Page 13 of Overtime
“First rule of Bolts club is,” Archie starts in a serious tone, “never mess with anyone’s food. Unless that’s their preference.”
People laugh. I eye the bar for any empty spaces.
Fortunately, I don’t have to make the effort. The conversation picks back up to what it was before I arrived, and no other fries are nicked by manicured hands. Even though I keep my attention on the meal, I note from my periphery that Lori keeps eyeing me. Not my plate, but me.
“Dude,” Archie says, digging his elbow in my side once the girls have gone to the bathroom as a unit. “What the hell is your deal? Lori’s totally into you, and you’re acting crankier than usual.”
“Yeah, I’d say you’re like an eight right now,” Mark Webber, one of the defensemen, says from across the table, referring to my infamous bad mood scale.
“I just wanted to grab a meal in peace, that’s all,” I say while wiping my fingertips off with a napkin.
“Well, great. You grabbed one meal, and you can have a different one if you stop being so prissy.” Archie runs a hand through his red hair. “Or at least dial it down and let us have the meal this time.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Archibald?”
“What he’s trying to say,” adds Jamal from my other side, jerking his head toward the other assistant captain. “Is that the rest of us don’t have thatje ne sais quoithat attracts women like flies?—”
Archie nods. “Exactly. Thatye naywhatever.”
“So if you could just bring it down to like a four or something, you might not scare these girls away for us.”
I frown. “Why doIneed to work foryouto get girls?”
Jamal gasps and puts his hand on his chest. “There is noIin team, captain.”
“Whatever. I’m going home.”
“No!” the three of them scream at me. Half the bar turns in our direction.
“Don’t you dare move from this table, Aran Jose Rodriguez.” Archie narrows his eyes as if he’s getting ready to tackle me. Mark goes as far as spreading his arms wide and blocking my exit.
As a creature of math, I do the numbers. Three girls. Four guys. One openly uninterested guy. This is an ideal scenario for the guys. The second these chicks get their undivided attention, they’ll forget about me. After all, every girl who has dumped me in the past has said I’m more boring than watching paint dry.
“Fine,” I grumble.
“Okay, great.” Archie turns to the others. “Just so you all know, I’m into Tiff.”
“Rebs seems nice, so dibs, I guess,” says Jamal.
“I mean, Lori’s super hot, but she hasn’t looked at me once.” Mark winces.
“You’ll have to work—And here they come.” Archie clears his throat and plasters on a blinding smile. “Hi, there. Are you ready to order?”
“Oh, yeah. Totally!” The girl called Tiff sidles up to Archie, her own expression mirroring his.
My roommate’s a dork. He thinks he has no game, but this girl is already putty in his hand.
I pull out my phone and check the time. It’s pretty early, and my stomach is still open for business. Maybe I’ll order a salad this time.
“Wow, you’re so tall.”
A waft of perfume hits me from behind right after that line. I don’t even need to look up to confirm that it’s coming from the newest addition to my blacklist. Jamal, the polite fool that he is, makes way for her to squeeze between. I sweep my eyes around her and catch the attention of the same waiter from before.
“Great, I’m starving,” she says, grinning up at me as if I flagged the waiter for her.
“Guys, do you have plans after this?” the Tiff chick asks.
“Not really,” Archie responds too eagerly.
