Better With You (Better Love 2)

Ok, well that’s random. Lucky for him I have a whole drawn out response for this question, because I’ve thought about it a lot.

Me: I have a love/hate relationship with John Hughes. I used to really enjoy his movies, but the older I get, the more critical I get. I still can watch and enjoy them but I can’t help but recognize the flaws.

Unknown: You mean the racism and sexism?

Me:Exactly that. I mean, Sixteen Candles is hella problematic. Long Duck Dong AND encouraging date rape. Not cool at all. They’re full of stereotypes, too.

Unknown:Not to mention Andi should have chose Ducky.

Me:OMG YES SHE SHOULD HAVE. Blaine was a tool bag.

Unknown:How about Spielberg?

Me:Ugh I don’t want to love him, but I do. Did you know E.T. was the first movie to use product placement with the Reece’s Pieces? M&M’s were offered the spot but they turned it down.

Unknown: I did not know that.

Me:The more you know. *rainbow emoji*

Alex and I exchange a few more texts, and then I put my phone in my bag and head to class. I’m grinning from the text exchange. Who’d have thought we’d have this much in common? Definitely not me.

Classes blow. I’ve got two this afternoon. A 90-minute lecture and then a small 45-minute discussion class. The professor in my lecture has a voice that grates on my nerves, so I spend most of it texting in my group thread with Ivy, Kelley, and Jesse and doodling song lyrics in my notebook. These lectures are always posted online, but the douche takes attendance, so I have to show up.

My discussion class isn’t as bad. I make sure to speak up a few times to get my participation points. Having a 45-minute class after a 90-minute class makes me appreciate the shorter class more. By the time I’m done, I’m ready to be done.

I’m walking across the quad to the student parking lot, just about to shove in my earbuds, when I hear my name called.

“Bailey! Bailey Barnes!”

I halt my steps and look behind me to the voice. Well, what do you know? It’s Butch Cassidy. I fight my smile and force a suspicious glare as he jogs to my side.

“Okay,” I say on a sigh. “How’d you do it?”

He shrugs. “Facebook.”

“Facebook?” I laugh. “No way. My profile is locked down tighter than Fort Knox.”

“Yeah, but Bar 31’s page isn’t.” He grins proudly, and I squint at him.

“I don’t have anything connecting me to Bar 31. I don’t have my job listed.”

“On St. Patrick’s Day last year, a one Jada Simmons has the whole bar staff tagged in a post about green lager and Guinness.” He raises an eyebrow. He wants me to be impressed. I am, but I hide it.

“She tagged the whole staff,” I say slowly. “That’s a ton of people.”

He nods. “Twenty-seven.”

I widen my eyes and wave my hand in an okay, continue expression.

“Process of elimination.”

I bark out a laugh. “How? My Facebook profile picture is of E.T. wearing a dress and a wig from the movie.”

“Exactly.” His straight white teeth are shining bright. I swear the sun glints off them with a little sparkle.

I pause a minute, searching for an explanation, and then it dawns on me.

“The texts. Spielberg.” His grin is blinding, and he winks at me. “You’re a sneaky bastard.”

“I’m a clever bastard.”

“It could have been anyone. What if I didn’t have Facebook at all and you were creepin’ on some rando?”

“Thought of that, but then you stopped when I called out Bailey, so that’s when I knew for sure.”

I shake my head, then continue walking.

“What are you doing tonight?” he asks as he falls in step beside me.

“I have plans.” I don’t tell him they’re with my shitty Wal-Mart mixer and some baked goods.

“What about tomorrow?” I can feel him looking at me, so I shake my head with a playful sigh.

“Excitable and impatient.”

He just shrugs with a smile. “I know what I like.”

I pop a brow and slow to a stop.

“I’ve got plans, Butch. Tonight, tomorrow night, and the next night.”

“Are you always this difficult?”