☼MARK∞
Here's the thing.
I have a thing for Cassidy McDonell. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, knows because everyone out here knows my business. But Cassidy, as much as she is a genius, is also denser than the carbs that Coach forces down our throats to bulk us up. So, I don't have any doubts that Layla Pappas aka Sherwood High's very own version of Ramona Flowers knows. Also, she's Cassidy's best friend so I have to be nice and cool.
But there are only so many hours in a day and I have to compete for every single one of them. Cassidy is no longer tutoring me which makes Ramona Flowers my main competition. I don't want to be an ass but I really want to have breakfast with Cassidy so I tried to casually-- I hope she won't think I'm being possessive-- put an arm over her shoulders.
Cassidy looked back at her friend as I led her away, catching what Layla whispered to her. It made her blush hard. I can feel the heat emanating from her through the thin fabric of her shirt.
'Get that beefcake.'
I am the beefcake and the thought of me being nothing but meat got a reaction so maybe we are not in ground zero. Has she thought of me like that? Maybe? Hopefully? I'll show her why the second biggest demographic of my Instagram followers are middle aged women. Maybe if Cassidy can't think of me as a friend straight away maybe I can appeal to her... in that way? Will that be easier for her? Nah, she won't go for that shallow shit. But progress can be made today. That's why we are going on this date. Of sorts.
We reached my black Range Rover and I walked ahead to open the door for her. This is a milestone for me. Cassidy McDonell in my passenger seat. My freshman self who first spotted her in the library and almost knocked a whole shelf would freak.
I sat on the driver's seat and instantly grabbed my phone to charge on the port out of habit. Cassidy was having trouble putting on the seat belt and she didn't want to ask for help. Maybe because of embarrassment? "It can be a bit tricky," I used the same words she says whenever she tries to explain math to me, "Just play with it and you'll get to the other side."
"Thank you," she said as I finished strapping her in. Wisps of her hair got away from the confines of her braid. She looked unreal in the morning light. Hypnotized, I found myself tucking the loose hairs behind her ear. The skin behind her ear was so soft and fragile, like a flower's petal. I was in her space and I was breathing her in. She smelled of vanilla and strawberry, like a cake, like a wish come true. I caught myself before I kissed her senseless.
I cleared my throat. "So, IHOP."
"Yay," she replied as she gripped her seat belt.
--
9:45 am
I watched Cassidy as she read the menu from across the table. Her long lashes cast shadows on her face and I wonder if she knows how beautiful she is.
There's only us and the regular weekday morning crowd of barely ten people. I picked this IHOP in particular because its farther from the city center and it will take a little more time to get here. The whole drive was a little bit awkward and I don't know why. Can she smell my intentions?
When she was tutoring me, there was no weird energy. No long periods of silence that I want to fill up with nonsense chatter. What can I possibly tell her to catch her attention?
Our waiter came with our food. I ordered a lot because I want to take as long as possible. I only have one day and I have to make it last as long as I can. I have a stack of blueberry pancakes with lots of whipped cream, bacon and eggs on my toast, an apple pie, a breakfast burger and a cup of coffee to hopefully make me more mentally alert. She only got a stack of pancake with a square of butter on top and a bottle of mineral water, she made a cross on it with her maple syrup. I watched her pale wrist as she did. I wondered how the thin skin will feel against my lips.
