Page 77 of Drew
When a study room opens, a girl I recognize but can’t quite place steps out. Her face is in her phone, so she doesn’t see me. Before I can say anything to warn her, she bumps into me and nearly falls backward.
“Whoa,” I say as I steady her. “You okay?” I offer as I reach out an arm.
“Oh…” she says in surprise. “Drew. I didn’t see you.”
Shit. I wish I could remember her name. She’s a friend of a girl Grey used to date, but I can’t for the life of me remember her name. Shelby… Shawna…Cheryl…
I don’t know. And it doesn’t really matter. It’s not like I’ve talked to her again since Grey asked DeShawn and me to go on a group date with her and her friends our freshman year.
“It’s so great to see you again, Drew.” She reaches out and places a hand on my arm, but she holds on for much longer than I’m comfortable with. “I was wondering when I’d see you again. It seems like ages ago since we all went out together. What are you up to these days?”
I shrug and politely step back to put some space between us as she eyes me up and down appreciatively. Sure, there was a time I enjoyed my ego being stroked, but now it feels wrong in all sorts of ways. Mainly because she’s not Abby. “Oh, you know… basketball and school.”
“Yeah, I’ve watched you play a few times this season. We have a real chance of going to the playoffs again, thanks to you.”
I shrug it off. “Yeah. It’s a team effort, and we’re making every game count.”
“So…” She eyes me up and down once more. “Do you still have that rule about not dating during the season?”
Thankfully, before I have the chance to respond, Abby comes around the corner, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face as I take her in. Her long hair is piled into a knot on the top of her head, and she’s wearing the sweatshirt she bought at the beach. She couldn’t look sexier if she tried.
“Drew?” the girl before me asks, regaining my attention.
“Sorry.” I clear my throat, and it takes everything in me not to eat up the space between Abby and me. “Uh… what did you ask?”
She lets out a huff in exasperation. “I asked,” she says a little louder than necessary, “if you still have that rule of no dating during the season.”
“Nope,” Abby exaggerates from behind the girl, whom I still can’t remember the name of, then gives me a devilish smile. “Drew’s most certainly given up that rule.”
The girl before me gasps then turns to look at Abby. I’m not sure if it’s due to being startled or Abby’s announcement. But I absolutely love how Abby just stakes her claim on me. Damn, feistiness makes me want to kiss that grin off her beautiful face.
The girl asks in disbelief, “And you are?”
Abby holds out her hand to shake. “I’m Abby,” as if that should explain everything. Well, to me it does. The girl between us—not so much.
The girl looks back and forth, and her mouth hangs slightly ajar, not quite jaw dropping, but nowhere near stoic either. If it wouldn’t be considered rude, I’d almost laugh at her fish impression. “Uh,” she huffs. “I thought you said you didn’t date during the season.” She looks back and forth between me and Abby.
I just shrug. There’s no reason I must explain myself in this situation. Obviously, things have changed, but before I can say so, I’m interrupted, “What’s she got that I didn’t?” she asks, and I’m not certain she meant to say it aloud.
So that there can be no uncertainty, I reach my hand out to Abby and pull her near me, like the Neanderthal I am and boldly state, “Me.”
The girl doesn’t say another word but swivels on her heels and storms off in the opposite direction, leaving Abby and me to stare at her retreating back.
“What the hell was that all about?” Abby asks when the girl walks around the corner.
I shake my head in disbelief of the whole scene. “I have no freaking idea. I met her freshman year, and we hung out in a group one time. I honestly don’t even remember her name. All we did was talk one night in a restaurant during dinner. I haven’t seen her since. Why in the world would she think I would suddenly be interested in her is beyond me.”
“I saw the entire thing as I approached. Does this happen to you often?” Abby sounds almost playful, and I’m glad she knows without a doubt nothing was going on.
“Uh, I can’t say that experience… or whatever you’d call it… has happened. I’m glad you showed up when you did.”
“Awww.” Abby pretends to pout like a small child. “Is Drew afraid of a little ole’ girl hitting on him?”
Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. “Okay, Angel, that’s enough. Are you ready to study, or what?” Having no desire to continue this conversation, I grab my backpack, throw it over my shoulder, and reach for Abby’s hand. “Point me to our study room, and let’s get to it.”
Yeah, I don’t miss the exaggerated eye roll, but thankfully, Abby leads us three doors down to the left. Damn, she’s adorable. When she’s on a mission, it’s like her legs move in hyper speed. Once inside, I choose the chair furthest in the room, and Abby sits at the table across from me. She gets right to work on pulling out her material and spreading them out on the desk, so she can be the most productive.
I go through the process of pulling out my laptop and notebook I’ve been using to conduct my research for my paper that’s due later this week. We finished our chem assignment yesterday, but not wanting to lose any time I can spend with her, we’ve made it a routine to study a few times a week on campus after she gets off work.
