Page 82 of After All This Time

“Oh, cool. I’m starting my junior year this upcoming semester. What are you studying?”

“Creative writing and magazine journalism. I’m going into my senior year this semester,” she says to him.

It’s like I’m not here anymore. He’s not even looking in my direction.

“Nice. So, you’re going to be…”

“An author. I’ve been working on my debut since middle school, actually.”

“Wow, that’s pretty cool. What do you write?”

“Romance.”

“I had a feeling.”

“How so?”

“I don’t know. You look like a romance writer.”

He’s making small talk with her while he’s putting her chocolate ice cream in a small cup.

“Oh, why? Do you think I look like a romance writer?” Her eyebrows raise.

“I don’t know.” He pauses. “Hey, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” she says as her lips form into a small smile.

I’m fiddling with my fingers because I need to do something with my hands. I think punching this guy in the face will be my next option.

“Are you a library book?”

She doesn’t say anything. Instead, she’s just standing there and waiting in anticipation of what he’s going to say next.

“Because I’d love to check you out.”

Where the hell did that come from? Okay, this guy crossed the line so far it’s no longer a line. It’s a dot. A fucking speck.

She chuckles, but not in the cute way she normally does. She’s uncomfortable, and so am I.

I put my arm around her. “Sorry man, she’s taken.”

She looks up at me, a smile slowly spreading across her lips and her eyes blinking rapidly.

“I didn’t know. Makes sense, though.”

“Why?” she asks him.

“You’re pretty and nice. I shouldn’t have assumed you were single. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she says.

No, it’s not fucking fine.

He hands Dani the small cup of chocolate ice cream and my waffle cone with mint chocolate chip ice cream.

She pays for our ice cream, barely making eye contact with the guy.

We sit down at the table closest to the door. She digs into her ice cream, but I can’t shake off how angry I am.

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