"Do you always sit in the front row?"
"Hi, Harry," I said as I looked up from my laptop that I had just opened. He stood before me wearing tight black jeans and a lovely purple button-down shirt that was open halfway to reveal some of his chest. I recall this detail because it was the first time I noticed he had tattoos on his chest. I had noticed the ones on his arms the day before, but he had been wearing a black t-shirt.
"Good morning." He removed his backpack from his shoulder and sat in the desk to my right. His eyes looked sleepy, and he ran a hand through his brown curls while he yawned. I tried my best not to gawk at his beauty as I cleared my throat.
"To answer your question, no. I used to always sit further back in school, but I didn't always make the best grades back there. So I'm sitting up front this time."
Harry nodded. "You reckon that will help?"
I shrugged. "Couldn't hurt."
Professor Jacobson wasted no time delving into part two of the lecture he had begun on Monday. It was just the distraction I needed from Harry and his tattooed torso. I typed vigorously, making sure I didn't miss any detail, but I knew it was because if I didn't I might slip up and sneak a peak at the handsome guy to my right. Unfortunately, about fifteen minutes before dismissal, the professor ended his lecture and announced we would have a quiz on Friday. We were allowed to use the rest of the period to study our notes, or we could leave. More than half of the class stood, more than willing to take him up on his offer to leave early. I however had no other place to go besides the snack bar or library for another hour so I was determined to review some of my notes. I felt a tap on my arm as I opened my file from Monday's class.
"Tisa, we need to get together to talk about our first Sociology paper," declared Harry.
"Okay," I nodded. "When and where?"
"Is tonight alright with you? Say, six o'clock? At the library?"
"I can do that," I replied.
"Can I have your number in case something comes up?"
"Sure," I nodded. I told him my cell number as he typed the digits into his. It dawned on me how long it had been since a boy had asked for my number. It felt kind of weird. I then pulled out my cell so I could add Harry to my contacts. I knew for sure it was the first time I'd added a guy's number since I'd met James.
"I have to work both tomorrow and Friday so we should probably go ahead and get started." Harry closed his laptop and shoved it in his backpack.
I nodded again. "Where do you work?"
"Mikado's," Harry smirked. I stifled a giggle. Mikado's is basically a slightly upscale Bennigan's or Chili's.
"I haven't been there in forever," I said, recalling my short-lived single days when I would hang out at the bar with my girlfriends.
"You're not missing anything," Harry laughed. "But hey, it's a job."
"You're a waiter?"
"They call it a server. And sometimes I tend bar."
"Ooh, a bartender. Those are trouble," I shook my head.
Harry chuckled again. "How do you reckon?"
"Oh, you know..." My eyes drifted down to Harry's exposed chest as he leaned toward me, his necklace dangling. I cleared my throat. "Pretty girl walks in, alone or with her girlfriend. Cute bartender starts flirting. Girl gets free drinks. Goes home with said bartender. You know the rest."
Harry sat back in his seat. "No, I don't, but sounds like you do."
"Let's just say I speak from experience, sweetheart." I'm not sure if it was my declaration or my term of endearment that made Harry's smile grow on his angelic face, but I suddenly felt a chill from head to toe. Sometimes I don't know when to keep my mouth shut. Things just tend to fly out unexpectedly, especially when talking to an attractive male. Gosh darn it!
"Hmm, right then," Harry said as he rose, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "I'll see you around six, upstairs in the back near the self-help section."
"Okay." I had no idea where that was, but I was sure I'd find it. I watched Harry walk away in his tight jeans, his shirt grazing over his back and his long hair brushing his broad shoulders. I silently cursed myself for noticing every glorious detail about him.
*
"I still think we should do it on abortion," declared Harry as he leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms over his head.
"No way," I argued. We had been tossing out ideas for the last half-hour to no avail. "I'm not touching that topic with a ten foot pole, at least not right now."
"Why not?"
I sighed as I tapped my pen on my notebook. "I think we need to feel this teacher out first and see how he grades and critiques. I'm not putting all my effort in a controversial issue for my first essay only to have it shut down."
"Alright. How about teen pregnancy? Or teen drinking? I'm sure we could find massive amounts of articles on that."
"Maybe," I said. "But I was thinking about doing something more general like cultural diversity."
"But isn't that what chapter one is all about anyway? How much further can we go with that?" Harry inquired. I think he was getting frustrated with me, and I couldn't blame him. I was beginning to get on my own nerves. I can be very stubborn.
"Well, maybe we could get a bit more specific once we start the research, see what kind of stuff we come up with. If our efforts turn out to be futile, we can go with one of your ideas."
"Right. Good." Harry scratched the back of his head with an exasperated look on his face. Turning his attention to his laptop, he began typing.
"Are you okay with that?" I asked him, feeling the tension.
"Yes, yes it's fine," he answered quickly, waving his fingers in the air but not lifting his eyes from the computer screen. His eyebrows were furrowed which caused a crinkle above his nose. I bit my lip, considering giving him an apology, but decided it was best to let it go for the time being.
We worked in silence for a while, each of us researching online and taking notes. Every so often I would sneak a peek at Harry, his hair threatening to fall over his eyes, a look of deep concentration on his face. He really was a handsome boy. I wondered what his story was, if he had a girlfriend, but quickly shook the thought from my head. Not only was it not my business, but my own marital status made the point moot. Still, I couldn't help but be curious. I might have been married, but I wasn't dead. Obvious beauty is something I have never been able to keep my eyes away from.
Finally breaking the silence, Harry stretched again and said, "You know, this might actually work. I'm finding quite a lot of things on this topic."
"Oh, good." I sat up. "Me too."
"Although I'm thinking..." Harry continued. "What if we narrow it down to, say, the economic value of cultural diversity?"
I nodded. "I like it."
Harry grinned triumphantly which made me laugh out loud. We then discussed our notes and exchanged the links that we had both found. I pulled a couple of books off the shelf that seemed to include some information on our topic, and then we sat down and outlined our paper. By the time we were finished, we had gotten quite a lot done, but had also spent almost four hours at the library. I was exhausted and hungry. I had eaten a small plate of leftovers before leaving home, and now a burger was calling my name.
Harry must have read my mind, or heard my stomach growling. "Tisa, are you hungry? Care to get a bite to eat?"
I grabbed my things and walked with him toward the stairs. "Oh, no thanks, I need to get home."
"Oh that's right," he said, tucking his hair behind his ear. "To your husband." The way he said it made it sound sad. I replied with a tight-lipped smile and a nod.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I stopped at the desk to check out my books. Although I hadn't asked him to, Harry waited for me.
"Maybe you can come to the restaurant sometime," he said in a low voice as we walked to the parking lot.
I grinned, remembering our short conversation earlier. "Maybe so." I knew the possibility of my going to Mikado's was slim, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings.
"Where's your car?" I asked, realizing we were next to mine.
"Oh, I'm parked back there, next to the English building. It's just late and dark and...well I wanted to make sure you were safe." I turned to see him standing with his hands in his pockets, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly in a shy grin.
"How sweet are you?" I almost whispered.
Harry shrugged. I unlocked my car and got in, Harry still standing there. I waved goodbye to him as I backed out. I stopped at a drive-thru on the way home and got a burger. James was asleep when I got home so I ate my food in my room while watching a rerun of The Big Bang Theory. About halfway into it I heard a ping from my phone indicating a text message. Picking it up, I realized it was from Harry.
H: Just making sure you got home safely.
I smiled and felt myself blush. Then I texted him back.
T: Yes I'm home. Thank you.
H: You're welcome. See you in the morning. Sweet dreams.
I giggled and bit my thumbnail. I hesitated before texting again. Why was I so giddy? I shouldn't be reacting this way to a boy. A classmate. A research partner. But he was so nice to walk me to my car and make sure I got home okay. After taking a deep breath, I sent him my reply. And his arrived only seconds later.
T: Goodnight Harry. I'm glad you sat next to me in Sociology :)
H: Me too. x