since my walk to campus. I'm lost in my own thoughts when I hear the chair beside me drag along the ground before someone sits down. I don't look over, instead, I edge over to the other side of my space as much as possible without being obvious.

  Picking up my pen I start tapping it obnoxiously against my books. The person next to me is getting themselves set up. I can hear a laptop powering up and the rustle of paper, but I still don't chance a glance. Minutes pass and I'm still tapping my pen in front of me. I'm dreading the start of the class but I want it to be over, all at the same time. I tap my pen a little too hard and am startled by the voice next to me.

  "Hey now, what did the pen ever do to you?" a deep chuckle vibrates through with the question.

  I stop tapping and cut my eyes sideways, yep he’s all male. Solid build and tall. I'm surprised, he seems so comfortable crammed into the little chairs provided for us. What is it with the guys at this school being so good looking, I think of all the encounters I've had over the past few weeks since relocating just over an hour from home for school. There must be something in the drinking water that didn't quite make it out to the Western Suburbs.

  He smiles at me, sticking his hand out in greeting “Jason Lawson.”

  I don’t return the gesture straight away; he seems familiar but I can’t place him. I take my time appraising him. His hair is a deep brown, cut short. His jaw sharp and I'm almost jealous for a second when I take in his high cheekbones. Straight nose leading down to lips that are full and smiling what seems like a pretty genuine smile. But it's the eyes that catch me, they make me take pause for a second and I see his hand falter a little. They’re a beautiful mixture of blues swirling through each other. Baby blue alongside a deeper darker shade.

  Before I can think about it any longer I stick my hand into his, “Eden Miller.”

  I’m still trying to place him when he squeezes my hand a little. Looking back at his eyes,

  “Do I know you from somewhere, have we met before?”

  Again I see a little falter in his expression but then he smiles wide and I’m distracted.

  “Trust me, I’d remember If I’d met you before” he winks and I laugh a little.

  I don’t know why but he seems so comfortable with himself and not at all harmful. I’m nervous about the class, he’s being nice and his eyes haven’t dropped from my face yet so I guess that’s all it takes. I feel the warmth spreading over my cheeks so I pull my hand from his and tuck my hair behind my ear. Redirecting myself to look straight ahead to the front of the room. I can feel him staring at the side of my face but I don’t look over.

  A few minutes later I'm startled when a hand holding a bunch of starbursts appears in front of me. Grinning over at him, "really starbursts at this time?" he just nods eagerly.

  Offering me them again. "Thanks, I skipped breakfast."

  He looks personally offended and it makes me laugh again.

  "Can't have you doing that, need all the energy you can get to stay awake in this class" he grins and I nod in return while chewing on the lolly.

  "Yeah, I think skipping food is the least of my problems."

  Sighing as I feel that niggling feeling startup in my belly again.

  "Stick with me kid, I've got this" he winks and I feel myself smile back at him.

  I don't know why but he sets my mind at ease and I'm incredibly grateful he decided to sit next to me now. For the next 10 minutes, we talk easily about our class schedules, and we find out we're both getting a degree in business, so he’s not just here for one unit or term. I'll have him for the full length of our degree.

  ∞

  Over the next couple of weeks, Bree and I make ourselves familiar with the city, even though we lived in the western suburbs, I didn't really come into the city at all. We become real tourists, fitting things in between her schedule at work, mine at school and the bits I do for work. We make sure to find time for each other. I find myself sitting next to my new friend Jason in all of our classes too. We spend Monday and Tuesday mornings as well as Wednesday afternoons together. He still brings in Starbursts but only shares them with me if I talk to him. Like today, I’ve found out Jason has a brother, he was born and raised in the area. His Grandparents who raised him and his brother live about a 30-minute drive away, but he doesn’t visit as much as he should.

  He's studying to get a double degree in Business and Marketing and he will go on to work for his dads Building and Construction company. He's never shy for female attention based on the number of girls that are vying for it from around the room every time we're here. Which makes me question why he spends his time sitting next to me instead. But we've still managed to slip into an easy friendship. Unfortunately for him, all he’s managed to squeeze out of me is that I'm from Penrith; which is a little over an hour out of the city. I moved into the city with my best friend to get the ‘full experience,' at least that's what I tell him; the less he or anyone know about my upbringing the better.

  He asks about siblings and I tell him I have none that I know of, but that I can’t be sure; which he laughs about. And he discovers I have no idea what I want to do with myself after school, with the exception of being able to support myself and never having to rely on anyone else. Hence a business degree, I figure this will come in handy wherever I end up. That seemed to pique his interest and I could tell he was going to ask me something else, but our teacher walked in and started talking about the assignments we were working on, so I smiled and turned my attention to the front again.

  It's a longer class on a Monday, more so than some of my others and as we are wrapping up I peek at my phone to see a message from Aubree, I subtly click on it.

  Bree: Meet me at Duke's, there’s a heap of talent here ;)

  Me: Just finishing up, talent... you mean eye candy with an attachable penis?

  Bree: Well I’d hope it’s not detachable... don’t need that breaking off anywhere!!

  I can’t help but laugh before quickly catching myself. I look up to check, but thankfully no one's heard me. Then I slide my eyes to the left and notice Jason's smiling at me, I feel my cheeks burning. He raises a brow at me, a silent inquiry as to what's so funny. I roll my eyes but show him my screen anyway. He quickly reads it over and then looks back up to at me with a grin,

  "I'll walk you."

  Tucking my phone back into my bag as I speak, "It's okay, I think I can find my way."

  Clearly, he’s unaware of just how many times we've been going there to eat; he nods.

  "Yeah, but I'm heading that way anyway and you'd be doing me a favor."

  Raising my brows at him in question.

  Before I have a chance to speak he laughs and tips his head towards the tables down in front. I notice a few girls blatantly staring up at him trying to grab his attention, I wonder if they've even listened to today's class. Looking back at him I shrug.

  "Mmm..." I tap my chin with my finger, pretending to think it over.

  Quickly, he grabs a handful of starbursts from his bag and throws them down in front of me. I crack, laughing, but nod at him while I open one up and pop it in my mouth. He returns the smile with an easy one of his own. I can see the relief written all over his face. What feels like two seconds later, he pinches one of the delicious lollies back. Before I can stop him, in one fluid motion he flicks the wrapper open and throws it back into his mouth while grinning.

  ∞

  Jason's pretty funny outside of the classroom, since helping to discourage his admirers in class he's been cracking jokes as we walk side by side over to the cafe. Turns out he wasn't lying; he's meeting up with his friends here too. His actually really easy to talk and laugh with and his even offered to help me out with
the class whenever I let my self-doubt slip into the conversation. We exchange phone numbers as we attempt to cross the road towards the café.

  I'm enjoying listening to him as he tells me about being chased down by some crazy redhead he hooked up with a few weeks ago and never called. Turns out he didn't even write her number down as she recited it to him. Red wasn't happy when he told her that and lost it at him; telling him all about this connection she thought they shared. I'm laughing so hard as he tells me of the whole interaction that I don't even stop to look around when he opens the door of the cafe for me.

  I only stop when I hear a few people call out for him,

  “Jase! it’s about fucking time man” followed by some hollers and catcalls.

  He offers me a quick smile before waving over to the table. I turn to where the voices are coming from but quickly look away, it’s a table with a few other guys sitting around it and they are all looking in our direction with keen interest. I want to be anywhere else, as I feel my cheeks warming. Tucking my hair behind my ear, I start to step away but I realize quickly how rude it would be not to say bye, I force myself to look up at Jason.

  “Uh… Thanks, for walking me over… I’ll see you tomorrow?” at that remark, a couple of the guys at the table cheer for him and I feel my face heating again.

  Jason puts his hands on my shoulders and turns us so he’s blocking me from their view, his actions resulting in some dramatic groans.

  “Your friend here?” at his question I look around and spot her off to the side only a couple of tables between her and Jason’s friends.

  I nod over towards her and I see Jason follow the direction with his eyes before standing a little straighter, yep that’s the normal reaction Bree gets.

  He winks down at me “I think I’m going to like being friends with you if all of your friends look like you two.”

  I have no idea how he can put me and Bree in the same category but I just smirk back up at him, he doesn’t need to know she’s one of my only friends. But he’s right, I think I’ll like being friends with him too. He is a really easy going guy from what I can tell. I walk away, knowing as soon as I sit down my best friend is going to drill me for information on the little spectacle that just was.

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