Vani wasn't sure about the project she held in her hand. This was the first time she was handing in a project that had taken a back seat to her social life and she was nervous that she hadn't done her best work. Normally she would obsess over the subject, the paragraphs, the examples, citations, the sentence structure, the strength of each point and she would have written three papers and then obsessed over which one was the best.
The paper in her hand was a good effort but she hadn't had the time to obsess over it. She was feeling guilty and stressed.
"Chicka!" Vani heard Briar holler from across the foyer.
"Hey!" Vani called over the din of students milling around in the open space. "I THOUGHT YOU HAD CLASS?" Vani yelled.
"I FINISHED ALREADY." Briar called back moving towards her.
"I have to drop off my paper." Vani returned to a normal voice as Briar came into range of her speaking voice.
"Why don't you drop it off during class?" Briar asked searching in her purse for something.
"Because then I would have just enough time to obsess over not obsessing enough and then I would convince myself that I need to obsess more so I would avoid handing it in and then I would stress that it was late. This way it is out of my hands." Vani shrugged.
"Don't you do most of your assignments online? Why do you have to hand in a paper copy?" Briar asked holding her purse strap between her teeth while digging through its contents.
"We are being graded on the presentation of the materials. It's my business class." Vani explained.
"Cool. Have you seen my bus pass?" Briar asked flipping open her wallet for the fifth time.
"Uh, no I don't think so. Where are you going?" Vani offered her hand to hold some of the things piling up under her room mates chin.
"I have to go to the optometrist this afternoon, remember?" Briar looked exasperated.
Vani looked down at the items in her hand. She shook her head.
"What time? I can drive you over as soon as I hand this in if you want." She put the make up, chapstick, pen, tissue package, box of mints, bandaid and tampons back in her friends open purse.
"Are you sure?" Briar asked with a defeated sigh.
"I am." Vani watched her friend try to fix her over stuffed purse and nearly drop her phone. She reached out and caught it as it tipped over the edge of the full purse.
Vani grinned. She poped open the back of the phone case and held it up to show her friend. The bus pass was neatly tucked in with forgotten gift cards and point cards from stores she never went to.
"I forgot about that!" Briar grinned.
"I figured as much. You never use this part." Vani clipped the case closed again.
"Always put things in there so I will have them and they won't get lost... but also I forget that the case opens because I don't hardly ever use it. So... win win?" Briar was finally put back together and she took her phone just as it dinged with a message.
"You go hand that in to professor dinosaur. And I will meet you back here in a few? I need to pee so bad!" Briar announced not caring who might overhear their conversation.
"Ok I will be like five-ten minutes." Vani nodded as she walked away from her friend.
**
It had been months since Vani had been off campus during the day. Normally she was studying or in classes. She liked that the sun was out and the snow seemed to be melting enough not to be too much of a bother.
Briar was at her appointment and that gave Vani time to walk around the plaza. There was a thrift store she had never been to and a pizza place, but her eyes fixated on the tiny store in the far corner. It looked almost like an after thought. The other stores were big and bright with florescent lighting and neon signs. The little shop had painted windows and a purple door.
Vani wandered over to the shop and admired the gold paint on the windows in filigree designs and the crystals that sparkled in the windows.
She entered the store to a soft flowery scent in the air and a warm cozy atmosphere. There was a fireplace on the outside wall with over stuffed chairs positioned around. Acoffee table hosted a bunch of books. Counters with hand made jewelry lined the walls and eclectic art pieces hung from the ceiling.
"Good afternoon! How can I help you today?" A plump lady with shocking purple hair asked poking her head up from behind a book case.
"I just saw your shop and really wanted to check it out." Vani smiled.
"Well, come on in!" We are still having our boxing day, winter solstice, post new years sale. Everything on the back wall is half price and anything you see is negotiable." The woman grinned.
"This place is really neat, do you make this stuff?" Vani asked letting her fingers gently run along the beaded necklaces hung on a wooden rack.
"Some of it. We have a collective of women who contribute. We all work the store and make our own art to sell." The woman arose from the stool she had been sitting on and used a cane to maneuvere around the stack of books she had been shelving.
"Well it is just fantastic. I have a friend who would love one of these. How much?" Vani asked holding up a beaded necklace with a crystal pendant.
"Oh, um twenty I think those ones are." The woman toddler towards where Vani was looking at the jewelry.
"Perfect. I think she would like the pink and frosty coloured one." Vani decided.
The woman took the necklace off the stand and gestured for Vani to follow her towards the back of the store where Vani assumed the cash register was located.
"Did you look at our sales section? Lots of great stuff there too. Have a look while I ring this up." The woman suggested.
Vani looked over the sculptures and hand made paper cards, the soaps and the jewelry. She came to a section of leather goods. There were wallets and belts and little sachel bags. Her fingers grazed the stitching on the edge of the bracelets as her mind wandered to both Joe and RC. She wondered if either of them would wear a bracelet like that.
"Thinking of getting one for your boyfriend?" The shop lady asked.
"Which one?" Vani replied before her brain could stop her. She blushed a bright red.
"Oh! So there is more than one boyfriend?" The woman smiled.
"Sort of. I am seeing two different guys and they are so ...different." vani shrugged. She handed the woman the exact change for the necklace.
The woman had wrapped up the necklace in a nice little box and put it into a bag. She reached across the counter and grasped Vani's hand as she gave her the bag.
"One of those boys loves you already, and the other loves the idea of you. Your heart will find the right path. You will find the right one." The woman said making eye contact that made Vani a little light headed.
"Thank you." Vani couldn't think of what else to say to the strange woman.
"When you come back you will already know." The woman said vaguely but it sounded so reassuring. Vani just nodded and made her way back out into the cool late winter air.
**
"I am telling you she was a psychic or a witch or a clairvoyant. It was weird!" Vani said while watching Briar take a massive bite of her slice of pizza.
"Maybe she was just spouting the same kind of nonsense that they put in horoscopes, you know the nothing that you can make seem like a something because you apply it to your life because it is so vague?" Briar didn't even try to hide that fact that she was talking with her mouth full other than to raise her hand to cover her mouth from view.
"Maybe, but it felt like she was trying to tell me something. Like I should know something that I forgot." Vani said before biting into her slice.
"That's how these things work. They tell you something like: 'a disappointment will cloud your judgment'. And then you drop your sandwich h which makes you disappointed, but you decide not to go get another one because you don't have time, and then you go eat like ten plates of spaghetti for dinner making you regret your life choices... see you would have probably done that any way, but now you think it is magic? I don't think so." Briar shook her head. "You will probably end up picking one of the boys because I know you and I know relationships. Thos triple threat situation won't last and you will figure out which one makes you happy and then, boom. Happily ever whatever." Briar waved her hand around like her pizza was a wand.
"If you say so!" Vani laughed hoping her friend was right.
**
"Chris! How are we out of flour? How is that even possible?" Vani asked her boss while standing over the empty bin.
"We are getting a shipment in an hour. Don't fret. Besides you can do up the last two gluten free recipes in the small kitchen while we wait.
Vani removed her apron, washed her hands and went in search of the recipes. Chris had converted her back storage closet into two mini kitchens one for gluten free products and the other for nut free selections. Vani had to wear a chef coat into the gluten free kitchen to ensure there was no cross contamination.
She happily worked in the tiny space making three types of cinnamon rolls and two types of biscuits. Making the biscuits made her think of Joe. Biscuit-Joe.
He was so sweet and thoughtful. He was wide eyed and happy. She always had fun with him and he always treated her with respect.
It had been too long since they had spent much time together so her mind went from smiling to a heavy pit in her stomach. What if he was trying to blow her off? What if her impression was wrong and he didn't like her? She logically knew he was busy being back in school and working two jobs and having to take care of himself and his brother.
She suddenly wanted to talk to him more than anything. She looked at the timers on the set of ovens. She had half an hour until she could pull the last two batches out and set them to cool. She knew if she put her mind to it she could be done with everything else in the gluten free kitchen in time to get the last of the confections out of the oven.
Vani lost herself in her job. She washed all the exclusive tools to that kitchen. She cleaned the counters and the floors, restocked the pantry and fridge. Rearranged the cooling racks and pulledbout the packaging materials so they would be ready for after her break.
The oven timer made her jump. She pulled the cooking sheets out and the room filled with the renewed scent of cinnamon. The wheeled rack was finally full and she flicked the oven off. She had managed to do all of her tasks in record time that morning. She would have to come back later to package it all, but she had a few hours while they cooled.
Vani removed the chefs coat in the clean room and left it on the hook outside the door. Her heart skipped a beat as she took her phone out and found Joe's number.
"Hey You!" He answered immediately with such a joyful tone.
"Hey! I feel like you went and got all academic and forgot about me." Vani tried to keep her tone light but her chest felt like she was taking in air but very little was leaving her lungs.
"You know how it is, I be rollin' with them smarties now." Joe said jokingly.
"Oh, OK then. I hope you look back on our time together fondly." Vani tried to joke back. Hearing his voice was harder than she had anticipated. She really missed him.
"Nah, I am not looking back babe. Only forward. Like I'm looking forward to tonight when I take you out." He said still with the silly accent he was using to lighten the mood.
"I mean I guess I could make time." Vani replied with the best apathetic tone she could muster in the moment as her heart skipped a beat.
"Great!" Joe had forgotten the accent. "I will message you after I finish class." Vani could hear the smile in his voice.
"Sounds like a plan." Vani agreed. She felt lighter.
They hung up and Vani went back to work.
The other baker had been working on frozen pies so the cooling racks and the counters and tables were full when she peeked into the big kitchen. She was glad to be working alone in the small kitchen so she could day dream about her boyfriends in peace.
By the time Vani stepped outside the sun was shining and the dirty half-melted snow glistened in a way that could only mean that spring was on it's way. The cool air changed when she stepped out of the shadow of the building and into the bright light of the sun.
**
Joe sat beside her in the movie theater driving her crazy. He was tickling her pinky finger with his. He was 'accidentally' brushing his leg against hers and adjusting himself in the seat so his shoulder was just barely touching hers.
He was waiting for her to make the first move to touch him. She was refusing. She recalled their earlier conversation in the car, making her shift her weight to lean away from him with a sassy grin.
"Why do the guys always have to make the first move?" He had questioned her.
"Because girls worry that coming on too strong will scare him away, and they worry that he just wants to be friends so if she makes a move she will end up embarrassed. Or that he will think there is something wrong with her or that she I only good for one thing." Vani had tried to explain.
"Well that is just dumb. I think I am going to wait from now on. I want to be wooed, I want to be swept off my feet. I want a girl to put the moves on me for a change!" He looked at her grinning.
"Wow that sounds amazing for you, tell me how that works out." Vani had shot back with a sly grin of her own.
"You are goingvto have to make a move if you want any of this tonight." He had joked gesturing to himself.
"And since that will never happen, good luck with your loney hearts club, first meeting will be right after this date." Vani had informed him that she had no intention of playing his game.
"We will see, just you wait." He challenged with a sly grin.
Vani now sat in the dark theater focused on the boy beside her rather than the movie on the screen. She could feelnhimnin the air around her. She could sense how close he was and she could smell him with her soul. She wanted to break the foolishness and engulf herself with him. But she wouldn't break down. Instead she decided to up the anti and play his game.
Vani removed her sweater, even though the dark theater was cooler than was comfortable. She made sure to slowly arch her back and turn her body so that her cleavage was in full view as she pulled the sweater over her head. She adjusted her position so that every time he looked in her direction he was seeing her assets. She leaned in making her body 'accidentally' press against his arm and she 'dropped' her phone so she would have to bend over his legs caressing them as she went.
This was actually pretty fun.
At the restaurant after the move Vani took the inside of the booth, but before she could blink he was sliding in beside her.
She could use it to her advantage she was sure. She knew he was trying tondrive her crazy, but are had taken that challenge to heart and she was prepared to do what ever it took to turn the tables on him.
She was cold sitting in her tankntop but she refused to cover up, hoping that the view was triggering a response from her date.
"How are your classes?" She asked while sliding her finger up and down her arm yet again 'accidentally' brushing up against his arm. He sighed and leaned both his elbows onto the table making her grin wickedly. It was working. He was getting a little bothered by her actions.
"Good, good. How are you doing classes?" He asked making it clear he's thoughts were at least a little distracted.
"Great. We are learning all about biology, how sensitive skin is on different parts of the body. How the lightest touch can illicit a strong response, or how a firm grip can be immensely pleasurable." Vani breathed gently near his ear.
He couldn't hide the shiver that shook his entire body and Vani couldn't hide the grin that came from feeling so powerful.
When the waitress came, Vani used it to her full advantage. She leaned over Joe and spoke in a quiet tone so she was forced to move in even further.
She wondered what was going through his head as he let his hand find her thigh as she ordered her food. Her beasts pressed against his arm pushing her cleavage almost indecently high. She made sure that she rubbed against him a little as she took her time ordering.
"Lord help me." She heard him whisper almost inaudible. She knew that she was having an effect and she liked how that felt.
Suddenly she had a dark thought. What if he was saying that because he wanted her to stop. He maybe was thinking he didn't want her trying to be sexy and seductive. Maybe he didn't like this little game they had going on.
She sat up abruptly. Almost knocking his chin with her head.
"I need to go to the ladies room." She said with an awkward force in her voice.
"Ok. Can I come?" He asked with a wink.
"Uh, next time." She said pushing him out of the booth so she could escape. Next time? Did she invite him to join her in the bathroom the next time she went? Well that was weird. She felt embarrassment creep up into her cheeks setting them on fire again as she rushed to the washrooms.
When she returned her spark was dull and she felt defeated. She had convinced herself that he was embarrassed for her.
She was trying to be sexy, like she had with RC the previous week. RC had found it amusing if she remembered correctly. He didn't hate it but he wasn't lured in to the rocks by her siren song.
He has still managed to convince her to stay and they made out when she should have been studying.
Did Joe also think she looked silly? She had never been considered sexy before what on earth made her think that suddenly boys would be interested in her pathetic flirting skills.
She slid into the booth across from him rather than try to fit back in the same side of the booth.
"Chris had the kitchen full to the brim with pies this morning. She had them making every pie in the book." Vani shared brining the topic to neutral ground.
"And what were you doing?" He looked at her with seductive eyes. Maybe she was crazy, maybe she was right, maybe he did respond to her flirting.
"I was in the gluten free kitchen all by myself." She said still trying to remain neutral.
"All alone in the back huh?" He said rubbing his foot on her leg.
"Yep all alone." She choaked a little when she made eye contact with him. There was fire blazing in his gaze that made her body respond.