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Zahra
Scott and I have fallen into a comfortable pattern as the weeks go by. He’s consistent with sending drawings every week, and I’m equally reliable at texting him first almost every day.
But on the rare occasions Scott messages me first, I’m hit with a wave of giddiness. And today, he breaks my happiness meter with a single message alone.
Scott: I saw this and thought of you.
My heart races in my chest, betraying exactly how I feel about Scott thinking about me. I open up the link he sent of a Buzzfeed quiz.
A Which Character From Pride and Prejudice Are You Most Like quiz.
I swear I almost fall out of my chair from swooning so hard. There’s no way he happened to come across this on his own. He must have outright been searching for a conversation starter and thought this was a good option.
I grin as I type up a response.
Me: Did you take it?
Scott: Maybe.
Me: WHO DID YOU GET?
Scott: You want the truth or a lie?
Me: Always the truth.
His text takes a whole ten minutes. I’m afraid I scared him off with my response, but he comes back with a message I wasn’t expecting.
Scott: Elizabeth Be I curl over and laugh until my voice turns hoarse. Me: Honestly, she’s the best character. Scott: She’s a woman. Me: She’s more than JUST a woman. Scott: Obviously or else there wouldn’t be seventeen versions of her story. Scott: Although I’m partial to 2005 Lizzy. My cheeks ache from smiling so hard. Me: You’ve been watching the movies?! Scott: Yes. Scott: But tell a single soul and I’ll find your HP address. I smile at his attempt at a joke. Me: Was that a joke? Scott: If you need to ask, then I failed. I release a heavy laugh. Me: I’m only teasing. I want to pull more information from him. No normal man watches Pride and Prejudice without some ulterior motives, and I have a feeling why. Me: Why did you watch the movie? The dots come and go over and over again before his next message appears. Scott: I was interested in dissecting it from a purely scientific standpoint. Me: You’re such a nerd. Seriously, based on the few facts Scott has shared, I’ve come to picture him as a hot one. I mean the man still has a subscription to National Geographic magazine and watches Jeopardy religiously before bed. If he didn’t drop a few pop culture references and have the same kind of music taste as me, I would’ve thought I was being catfished by a senior citizen. I’m pretty aware that’s still an option on the table, but I’m holding out for the right moment to pressure Scott into meeting me. And today’s conversation is the perfect start. Me: Did you come to any conclusions? His reply is instantaneous. Scott: Yes. You’re just as crazy as I had thought. Scott: But it’s bordering on slightly endearing. In other words, that’s practically a compliment coming from him. The warmth in my chest spreads through my body like a wildfire. I spend the rest of my day thinking about my conversation with Scott. It’s hard not to jump to conclusions about it all, but why else would he watch my favorite movies? All seventeen versions of them? I think Scott might like me. If only he had enough courage like Lizzy to face me. Maybe one day.
If there’s one thing no one should look good wearing, it’s bowling shoes. But of course the man who wears thousand-dollar suits can make clown shoes look designer. When Ani suggested bowling as our first group mentorship activity, I agreed wholeheartedly. I thought a bowling alley would make Rowan uncomfortable enough to drop out of the program. My assumptions were proven wrong the moment Rowan showed up an hour ago with a custom ball and shoes. I’m ninety percent sure he probably bought them at the bowling alley’s store because he couldn’t bear the idea of sharing anything with the general population. I spent an hour hoping he slipped up so I could have the opportunity to prove my other assumptions correct. There’s no way he could be genuinely interested in participating in my pilot program. Right? Wrong. One hundred and ten percent wrong. Rowan is completely different from what I expected. Although he might still be the Burberry polo-shirt-wearing prep, he’s nice to my sister and her boyfriend. And it makes me feel all sorts of things. Ani drops into the plastic seat next to me. “So, Rowan’s cute.” I shoot her a withering glare. “Stop.” A weird feeling sits in the pit of my stomach at the idea of finding Rowan cute. It feels wrong to be interested in him while also feeling a pull toward Scott—like I’m playing around. It adds to the growing nausea every time I find myself zoning in on Rowan tonight. It’s wrong to be attracted to my boss, but it’s despicable to be interested in two guys at the same time. I’d never want to intentionally hurt anyone like that after everything I’ve been through. “But look at him teaching JP how to bowl.” She points at both men standing side by side. Trust me, Ani. That’s all I’ve been doing. Rowan demonstrates how to properly launch a bowling ball and JP copies the movement. I’m still not bored after watching them for the last hour. I shake my head. “Not happening, so whatever you’re pla “I’m not pla “You bring him up during every conversation we have.” She smiles. “I like him.” “Doesn’t mean I have to.” “But you like everyone!” I wince. “Not this one.” “Yeah, right. You blush anytime he looks at you.” “No, I don’t!” She pushes my shoulder. “Do too!” “Why are you staring at me like a creep anyway?” “Because it’s fu “Oh, really?” I blame my mother for teaching Ani to believe in fairy dust and fairy tales from a young age. She taught you the same. “What else do you notice?” “I thought you didn’t like him?” She raises one sassy brow at me. I end up laughing at the expression on her face. Rowan’s eyes co Pins crash in front of us. Ani jumps up and claps her hands as JP dances in place. A hint of a smile graces Rowan’s lips before disappearing. JP pulls Ani into his arms and gives her a kiss on the cheek. It makes my heart melt all over the sticky linoleum floor.
