“Holy shit, E, how did you manage to get hit on by the hottest girl in the city?” Dan guffawed.

I lounged on my bed, playing with a Rubik’s Cube, while he sat in my desk chair.  It was past four in the morning, and everyone else had gone off to bed.  I suppose curiosity got the better of his need for sleep.

“I don’t know.”  I grinned sheepishly.  “I passed her on the subway once, and she came to find me at pub.  I don’t even remember talking to her there, so who knows why she wanted to see me again.”

“Fucking lucky, you ask me.  You’d better sleep with her.”  Dan said.  “I would.”

Ordinarily I would have told Daniel not to talk like that.  Usually, I’d make a dissertation on the need to respect women.  But for once, I didn’t seem to care.

“You going to see her again?”

“Maybe.” I said casually.

“Maybe nothing.  What are you, retarded?”

Ordinarily, I would have lectured on this comment too.  But Dan continued talking.

“Call her Thursday, last minute.  Be all casual, aloof.  See if she wants to hang out this weekend.”

“Why not call her tomorrow?”

“Because you have to be in control, dude.  You don’t chase a girl, you make her wait for you.”

I shrugged.  “You’re the expert.”  I finished the Rubik and put it on the desk.

“Fucking right I am.”  He laughed.

***

Thursday, 10:00 pm.  I dialled and listened to it ring.

“I thought you’d forgotten about me.”  Lil said, teasing.

“No, just been a busy week.”

“Well, I’m glad you found time.  Are you busy tomorrow?”

“Not really.” I said, trying to be cool.

“‘Not really.’ So I guess that means we’re not seeing each other, or you’d say you’re coming out with me.”

I grimaced, not knowing how to handle this social game as well as Daniel.

“That’s not what I meant.  I was trying to say I was available.”

“To anyone, or just me?” She was smiling, I knew.

“You.”  I bit the bullet, knowing Dan would have handled it better.  Or worse.  I still wasn’t sure I understood his point of view.

“Good.  I’ll meet you at the subway station at eight.  Dress nice.”

I went to bed, and then went to my last class on Friday morning.  I ate my meals and studied my books, and wondered why I wasn’t nervous like I used to be with girls.

I stood on the subway platform at the appropriate time, wearing my navy hat and long black coat.  I closed my eyes and felt the wind of the train on my face, opening my eyes as it rolled to a stop.  The edges of my coat billowed in the wind.

Lil stood in the doorway, smiling as it opened.

“Hey stranger.”

“Hi.”  I was bemused.  What were the odds she’d know what door to stand at?

She pulled me into the subway car by grabbing the front of my coat, laughing.

“I saw you through the window and moved down.”  She chuckled, interpreting my no doubt perplexed expression.

“Oh.”  I said.  “But you picked the right car.”

“Okay, maybe it’s fate.” She winked.

We sat down, oblivious of the other passengers.

“I want to ask you something.”  I said.

“Yes?”

“How did you find me?  I mean, that first time, at the pub.”

“That was easy.  I guessed you were a university student and I knew Glendon wasn’t far from where I saw you.  I wasn’t sure I’d find you, but I hoped maybe I’d run into you on campus.”

“I’m glad you did.  But why?”

She smiled coyly.  “A girl has to have some secrets.”

<<Previous Next>>