Page 5 of His Fractured Girl

“Sophie,” I answer, not wanting to be rude. Though, I probably should’ve made up a name.

“It’s nice to meet you, Sophie. I’m Travis.” He tips his head, giving me another one of his charming smiles, and the hairs on my arms are now raising like he’s just shocked me with static energy. It’s a feeling I don’t trust.

“Sorry, I have to run.” I turn to take off toward the business building, eager to put distance between us, but apparently, he’s going the same direction.

“So, where are you headed?” He falls in step with me.

“I have to go talk to the TA. He gave me a low grade on my assignment because he didn’t grasp my concept. I don’t think he’s all that clued in to organic products. Being a guy, he probably lives off beer and pizza. Sorry.” I look over, realizing my mistake. I just said all that out loud, not even payingattention to my present company. “No offense. I’m not talking about you. You don’t look like you live off pizza.”

My eyes scan down his frame. He definitely doesn’t look like he survives off junk food. He looks like he lives off protein shakes and sit-ups. There isn’t a shred of excess weight on his body.

“None taken.” He chuckles, and I realize I’m totally checking him out. “Personally, I’m a burger-and-fries kind of guy.”

Burgers are my favorite. But when I eat them, they go straight to my hips.

“So which product did you have?” he asks.

“The organic soda.” I turn toward the office building. “I put flowers on my packaging to represent the fact that it’s all natural and made from naturally grown ingredients. But he said that it made him think the drink would taste like dirt and he wouldn’t buy it.”

He holds the door to the business building open for me, and I’m beginning to wonder if he needs to speak with the TA too.

“I mean, stupid, right?” I pass through, thanking him again. “There are so many organically grown products that show the herbs and plants on the packaging, and they all sell.”

“Most of the products I’ve seen with flowers on them are soaps and lotions.” He continues to follow me down the hall. “But food products want to fit in with the crowd, right? Say for example, if I’m selling a package of organic cookies, I want people to think they taste as good as the real thing. I want people to associate them with junk food, but the bonus is they’re organic and healthier for you. Same goes for soda. No one wants to drink something they think will taste like medicine or something that came from the ground.”

“Wow. So, you’re in the same camp, huh? Team TA. And here I was thinking you were cute?” I honestly can’t believe I just said that out loud. I’m flirting with a complete stranger, whoprobably has a girlfriend. It was a stupid move on my part, but I can’t retract my words now.

“So, are you saying I’m no longer cute because I disagree with you?” His smile is splitting his cheeks again, and the flutter in my stomach is getting turbulent. He’s flirting back. But that’s not a sign of him being single. Nor is it a sign of him being a decent human being.

“Cute or not, you’re wrong.” Though, cute is a piddly word for a guy like him. “I think people who shop organic like knowing their food is all natural. They want to know it came from the earth and not associate it with a chemical plant. So, if I were looking for an organic soda, I’d want to know it was made from plants and flowers.” I look toward the hall, realizing I have no clue as to which room number I’m looking for. “By the way, do you know which room our TA is in?”

“It’s right here.” He stops in front of a closed office door. I guess he has a question too, but when he puts the key into the lock and turns the knob, it’s obvious my assumption was completely wrong.

Oh my God. He’s the TA. It’s him. And here I was going on and on, and he didn’t even stop me. God, I feel like such an idiot.

“How about you take a seat.” He holds the door open for me again. “And we can discuss this further.”

I stomp inside, feeling like I was just blindsided. “You tricked me!” I plop down into the chair, feeling like I’ve just been completely bamboozled.

“How so?” He closes the door and comes around to take a seat behind his desk, looking more like a teacher’s assistant as he steeples his fingers under his chin. So, that’s why he looks so studious. He’s been attending class to assist the professor. “I was merely carrying on a conversation with you. You were the one who assumed I was just another student.”

“Yeah, well, you could’ve told me who you were.” He just let me ramble on, embarrassing myself further.

“That would’ve spoiled the fun. I was enjoying your candid take on my grading, and your assumption on my beer gut.” He looks down at his flat stomach, which is no doubt rippled underneath his button-down shirt. “I also liked your smile.”

The butterflies try to take flight, but I quickly squash the feeling. He’s already deceived me, proving he can’t be trusted. And I’m positive there’s a girl in the picture. Maybe even a couple. An upperclassman with his looks…and that smile… There’s no way he’s single.

“Now, let’s look at your grade because I’m assuming that’s why you’re here.”

He turns toward his computer and pulls up my design. “This one, correct?” He shifts his screen so I can see.

“Yes.” I look at my pretty logo, still thinking it would make an amazing design for a soda can. “That soda would sell by the cases.” I would buy it. I’d buy it on color alone. The fact that it’s good for me would just be a bonus.

His head starts shaking as he looks back at the screen. “As pretty as it may be, it doesn’t sell the product. And that’s our job. To teach you how to sell products to the masses, not just to girls who like frilly-looking things.”

Frilly-looking things? How rude. I put a lot of thought into that design. I wanted to make something that would show exactly where it came from. Iwastrying to sell to the masses.

“Well, I thought I had done that. Clearly, I didn’t.” Though, I think his opinion is narrow-minded and I wholeheartedly disagree with him, but I’m gathering it’s a losing battle at this point. “Could you just tell me what I can do to pull up my grade? Is there going to be an extra credit opportunity? Or could I submit a second design?” Next time, I’ll paint the can blackand writedrink me or dieon it. That will get people’s attention. Maybe put crossbones over a chemical symbol.

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