The Freshman (College Years 1)

“I don’t understand why they always trade in for a newer model,” she says. “Though my mom eventually did the same thing.”

“My mom swears she’ll never get married again. Says my father turned her against love,” I say, hating the flash of sympathy I see reflected in Hayden’s gaze.

Maybe I said too much.

“Love is for pussies,” she says with confidence. An older woman sitting nearby shoots her a dirty look and the smile teasing the corners of Hayden’s mouth makes me smile in return. She probably enjoyed shocking that old lady. “It’s true and you know it.”

“It is true.” My ex-girlfriend Sophie stomped all over my heart and left it a bleeding mess right before she left our high school for good and went to a performing arts school up in the mountains near San Diego. Last I heard, she was in the dance program at USC, where my best friend Jake goes. He actually ran into her recently and called to tell me all about it.

Made me feel like shit, but I had to pretend his seeing Sophie didn’t bother me. It sucks when you realize people always eventually leave you. Hell, in a way Jake did too, though of course he left to go play football for USC, and I don’t blame him. We got a lot closer senior year and now he’s gone. I’ve learned a lesson from all of this, one I’ll never forget.

Everyone leaves.

“So you’re spending your Saturday here at the dealer, huh?” she asks.

It’s a bye week at home, so no football game tonight. Not like I’d get a chance to play anyway. I rarely do. “Yeah. Hasn’t been too bad though.”

She grins. I grin back.

“What are you doing afterwards?”

My smile fades. “I have a get-together thing my dad wants me to attend tonight.”

That is the last thing I want to do. Especially now, when I have a much more interesting prospect sitting in front of me.

Her smile disappears too, replaced with a frown. “Yeah, you know, I have something too.”

This hot girl was going to ask me out. I could feel it. And that gives me the confidence to ask, “Can I get your number? Maybe we can get together sometime in Fresno.”

Can’t believe I never noticed her on campus before, though I guess it’s not a surprise. It’s a huge campus. We all sort of seem to take the same general ed classes at the same time, though, but maybe her schedule is totally different because of her major.

“Sounds good.” She lifts her phone and starts tapping. “Why don’t you give me your number first.”

I rattle it off and she types it in her phone, my phone buzzing immediately with her simple response of hi. “I’ll text you for real early next week.”

I smile. “I’ll hold you to it.”

“Oh I will.” Her eyes are sparkling.

I coul

d stare at her all damn day.

We make small talk for a few minutes more, until one of the service advisers enters the waiting room and approaches her, letting her know her car is ready. She rises to her feet, slinging her Chanel bag over her shoulder, and she stops by my chair. The service adviser waits for her nearby, his impatience obvious.

“It was nice meeting you, Tony.” She touches me on the shoulder, very lightly.

I feel that touch sink all the way to my balls.

“Nice meeting you too, Hayden,” I say, my voice even. I sound normal. I bet I even look normal.

Inside, I’m anything but. This girl is hot. Interesting. Confident. For the first time in a while, I’m intrigued.

I want more.

Two

Hayden