I nodded between puffs into the tissue.
“London, we need to turn this around.”
“What do you mean?”
“Wait, first do you care about him? I need to know what I’m dealing with here.”
I nodded in agreement. Care wasn’t even close to the level of feelings I had for him.
“Then, we help him see what a colossal mistake he just made.” Uh-oh. If she was planning anything like her tactics to get closer to Derek, I was in for a disaster.
“Nina, I don’t know about that. I think I’ll try to call him later tonight and talk to him. He was probably spooked. That’s what guys do when they start getting close, right? They freak out and come up with some lame breakup excuse.” It sounded reasonable, but I wasn’t sure if that’s what really happened with Beau. “It’s been three days. He’s probably cooled down by now.”
“No, haven’t you read Cosmo? You can’t call him. You need to get him to come to you.”
I had a sinking feeling. “But I don’t want to play mind games with him. No games at all. That’s why this imploded. I tried to cheat. We lied about us from the beginning and now there isn’t even an us.”
“It’s not a game if you’re helping him realize his true feelings. It’s not a trick, London. He is crazy about you; he just needs to be reminded.”
She was starting to sound sane. “Let’s say whatever little plan you have cooked up works, it still doesn’t solve the problem I have with the research. The project is rigged.”
“Hmmm…I keep forgetting about that shitty project.” I could see the wheels turning in Nina’s head. “Got it! I know what you can do, but you’re going to have to come clean with Professor Garcia.”
“But she’ll fail me.”
“No she won’t. She’s going to love this.”
For the first time in hours, my heart felt a little less broken and slightly hopeful. I hugged Nina. “Thank you. I don’t know what crazy scheme is going through your head, but thank you.”
“It’s nothing. I want you to be happy. Now, go take a shower and change out of these three-day-old pjs. We’ve got a boy to rope in.”
I giggled. My love life was completely in her hands.
13
All I had to do was keep my composure, steady my breathing, and limit the eye contact. I could do this. I had played Sandy in my high school’s rendition of Grease. I could pull off badass Sandy in tight, lycra pants, strutting across a stage in five-inch heels with a packed house watching my every move. Today skinny jeans and a fitted cotton shirt would have to do, and there was only one person I needed to impress—Beau.
He was sitting in his regular spot. The top perch of the class. I entered the row from the opposite aisle and walked toward him, careful not to look too excited to see him. Nina and I had only devised this plan yesterday, and it was all I had. Beau hadn’t called, texted, or emailed since the Sunday breakup, and today was Thursday. It was embarrassing that I missed Tuesday’s class, but my broken heart needed time and distance.
I’m not sure if he watched me walk toward him. I kept my eyes on my phone and the texts I was sending Nina. She was my lifeline to the outside world and the only thing keeping me on this plan.
He’s here, I typed.
Good. You can do this. It will work. Nina’s words made me smile. Call me after class.
I slid into the seat next to Beau, dropped my backpack on the floor, and fished for my notebook. My pen stash was in the front pocket. I dug through the collection until I found my favorite blue writing pen.
“People. It’s time to get started. The weeks are rolling past us and we still have lots of theory to cover.” The classmates around us lowered their voices. Everyone had grown accustomed to Professor Garcia by now, and the protesting and grumbling days were long gone. “The projects are looking great. This is one of the best semesters I remember. I’m going to have to recycle this assignment for another year.” I looked up and noticed our instructor had traded her red boots for purple ones.
Before I could jot the date on the fresh notebook page, the pen slipped from my hand and landed between Beau’s legs. Are you kidding me?
I tried to smile as he retrieved the pen from its precarious position and handed it to me across the armrest. My fingertips brushed against his knuckles as I took the pen in my hand. I didn’t want it to affect me the way it did, but the nearness of him had a way of closing the hole that had been burning in my chest since I saw him last. It was only a second, but for that moment, I didn’t hurt.
“Everyone ready for Para Social Relationship Theory? It’s fascinating! They are planting characters in reality TV shows left and right. Who isn’t in a relationship with a TV character they love?” The nutty professor’s laughter peeled through the auditorium. It was loud enough to snap me back to my current reality.
I brushed my bangs away and inked out the theory for today’s lecture. I shifted so I was angled away from Beau. This was going to be the longest class of my life.
I managed to take five pages of notes. Professor Garcia never lacked in examples or stories when it came to her presentation of a new theory. It also helped distract me from my group partner. I tucked my notebook in my backpack and was careful not to fumble the pen again. I didn’t need another flailing incident today.