Breaking Noah

Ryan: So tell me what’s up with this other dude. Am I going to hate him?

Me: It’s possible, LOL. He’s really nice and super-smart. He just doesn’t seem interested in me, only sometimes I think he likes me.

Ryan: He’s a man. Men want what they can’t have. Pick a different dude and flirt a bit. It’ll get his attention.

Me: I don’t think it’ll work. He’s older, more mature than that.

Ryan: Yeah. He has a dick. He’s not mature. Stop kidding yourself.

Me: Okay, enough about this. I miss you. Home soon?

Ryan: Real soon. I might get an early discharge. Maybe before Christmas.

Me: OMG…that would be AMAZING!!!

Ryan: I know. I miss snow. And you, too, sis.

Me: You have no idea.

Ryan: K, I gotta get back. Just wanted to talk to you. Remember, flirt around. And if he hurts you, he gets the pinkie.

Me: I can’t wait to see you. Love you so much.

Ryan: Love you m

ore, kid. SOON!

—

The following Monday in class, I decide to try out my brother’s advice. He’s never led me wrong before, why would he start now? So as I make my way into class, I survey the room and the only decent-looking guy is Luke, football player extraordinaire. Since our seats are close, right next to each other, I volunteer him to be my guinea pig for this experiment of sorts.

Noah walks into the classroom shortly after we’re all seated. Based on his notes on the board, we’re to be working on a paper due at the end of the quarter. Instead, I take this opportunity to introduce myself to Luke and see where things go from here.

“Hey, I’m Zara,” I whisper, leaning toward his desk. His head shoots up and his eyes connect with mine. A panty-melting smile crosses his lips. Yeah, this guy will do.

“Luke,” he says, extending his hand, which I accept.

“You play football? Do you like it?” I ask, unsure of how to begin a conversation with someone I don’t necessarily want to talk to.

“I love it. You should come to a game sometime. It would be cool.”

“Yeah, maybe sometime.” I glance toward the front of the room and see Noah’s watchful eyes on me, monitoring every move I make. His face is cold as stone, and the way his fingers grip the pencil in his hand leads me to believe I’m doing something right. Excellent advice, Ryan.

“What are you doing tonight?” Luke asks, breaking me from my stare-down with Noah. Whipping my head in his direction, I smile sweetly and answer.

“Whatever you’re doing, I guess.” All this practice of my seduction technique with Noah might have been a good thing—setting me up for the real world and all.

“Excellent. Meet me at the student union at nine?”

“Of course.”

—

At exactly nine I’m waiting for Luke in a little coffee bar inside the student union. He’s not arrived yet, which is a point against him in my book, but then again, this isn’t really a date. Not for me, anyway. I glance around, and the room’s filled mostly with students studying; then I catch Noah sitting at a table looking through papers. He gives me a questioning glare, but I ignore it.

As if Luke planned it perfectly, he strolls through the door just as Noah’s setting down his pen and moving to stand. When he notices Luke, he lowers back into his seat and watches again.

“Hey. You look beautiful,” Luke says, taking me in a hug that’s not uncomfortable, but doesn’t give me the same feelings as when Noah touches me.