The Freshman (College Years 1)

Maybe I’m handling this all wrong. I’ve always been aggressive when it comes to guys. When I see something I want, I usually go after it. But I’ve been burned a couple of times. Maybe I should switch tactics and try something different.

Should I be quiet and let him make his move on me? I’m sure he’s got some moves. He said so himself. And I should definitely not judge him for whatever moves the youngster might have.

Yeah, I am a horrible human, even in my thoughts.

Finally, our sushi rolls arrive and we start eating. I’m suddenly ravenous, devouring the sushi like a woman who’s been held in captivity with no food for the last week. He watches me with amusement, and I want to ask him what’s so funny, but I wisely keep my mouth shut.

That, and my mouth is constantly full of sushi, so I can’t really speak anyway.

“You were hungry,” he says when I finally set my chopsticks on the edge of my plate, my stomach full.

“Starving.”

“Me too.” He points at the empty plates that held our rolls.

“It was better than I remember.”

“You’ve been here before?”

I nod. “Lots of times. I come with friends. Been on a few dates here.”

“This isn’t a date, though. According to you.”

“It’s not.” I tilt my head, contemplating what I should say next. Immediately deciding I’m going to keep up with the theme and not hold back. “Are we just going to go round and round for the rest of the night? It’s silly, don’t you think?”

“You’re the one who’s silly.”

“Don’t put this on me,” I say, mildly offended. “You’re the one who didn’t answer when I asked if the friends with benefits deal was still on the table.”

“Well, it is.”

“Well, good.”

He laughs. Shakes his head. “What the fuck, Hayden? You’re kind of a trip.”

“I’m not normally like this,” I reassure him, though I might be telling a teeny lie. “I think you bring it out of me.”

“What else could I possibly bring out of you?” he asks with a grin.

“We should test it and see.” My smile is coy.

Within minutes, we’re leaving the restaurant, walking toward our matching Range Rovers that are parked right next to each other. I regret not taking his offer to drive me, but then again, I didn’t want to leave my car in the campus parking lot either.

“Want to come back to my place?” he asks.

“Just to hang out?” I ask him, not wanting him to think I’m going back to his place for sex.

Not yet, anyway. Ha.

He shrugs. “Sure.”

“How many roommates do you have?”

“Two, but one of them is never there.”

“You share a room with either of them?”

“It’s a three-bedroom condo, not too far from campus,” he explains. “I have my own room.”