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At first her eyes roll, but then I see a fire light up in them. Maybe that isn’t the craziest idea. He has taken his time going back to Dani, but if there is a challenge, he may feel the urgency for them to be reunited sooner. They both know they are destined to be together.
“I’m going to have to think this over. I just don’t know.”
“This isn’t a flat out ‘no’, right? You’ll at least consider it?”
“Yeah, I’ll consider it…let’s talk again tomorrow.” She picks up her backpack and slings it over her shoulder.
“Thanks, Dani, I appreciate that. Until tomorrow then.”
I decide to sit and gather my thoughts, and my mind starts to spin. Just over a week ago my life had a predictable pattern. Every day blended into the next, like a loop of animation being repeated again and again. Now, the loop has torn, and the film is flapping under the hot light of the projector. I have no idea how the next scenes are going to play. The result is a mix of exhilaration and terror. At this point, all I can do I keep the projector ru
Animate Me / Chapter Six / Yoga Pants
“It’s very hard to be brave when you’re only a very small animal.” ~Wi
“Soooo…” she says, gri
I hand over her coffee and today’s cup illustration is one that only the two of us would understand. It’s two ends of a USB cord meeting for the first time. They have little cartoon faces on them with mustaches and outie plug heads. They’re both looking at each other with concerned looks and question marks floating over their heads.
Male to male co
“How did what go?” I ask.
“Your date with Dani. Did you kiss?”
I’m embarrassed, but I try to keep my cool. “Oh, we didn’t have a date. We just talked. There was definitely no kiss.”
“Oh.” She looks surprised. I can’t tell if I’m reading her wrong but she looks kind of pleased that she’s the only one I’ve really kissed.
I hold up the cup in front of her so she can see the drawing. Her resulting laugh lightens up the room. “You should at least do these drawings on the cup sleeve, you know. Then at least I could flatten them out and keep them.”
“Oh, you want to keep my cup art,” I tease, hardly able to contain my thrill.
She walks over to one of her built-in cabinets and pulls open the door, then does a Va
“You’re making me feel special.”
“Well, your custom Starbucks cups make me feel special,” she teases back, but I know she means it.
I tip my head down embarrassed, despite the fact that her words make me really happy.
I suddenly feel the energy change in the room, and I turn to see Arnauld in the doorway, leaning against the door jam with his arms folded. He speaks to Brooke like I’m not even there.
“Ready to go over the presentation?”
“Sure, but first, say hi to my friend, Nathan. He’s the animator I told you about on Joel’s team.”
“One of the beavers.” Arnauld snickers. “Hey man, thanks for fixing Brooke’s computer.” He nods at me in that manly, confident way that reeks of masculinity. He’s one of those guys that knows how good-looking he is, and expects everyone to appreciate it. What a schmuck.
“Sure, it was no big deal,” I reply quietly. This is painfully uncomfortable. “I’ll see you later, Brooke.”
“Okay, thanks Nathan.”
When I pass Arnauld, he nods his head again, but all the while he is watching Brooke with a look in his eye. It feels territorial, and I hold my breath until I’ve stepped out of her office.
Morgan gives me that damn knowing look, like I just got caught with my hand in the cookie jar. Well, don’t worry Morgan, I sure didn’t get any cookies today.
• • •
The next day Dani and I slip into a conference room for a private moment. Now that she’s had some time to mull over my request, I’m nervous she’s going to turn me down.
“Do I have to kiss you?”
Leave it to Dani to be thorough. My mind starts imagining different scenarios, and I’m not sure how to answer her.
“I don’t think so, but maybe.”
“Do I have to sleep with you?”
“God, no. The worst it would be is some type of PDA, you know public display of affection.”
“How long are we talking here? It can’t be some ambiguous time frame. We need a firm start date and end date for these shenanigans.”
“Does this mean you’re going to do it?” I ask, hopeful.
“What can I say? I’m a sucker for the underdog. Besides I get a really good feeling about that Brooke, and Arnauld is an asshole. He doesn’t deserve her. You, on the other hand, are one of the good guys. You’re definitely worthy of her.”
“Oh, Dani,” I give her one of my stiff hugs. “Thanks so much.”
She looks at her watch. “Today is the twenty-fourth. You have eight weeks. On the twenty-fourth, month after next, I turn into a pumpkin, so you better be done by then. Agreed?”
I nod nervously. The clock’s ru
At lunch time, we head over to Outer Limits, our local comic shop that’s walking distance from the studio. I’ve been so distracted by Brooke that I’m actually behind with my reading. Spiderman could have had a love tryst with the Green Lantern, and I wouldn’t have even known it.
Billie looks happy when we burst through the door because the Sketch Republic crowd means money in the cash register.
“So, you finally show up. What’s the matter Nathan, don’t you love me anymore?” Billie drapes herself over the trading card case and pouts her lips. She knows how to fluster me.
“Of course I do,” I mumble, trying to be cute, but from me it sounds awkward and insincere. It doesn’t help that Andy pushes me towards her, and the guys are chuckling. All of them have a thing for beautiful Billie, but for some reason I’m her favorite.
“You didn’t visit me last week and I missed you so.”
“Missed me, or my wallet?” I surprise myself by challenging her.
“Well… your wallet. But only just a little bit more. It’s true that your open wallet is one of the reasons I put up with you.”
Yeah, that’s Billie.
“Hey Billie, is that a new tattoo?” Joel asks stepping closer. I can’t imagine how he would notice it from several feet away considering that both her arms are entirely covered with tattoos. I didn’t think she had any space left. But she lifts and twists her arm and shows off Wonder Woman deflecting bullets with her silver cuffs.
“Wonder Woman kicks ass,” moans Andy. “That’s so hot.”
“Glad you like it,” she purrs, admiring it herself. She looks at me and winks. “Hey guys did you see that Nathan’s new issue of B-Girl in Wildsville is in?”
“Is that the one with B-Girl painting a ladder to climb out of the maze of doom?” Joel asks. “I remember Nathan working on that one.”
“That’s it,” she confirms. “Now go young warriors, and seek many treasures.”
They take off different directions throughout the store while I linger behind. “Thanks Billie. It’s no surprise that your store sells so many copies of my books.”
“Don’t get too full of yourself, dude, I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t love it. B-Girl is the bomb. You keep it up and she’ll be my next tatt.”
“Well, I’d be very honored. I’m sure I’ll be extra inspired when I work on tonight’s pages.”
Dani brings the latest Sailor Moon manga graphic novel up to the register.
“Hey Billie,” she says, pulling out her wallet.