"Stuff's a little weird right now," I said.
"How so?"
"I would have to reenroll if I wanted to play for the school again, but since I took time off, I don't know whether it would be worth trying to get drafted this year. Football was always what I wanted to do. I feel like I'd rather concentrate on that than split my time with academics."
"That sounds risky," she said.
"It is. Any professional sports career is risky. Barely any of the people in college for football actually end up in the league."
"Only the best?"
"Yeah, and the ones lucky enough not to get injured.”
"I hope you get in. I know how much being making it into the pros meant to you." She broke her brownie in two, eating another piece.
"Thanks. I hope so, too."
"Looks like we're both where we want to be," she said with a small smile. If she meant here with her eating brownies, then yeah, I agreed.
"In some ways," I said. I thought I saw her blush.
I asked her what courses she had picked up for summer session. I liked to think I had at least a slight working knowledge of psychology from talking to her about her school stuff. She avoided talking about my deployment when I'd mention it, but loosened up. The sun moved and we moved the blanket with it. The timid way she started lingered, but it wasn't unbearable. Two hours later, she had to head home.
"I had a good time," she said. She helped me fold the blanket back up.
"Thanks for coming. I want to see you again, Ron." Uncertainty crossed her face and she bit her lower lip a little.
"I don't know," she said.
"Anything. I'll take anything, Ron. I'll walk you to class in the morning if you'll let me. I just want to see you again." She paused. What was she about to say? I wasn't too good to beg her for this.
"Are you free Friday night?" she asked. I had to wait a couple beats to stop myself from cheering.
"I will be," I said. "Dinner?"
"As friends," she said firmly. I bit my tongue. Don't argue with her, she already said yes. Don't make her change her mind.
"I'll pick you up," I said.
"No, I'll drive. Wait a minute. How do you know where my new place is?" she asked.
"I asked Tiff," I admitted.
"What else did you ask her?" she asked.
"Whether you were happy." She paused again, looking down for a second.
"Why would you want to know that?"
"Because I care about you. I needed to know-"
"Whether I ever got over when you dumped me?" she interrupted. Her voice wasn't accusing me of anything; she sounded neutral, but some pain came through.
"How you were doing since I hadn't seen you in a long time," I said. "Ron, I need you to know that I never stopped caring about you. I know what I did, and I can't apologize enough for making you think there was a time that I didn't."
"I just don't want you to have expectations for this," she said. "I agreed to see you, but what happened isn't going to be reversed after one date."
"I know that. I'm just glad that you're giving me a chance. Since it's a date, let me pick you up," I tried. She sighed, running her hand through her hair. I wanted to do it, too, but I had lost the privilege to touch her like that a year ago.