“I’m Natalie.”
“Natalie,” I repeated. “In Latin, that name means Christmas Day.”
She smiled. “How do you know that?”
“I make it my business to know obscure facts that other people don’t tend to know.”
She seemed impressed by that, and I was glad that I was making an impression. She reminded me a lot of the dark-haired girl who sat in the front row of my lectures each week. Except Natalie commanded attention while the dark-haired girl looked as though she wanted to blend into the background and escape everybody’s notice.
Thinking of her made me realize Natalie could be a student, too. This bar was right outside campus grounds, which meant that campus students looking for a good time often frequented it. I thought about Lindsey, and I decided she was right in her justification. We were all consenting adults, and the university had no right to dictate what we did on our own time.
I decided not to ask questions. Natalie didn’t need to know I was a teacher, and I didn’t need to know if she was a student. I felt my blood boil hot and desire coursed through my veins as I admired her body.
There was something about this girl. She was unbelievably attractive, and yet she acted as though she didn’t know it. She looked almost uncomfortable, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the atmosphere or me.
“So, explain something to me?” I said.
“Okay?”
“What’s a beautiful young woman like you doing at a bar all by herself?” I asked.
She blushed slightly. “I didn’t come here alone,” she said. “I came with a friend.”
“A friend?” I asked, with one raised eyebrow.
“Yeah…”
When she didn’t elaborate, I realized I would have to coax her into conversation. For the first time since I started dating, I realized that I didn’t mind making the effort.
“So, is this friend a guy or a girl?” I asked pointedly.
She seemed confused by my question. “Why do you ask?”
“I want to know if there’s another guy here that I’ll have to compete with.”
She seemed to understand what I meant then, and her eyebrows rose a little, as though she were surprised by my assumption. Then her blush went a little deeper before she shook her head.
“No, it’s a girl,” she blurted out. “I mean, my friend is a girl.”
“Oh.”
“I’m not a lesbian,” she said suddenly.
I raised my eyebrows in amusement, trying to suppress the laugh on my lips. She closed her eyes for a second. “Ugh… What I meant to say was… I was just having a girl’s night out with my best friend.”
“Good to know,” I said. “She doesn’t seem to be around?”
“No, she’s out on the dance floor,” she said. “I think she met someone she likes.”
“So, what’s the occasion?” I asked.
“Occasion?”
“You look amazing,” I said. “I just figured there was a reason for it.”
“I suppose there is a reason for it,” she admitted. “Uh…it’s my birthday.”
“No way!” I exclaimed. “Then it’s incumbent upon me to buy you a couple more drinks.”