I was sitting at the coffee stand, waiting for Christie, when Kingsley walked over to me.
“Hey, babe,” he greeted, and leaned down to give me a kiss.
“Hi,” I replied, smiling, hoping to push Jason from my mind.
“I know you’re probably a little upset because of the other day, so I have a plan. Tomorrow night, pack an overnight bag and be ready at around five.”
“You don’t have to keep surprising me. I promise you, buying me things and going over the top like this isn’t necessary. I just want to spend some time with you.” I reached out and took his hand.
He kissed my hand and smiled at me. “I have money and it’s okay if I spend some of it on you. Just accept it and look beautiful tomorrow. Let me spoil you so you don’t have to worry about anything.”
How could I say no to that? This was the Kingsley I was falling in love with. This considerate man who took the time to plan excursions with me, who wanted to be with me and only me, who wasn’t in love with another woman.
“Sounds great. Is there anything specific I should wear?”
“No, babe. Listen, you always look perfect, though maybe just don’t wear jeans. But even if you do, you’ll still look beautiful on my arm.”
“Aww, you make me blush. You’re sweet.”
He kissed me on the forehead and then smiled.
“I have to go. I’m meeting up with Karen to talk about her cousin and the funeral.”
“Do you want me to come with you to the funeral? I don’t mind,” I insisted.
“No, no. I don’t want you to feel like you have to or anything like that. I don’t even know when it is or even if I’ll be going. You know, since I wasn’t family, I might not be able to go.” He got up and waved goodbye before I could say anything else.
I stared at his back as he walked away and couldn’t sway the feeling that something about what he said wasn’t right. But I couldn’t focus on that. He’d given me no real reason to doubt him.
With a sigh, I turned my head and looked out the window. What I saw completely distracted me from Kingsley.
Christie was now Biker Chick Barbie. I watched as she climbed off of some guy’s bike and handed him the extra helmet she had been wearing. She shook her hair out and waved goodbye to him, giving a whole lot of shake to her walk as she headed into school.
I waved as soon as she saw me. Christie held up a finger and went to order a coffee. While I waited, I texted Violet to see how she was doing.
Armed with her drink, Christie sat down across from me. “So, what’s going on?” she asked, feigning innocence.
“No, no, explain to me what you were doing climbing off some guy’s bike. Is Rob in town or something?”
She turned red as her lipstick and smiled awkwardly. “Okay, so, it really isn’t that big of a deal. I was parking my car to go to my first class and it was, like, the day from hell. My bag ripped and my laptop fell out. It smashed and then I cut my hand trying to pick it up.” She held up her bandaged hand and grimaced a little.
“Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’ll live. It isn’t really deep. But anyway, I didn’t have anything to wrap it up with, and the rest of my stuff was still everywhere, so I just sat down on the ground for a minute, cringed, and then took my jacket off so I could wrap my hand and get all my things. As I was about to do that, Shane, the guy who tried to steal my coffee, walked up and handed me a white t-shirt. He was like, ‘It would be a shame to ruin such a nice jacket.’ Then he wrapped my hand up tight and grabbed the rest of my things.”
“Aww, how gentlemanly. Then what happened? I still don’t see how you ended up on the bike.”
“Well, I thanked him, obviously, and started bitching about how shit everything was and then I decided I just didn’t want to go to class. I was over today. So he suggested we go for a ride. Shane told me that nothing relaxes you like taking a ride or driving fast. And I don’t know what happened, I just jumped on the bike. I held onto his waist and his abs were tight as anything and I don’t know. I felt a hum go through me as we flew down the road.”
Christie was staring off as if she was still on the bike. I had never seen her like that. It was as if she were in a different world. One that left her without sarcasm or a witty retort. Instead, she looked happy.
“And that’s it? He let you off the back of his bike and nothing came of it? Really?”
“What do you want me to say? My boyfriend is down south, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to cheat on him with Shane. I just wanted to have some fun every now and then.”
“Shouldn’t you and your boyfriend have fun?”
She looked at me and was filled with sadness. “We have fun. It’s just more adult fun. To him, talking about the wedding and baby names is fun. And sure, thinking about that stuff is fun for a while. The problem is, it’s really close. Like, I won’t be able to drink at my bachelorette party soon.”
I took what she said under consideration and thought about Kingsley. Maybe I was a little too hasty in thinking he was the one for me. I should probably ease off that a bit and just enjoy being with him. I should be a bit more like Violet and live day to day.
“Well, you looked good on the back of that bike, very Sons of Anarchy Barbie. Did you decide to go to class after all?”
“Oh, no, that class was over a while ago. I just wanted to meet up with you.”
“Good, I could use a favor.”
“What’s up?”
“EET is having the karaoke competition tomorrow and I’m supposed to help and take attendance as to which volunteers show up. But…Kingsley invited me out tomorrow night, and after the fight the other day, I really want to spend some time with him.” I smiled and tried to give her my best begging eyes.
“No problem. Will Violet be there?”
“She should, since this is one of the events that she helped organize. Some things have happened with the guy who attacked her. He has someone leaving her creepy notes about watching her and stuff, so she may be a little upset about that.”
“Oh god, yeah, I’ll be there. No stress. I mean, I hope she’s there, because that would mean everything is fine, but I can definitely help if it isn’t. Though, I might drag her there. She’s always going on about how she needs distractions. Watching someone sing a Britney Spears song would certainly fit the bill.”
“Please make sure someone records it if you guys perform.”
“Oh, hell yes. We’re going to need it for her wedding video one day.”
“I like that twisted mind of yours.” We toasted to that and took a big sip of coffee.
We talked a bit more about EET and then parted ways. I needed to get back to my room and pack for tomorrow. Plus, I wanted to check on Violet again.
Turned out, she definitely didn’t need my help.
“It all just became too much,” she told me on the phone. “I took a cab over to David’s and we’re just enjoying each other’s company.”
“Ew, I know what that means.”
“Shut up, that’s not what I meant.”
“Yeah, it probably is exactly what you’re talking about, you nympho. Are you planning to go to EET tomorrow?”
“So far. I mean, it would look bad if both David and I weren’t there, so we are definitely going to make an appearance.”
“Great. Kingsley planned this whole thing for me so I won’t be able to go, but Christie is going to stop by to help.”
“Aww, but what about our love song duet?”
“I was never getting up there to sing anyway.”
“Fine, but don’t get jealous when Christie’s and my relationship gets serious. Backstreet Boys ballads have a way of bringing people together.”
“I’ll plan the wedding.”
We said goodbye and then I tried to pack with the lack of direction from Kingsley. We definitely needed to talk about his inability to consider my packing problems. I overpacked on a good day, not knowing where we were going, what we were going to do, or anything else totally made it worse. All I knew was that we’d be spending the night.
***
Kingsley sent me a text saying he would pick me up around four, so I had a lot of time to do some of my homework. At around noon, I grabbed some lunch and brought it back to my room so I could finish.
I was wrapping my sandwich up in a to-go box when I heard someone call my name. Jason was standing there awkwardly.
“Hey,” he mumbled, looking down at his feet.
“Hi,” I replied, and focused on the fact that I couldn’t close the freaking box.
He reached out and took it from me, closing it in one swift motion. “Look, I texted Violet to see where you were, and she told me you were in your dorm. I went there and, obviously, you weren’t home so I took a shot that you’d be in here. I want to talk about yesterday.”
I almost instantly closed off and held my hand out, stopping him. “I get it. It was a mistake and it shouldn’t have happened. We don’t need to talk about it at all. I won’t tell Janice or anything, so let’s just try to be friends and move on.”
“The truth is I can’t just be friends with you anymore. That’s not what I want. I decided.”
I felt as if the wind had been knocked out of me. I needed him as a friend. God, I was such an idiot. I knew if something like this happened, it’d ruin our friendship. “You can’t just spring this on me in the cafeteria while you’re holding my takeout box.”
“Why not? Do you want me to scream it to everyone in here? Should I take you to an expensive dinner and have them spell it out on a cake? Tell me what I need to do and I’ll do it. I want to be with just you, and not as friends.”
He took the hand that wasn’t holding the food, and stroked the back of it with his thumb. “Come on, Annabelle, let’s give this a try.”
“I’m with Kingsley. We’re going out tonight. What do you want me to do? Cancel with him and be with you?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I want you to do. I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me this isn’t what you want too. Come on, Annabelle. We’ve been dancing around this for months now. Let’s just be together.”
“It doesn’t work like that for me. I don’t bounce around. I’m with Kingsley and I’m not trying to hurt him. He cares about me. You’ve been with Janice forever. This is probably just some phase you’re going through.”
Jason let go of my hand and shoved his in his pocket. “Listen, I know this isn’t a phase. Violet even knows it’s not a phase. I’m sure she’s been nagging you about this as much, or even more, than she’s been bothering me. After the kiss, I thought about what I really wanted and it wasn’t Janice. To be honest, it hasn’t been Janice for a while.”
I stared at him. This was what I wanted to hear the other day. I wanted him to tell me all these things but something was stopping me. I didn’t have a label to put on it just yet, but it didn’t feel right. Something about this seemed off. Maybe it was too late. I did have feelings for Kingsley.
“Jason…”
“Look, it took me some time to sort all of this out for myself. I want you to be happy, and if he is what makes you happy, then that’s fine. But my feelings for you aren’t just going away. I’ll be here when you realize we were made for each other. I don’t even care how long it takes.”
I thought about Christie’s conversation earlier and my heart started to race. I didn’t want a soul mate just yet. It was all becoming too much.
“Jason, I can’t do this right now.” I started to walk away, attempting to control my body from shaking. Why was it when the girls in movies got the dramatic declaration they always seem so happy? What about the day after the declaration? And the day after that? What happened when Jason realized I wasn’t Janice? I’d lose one of my best friends. If Violet sided with him, I’d lose her too. No, I couldn’t do it.
Jason grabbed my arm before I could make it out of the cafeteria.
“What, Jason?” I asked him, completely deflated.
“You forgot your food.” He handed me the box and grazed my fingers in the process. I felt a surge of something flow through me and I looked up into his eyes.
I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out.
“Shhh,” he said, putting his finger to his lips. “You don’t need to speak just yet. Think it all over. I’ll be here if you change your mind. Will I see you tonight at the karaoke party?”
“Uh, no. I told you, I’m going out with Kingsley tonight.” I looked down and shifted my weight, a little embarrassed.
“Right, sorry. Well, have fun. You know you can call me if you ever need anything.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I nodded and then headed back to my room.
***
I didn’t know what to say about Jason. I could barely concentrate on my homework. Eventually, I gave up and went to take a shower and get ready to see Kingsley. I grabbed my shower stuff and then looked out the window to think about what I was going to wear. A small smile spread across my face. The smallest flakes of snow were beginning to fall. I always felt good about snow. It was like a sign that I made the right decision to stick with Kingsley. I was reminded of our winter festival date and all the gushy feelings I had that day came rushing back to me. Then I thought of the blindfold. I grabbed one of my darker scarves and tossed it into my bag. Maybe this would help to excite things.
I got out of the shower and got ready. Kingsley texted me saying he was running a little late. I sat on the bed and tried to wait. Waiting was awful. I didn’t want to sit and have time to think. Before I could help it, I was making a list of Jason’s flaws and Kingsley’s flaws. I couldn’t figure out why I started with the flaws. It may have had something to do with the fact that their attributes were almost constantly on my mind. Kingsley was so tender whenever he touched me and it felt so good. But then again, Jason’s eyes had the ability to stop me in my tracks. Kingsley was spontaneous and always up for an adventure, while Jason was sturdy and reliable.
The more I thought about it, the harder it was for me to actually make a decision as to what I wanted. Kingsley sent me a message and told me that he was here so I left my room and that decision behind me. Maybe this date would help answer some questions for me.
I climbed into his SUV and he gave me a little peck on the cheek.
“You look beautiful,” Kingsley told me as he looked over my dark peacoat, burgundy dress, black tights, and black boots. I had wanted to look nice for him and it seemed I’d made the right decision. He looked like he’d stepped out of a catalog for men’s wear and I fought to keep from swooning. Under his stylish jacket, I could tell he was wearing a nice green button-down and black slacks. His hair was gelled in front and he was clean shaven. When he gave me a light kiss, I inhaled his cologne. The intense evergreen smell was intoxicating. But it was the expression of adoration in his eyes that really did me in. I’d never question whether or not he cared for me.
“Thank you. I wasn’t sure what to wear, so I just settled on this. Where are we going?”
“Well, I thought we could have a nice dinner and then a little something else.” Kingsley reached behind him and pulled out a box wrapped with a beautiful bow. “I got this for you, babe.”
“I told you, you didn’t have to get me anything,” I cooed while I quickly opened the present. As I lifted the lid, I blushed from head to toe, but I was really excited. A crimson pair of panties and matching bra were sitting in the box. It was almost the same set I had worn the other night.
“You told me your other set made you feel confident, and I said I’d buy you more. This is just the first of many to come, I hope.”
“But how did you know my size?” I asked after looking at the tags.
“I called Violet. She had a good idea, so I hope it fits. If it doesn’t, then we blame her.”
“No,” I said, and reached out to stroke his thigh. “This will make tonight perfect.” I bit my lip a little and felt the fabric between my fingers. It was silky smooth and I was kind of itching to put it on. I actually thought about climbing into the backseat like I did with Christie but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I could always change later. Or maybe I could just do it now.
Kingsley started the car, and was about to pull out of the parking lot but I stopped him. “I want to run back up to my room and put this on.” I reached to open the door, but he stopped me.
“Actually, now that you said it was the right size, I would like to get to the restaurant. You can just put it on for me later.” He drove out of the parking lot and that was that. I closed the lid on the box and placed it in the backseat.
“So, did you get called in yesterday?”
“Yeah, but luckily it was just a very minor thing. We finished quickly.”
“Oh, that’s great. What else did you do?”
“Well, when I left you, I went back to campus and hung out with Karen because we still had some things to do.”
“What were you guys doing? Should I be worried?” It felt a little ridiculous for me to feel jealous. Jason had just asked me to be with him, and here I was trying to act like that never happened and judge Kingsley for doing the same thing. “No, you don’t need to tell me. I understand that you and she had a lot to worry about with her cousin’s death. I trust you.”
“Aren’t you the mature one? I like you like this.” He took my hand and kissed the back of it. I smiled from ear to ear and listened to him continue to talk about how influential he was in stopping the fire last night.
When we got to the restaurant, Kingsley helped me out of the SUV and we walked inside hand in hand. It looked fancy, really fancy. The kind of fancy that made you want to stand up a little straighter, check your teeth for lipstick, and be on your best behavior. I had never been to a place this elegant before and tried to make a mental note to hold my pinky up when I drank.
“Mr. Kingsley, it is so nice to see you again,” the maître d’ exalted when we walked in.
“Thank you, Peter. This is my girlfriend, Annabelle.”
He took my hand and made a show of kissing my knuckles.
“Nice to meet you,” I replied delicately.
“Your table is ready, and the chef has already started your order.” Peter took us to a dramatic booth with red plush seats, a strong oak table, and crystal glasses. The cloth napkins weren’t wrapped around silverware, they were in a dramatic fold design that looked nothing like a cheesy swan and everything like an elaborate flower. The several pieces of silverware were placed around the plate and I felt a little like Vivian in Pretty Woman, but I didn’t even know which one was the salad fork. I was completely impressed and slightly uncomfortable.
We took our seats and Peter filled our water cups before leaving.
“I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for us. I just love this one dish and I’d hate for you to miss out on it,” Kingsley insisted, practically bouncing with excitement.
“How does everyone know you here?”
“My dad worked as their lawyer when there was a huge scandal here. After that, my family stops by every now and then. They always treat us like royalty since we kept the owner out of jail.”
“Well, who doesn’t like being treated like a princess?” I grabbed my water glass and took a sip. To be honest, all of this special treatment made me feel a little sleazy. Why was the owner almost in jail? Was this restaurant a mob front? It seemed awfully nice to be catering to two college kids. But I was probably just trying to displace my agitation. This was definitely something I hoped I could get used to when I wasn’t so frazzled.
“So, this dinner, we’re going to have the most tender steak you’ve ever tasted, with some delicious steamed vegetables, a baked potato, and this amazing sauce. I don’t even know what’s in it, but seriously, it will change your world.”
“I am not the biggest steak fan, in all honesty. I think I mentioned it on our first date.” I felt terrible but it was the truth.
“I know, but you haven’t had this steak. When you said that, I knew I had to take you here and prove to you that you actually do like steak.”
Forcing a smile, I took a big sip of water and tried to bite back my retort. How could I change my tastes? That just didn’t seem to make sense. But for Kingsley, I could at least try it. Besides, I didn’t want to waste the food.
We talked a bit more about classes until dinner came. I was nervous as I tried the steak. It was awful and crazy chewy. I took a few more bites but I just couldn’t stomach it anymore. Instead, I switched to the vegetables, which were a little mushy. I did manage to get those down. The saving grace was the baked potato—it was amazing. As I inhaled it, Kingsley seemed to notice the giant piece of steak sitting alone on my plate.
“Seriously, you’ve barely touched it. How can you even tell that you don’t like it if you don’t give it a chance?”
“I gave it a chance. I had, like, three bites and it’s just too chewy. I can’t take the consistency. Really, I can’t eat it.”
“That’s such a waste.”
“I know, but I told you I didn’t like it,” I insisted.
“I don’t want to fight with you. Let’s just take it with us and maybe you can try it again later.”
I sighed and let it go. We ordered some dessert, but the table was pretty quiet. I wasn’t fond of how he was kind of ignoring my opinion but I didn’t want to make a big deal about it and ruin the night. Instead, I forced a smile and looked over at him.
“Babe, I don’t want to fight anymore. We’re just not going to get into this now. I have more of a surprise for you. Would you like to hear about our night?”
“Sure,” I replied, trying not to be so nervous.
“How does a hotel suite with a hot tub bath, a fluffy bedspread, and pillows that make you feel as if you were sleeping on a cloud sound?”
“That sounds amazing. I feel like I can put the gift in the car to good use.”
He smiled at me and gave me a little wink. “Then let’s get the check and head out.”