Providence

Chapter Two Invitation(s)

“It’s raining again,” Kim grumbled. “That’s something new and different.” She lit her cigarette and jostled her knees back and forth to ward off the cold. I gave her a disapproving look. “What?” she asked.

“That’s really disgusting. My father smoked cigars. I just don’t get the appeal.”

She shrugged. “There is no appeal. I’m a non-conformist.”

“You’re a masochist,” I said, rolling my eyes.

We waited outside for Beth to finish her class, planning to kidnap her to the nearest coffee shop off campus. A group of students emerged in mass exodus, and I scanned each face. I noticed a shaggy-haired boy break away from the river of students and smile at Kim.

“Hey, Josh,” Kim said.

“Hey, Kimmie. Did you get the calculus homework finished?”

Kim shrugged. “I’ll do it before class.”

Josh’s friends meandered closer to us and talked among themselves.

“Nina, this is Josh. We went to high school together in Quincy. He wants to be me when he grows up,” Kim teased, playfully punching him in the arm.

Josh laughed and shook my hand. “Only if I get to wear a hat like that.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Josh.”

Josh pointed to each of his friends. “Tucker…Chad…Ryan.”

Tucker and Chad nodded in typical boy fashion, but Ryan reached his hand out, first to Kim and then to me.

“Hi… hi,” he said to each of us. His eyes lingered on me for a moment.

“So, we’re going to The Gate later for pizza if you want to come,” Josh said.

“We’ve already made plans with another girlfriend of ours, but maybe next time,” Kim said.

Josh nodded and Chad followed him as he left. Ryan stayed for just a moment and then trailed behind them.

Kim looked at me with her eyebrows raised. “Well. Who says there’s no such thing as love at first sight?”

“Quit it,” I murmured.

Beth joined us a few moments later.

“It’s about time! Gah!” Kim said in her typical dramatic fashion.

Beth laughed. “Who’s he?” she asked just as Ryan turned to look at us again.

“Ryan. Friend of a friend. Isn’t he dreamy?” Kim said as she nestled against Beth’s shoulder.

“You’re so…weird!” Beth giggled, pushing Kim away.

Beth and I huddled under an umbrella while Kim walked in the rain unaffected. We reached Kim’s elderly Sentra and climbed in, Beth taking the back seat. Kim pretended to say a little prayer and turned the ignition. After a few sickly whirring noises, the engine erupted and Beth clapped.

“Thank you. Thank you,” Kim said, ducking her head in little bows.

We crowded the counter and Beth and Kim both scanned the menu.

“I’ll have a Grande Café Misto, please.” I heard Kim sigh beside me. Unlike me, she refused to have the same drink twice.

I settled into my chair, cupping my drink with both hands. The wind and rain had picked up, and was intermittently beating against the large glass window. Just as Beth sat beside me, the bell above the door clanged and I automatically glanced up.

It was him.

Beth noticed me staring past her and she twisted to see Jared walking to the counter. “Are you okay, Nina?” she asked.

Kim sat down and traded glances with Beth, then pivoted in her seat to see what I couldn’t peel my eyes from.

The girl behind the counter cooed. “Well, if it isn’t Jared Ryel. Long time no see. How have you been?”

“Things are good, Katie. I’ll have the usual,” he replied, indifferent to her flirting.

By the time Jared casually turned our way all three of us were staring at him. I was expecting an uncomfortable expression at our gawking, but he smiled.

“Who is that?” Beth asked, clearly impressed.

“That’s Jared,” Kim said, leaning in and grinning from ear to ear.

“Jared. Who’s J —?” Beth whispered.

“Sssh!” I hissed.

“Nina?” Jared called. I thought I detected uncertainty in his voice.

As soon as his eyes met mine, I immediately felt lost. As usual, Kim saved me.

“You must be Jared,” Kim said with an impish grin.

“I am,” he confirmed, slowly walking the few feet to our table.

“I’m Kim,” she reached over and took his hand, shaking it vigorously and not at all lady-like.

“It’s…nice to meet you,” Jared said, glancing at her briefly before returning his eyes to mine. Confusion draped over his face, and he leaned his head a few inches to the side before speaking to me. “Is everything all right here?”

From my peripheral I could see Beth’s eyebrows press together and her eyes shift to me, confused by Jared’s behavior.

“Everything’s great,” I murmured, setting my cup on the table. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been…fine. Am I interrupting?”

Kim’s loud voice rose an octave. “Of course not! Would you like to join us?”

Jared looked at me for a moment and I smiled at him, waiting. I felt a strange adrenaline rush; afraid he would say yes and terrified he would say no.

He looked back to Kim and sighed. “I should be going.”

“Couldn’t you stay? Just for a minute?” I asked, hopeful.

Jared sighed with what sounded like relief. He looked around him and then pulled a chair to our table. I couldn’t contain the excitement I felt and my mouth instantly spread into a smile.

“How could I say no to that?” he asked. I felt my ears get hot.

“Yes, she’s very persuasive,” Kim said flatly, eyeing me.

I ignored her to introduce both of them properly. “Jared, Kim Pollock. Kim…Jared Ryel. And this is my roommate, Bethany Layne.”

Jared extended his hand across the table and briefly shook Beth’s hand.

She smiled. “It’s just Beth.”

Jared nodded. “Nice to meet you, Beth.”

“So…how do you know each other?” Beth asked.

“I got her a cab,” he said, smiling at me.

“He did. The night of Jack’s….we shared a cab,” I said, trying to keep the conversation on Jared instead of the circumstances.

“Oh,” Beth said. I could see the confusion on her face. It occurred to me that I would have quite a bit of explaining to do later.

“And we had lunch,” Jared added.

“You did?” Kim asked, turning to me for confirmation.

Jared chuckled. “I can see it was interesting enough to share.”

I fingered the lid of my coffee cup. “He introduced me to that Blaze place on Thayer. It was really good.”

“I think it was the company more than anything,” Jared said, his eyes softening.

“Sounds like you two had a great time,” Beth chirped. She had gotten over the fact that I hadn’t let her in on the news and had become slightly over-enthusiastic.

“We did,” he said, his eyes focused on mine. “It was good to see you again, Nina, but I have to get going.” He stood up and returned the chair to its proper place. I stiffened. I wanted to ask him when I would see him again, but couldn’t find the courage. I settled for relaying my feelings with a disappointed frown.

To my relief, he noticed.

“I’ll see you soon,” he reassured me, amused at my deflated expression.

“Good,” I nodded once.

He strode out just as marvelously as he came in, and I crumpled into the back of my chair. My muscles complained, I hadn’t noticed I was so tense. I sipped my coffee and took a deep, relaxing breath.

I had gone from never knowing he existed to inexplicably running into him. My life was suddenly full of these little miraculous surprises, moments I was finding so much happiness in that I was already wondering when the next one would come.

My friends’ eyes bored into me. I looked up, conscious of their burning curiosity.

“Yes?” I prompted, smiling innocently.

“Oh please, Nigh. Like you’re not swimming in your own freakily potent pheromones right now,” Kim said.

“He’s really cute,” Beth added.

“I guess…if you like the type,” I mused, trying to keep my cool.

“If…?” Beth cried. “You mean the well-dressed, gorgeous, movie-star type that is polite and interested in you? You mean that type?”

Kim laughed. “You are being ridiculously calm about this, considering while he was here you had the personality of a clam.”

“I did not!”

“She could have shot coffee out of her nose and he still would have stayed,” Beth giggled.

“He’s not cute. He’s angelic,” I sighed, dwelling on every detail of him.

Kim joined Beth’s giggling and all three of us erupted in laughter.

Over the next few days, every time I stepped off campus I watched for him. Beth and I went for coffee more than once, and I was shamefully preoccupied. I would answer when prompted and nod my head in the acceptable places of conversation, but we both knew I was anticipating my next moment with Jared.

I couldn’t believe how annoying I’d become over a man I barely knew. I was not one of those girls who became wrapped up in such things, and truth be told I lost patience easily with those that did. When I caught myself searching for him in every store, every restaurant and coffee shop I frequented, a scolding was in order.

Five days of this ridiculous behavior paid off.

The sun disappeared behind the horizon as Beth and I waited by pump four of Eastside Shell gas station. I yawned out of boredom, listening to the pump clicking with every dollar put in. Beth wrinkled her nose at the smell and I mirrored her expression.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing. I just love this smell and you look like you just took a whiff of an Oklahoma pig farm. Bringing back harsh memories?”

“Hilarious.” She looked up and a large grin spread across her face.

“And I thought you were going to be a poor sport,” I said, surprised at her expression.

“Hi, Jared,” Beth said, smug.

I flipped around and there he was, standing on the other side of the pump looking just as stunned and elated as I felt.

“This is getting spooky,” Jared said.

“Hi to you, too,” I said, letting my delight to see him show.

“How are classes going?” he asked.

“Good. How’s business?” I smiled. I’m getting better at this, thank God, I thought. I finally felt somewhat normal around him.

“It’s a good day,” he said, smiling his incredible smile. It absolutely was. “That’s a nice car,” he gestured with a nod.

“Thanks.”

One of the few grandiose things my father had purchased for me was my white BMW. He had bought it as a graduation present, and aside from the Peridot and diamond ring he had bought for my sixteenth birthday, it was my most prized possession. Normally I didn’t put much stock in the ostentatious things my father purchased, but this was special; it had been given with the proud-father expression that I relished.

“Going somewhere?” I asked.

“Why?” He cocked his head, confused at my question.

“You look like you’re headed to a hot date or something.”

He laughed. “No…no date. How about you? Anyone forcing strange cuisine on you this evening?”

“I don’t do that for just anyone,” I said, raising an eyebrow. I was impressed with how I sounded, so much braver than I felt.

He beamed. “Is that so?”

I pulled my receipt from the gas pump and looked at Beth, who pretended not to watch. He walked over to me, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“How would you like to put that to the test, then?” he asked.

“Is that a challenge or are you asking me to dinner?” I prompted, looking him square in the eye. I didn’t know where my sudden courage and sass came from, but it was less humiliating than the gaucheness I demonstrated the last two times I had seen him.

“Both,” he smiled. He leaned against my car, just inches from me. I tried to seem relaxed, although my heart was pounding in my chest over his proximity.

My face twisted into a frown as I realized my dilemma. “I have study group tonight.”

He didn’t look ruffled, to my chagrin. “Maybe next time.”

He walked back to his Escalade and left without another word. I flipped around to Beth and she ducked into the passenger side. The door slammed behind me as I sat next to her.

“What was that?” Beth asked.

“I don’t know.”

Beth’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You passed up a date with him for study group? You’ve wanted to run into him for a week!”

“I can’t just break my plans anytime he asks me out. How would that look?” I insisted, frowning at the thought of him thinking I was that accessible.

Beth shrugged. “Who cares?”

I started my car. “Beth! Be serious. He won’t give me his number,” I shoved my gear shift into drive and pulled forward, “and he just shows up out of nowhere and asks me out.”

“You’re nuts! You like him. He asks you out. You tell him no? There is something wrong with you, Nina!”

Back at Andrews, I had to deal with it from both sides.

“What is wrong with you?” Kim shrieked.

“Ugh! Not you, too!”

The smugness on Beth’s face radiated throughout the entire room. “I told you.”

“I have to study. You two are studying tonight,” I reasoned, mostly to myself.

“I wouldn’t if I had a date,” Beth said, crossing her legs on her bed.

“I bet you would if said date asked you ninety minutes before study group,” I rebutted.

“Okay,” Kim said, spreading her arms between us. “Nigh’s right. Prose before bros.”

Beth rolled her eyes as she packed her various study items and I folded my notes and stuffed them into my coat pocket.

Kim snapped her fingers. “Let’s go, ladies. I don’t want to close The Rock down at 2 A.M. like last time.”

We headed to the John D. Rockefeller library, ducking our heads to hide from the bitter wind. Just as we crossed the street, the snow began to fall in large flakes. The dead grass crinkled under our feet as we cut across to save steps. Beth begged us to drive, but Kim insisted we walk so she could smoke.

Beth hooked her arm around mine. “Brown needs to generate some type of small transportation system to get us from here to there more easily. Like a trailer hitched to a four-wheeler.”

“Yes, Oklahoma, let’s hire a hay rack ride. Brown needs culture,” Kim deadpanned.

Beth narrowed her eyes at Kim. “It was just a suggestion. I’m freezing.”

“Don’t listen to Kim, she’s not even wearing a heavy coat,” I said, my teeth beginning to chatter.

“You two are babies, gah!” Kim groaned.

“It does sound like a hay ride,” Beth giggled.

When we arrived, our study group was already waiting on us. Carrie and Tracey — from the basketball team — sat on one couch. On the adjacent couch sat Kim’s friends Justin and Kristi. Lisa, a pre-med student, barely noticed our arrival, and beside her was someone I recognized right away.

Ryan had a head full of dark hair and he was barely taller than I. Because his t-shirt was a bit tight, I noticed his athletic build. His baseball cap was pulled low over his eyes, so I could see only his perfect, white smile, and a deep dimple on his left cheek. The other girls in the group seemed to appreciate his presence.

“Look at you, being all responsible!” Kim said.

“Josh was going to come, but he ended up going on a date,” Ryan explained, pulling up his cap to display his bright green eyes.

“Hmmm,” Kim hummed, angling her neck so I would get the full effect of her accusing expression.

Beth did the same.

Ryan was suddenly uncomfortable, his eyes darting back and forth between the three of us. “What did I say?” he asked.

“Nothing,” I grumbled, shouldering past Beth.

I sat in the chasm between Ryan and Lisa. While everyone discussed their notes and how confused they were, Ryan turned to me.

“Are you taking chemistry? Do you get any of this?” he complained.

“What are you having problems with?” I asked.

He smiled. “You’re not having any problems, are you?”

Feeling caught, I smiled and then erased a line toward the top of his paper. I explained his mistake and started writing it down in my own girlie script. “Do you see how I got there?”

Ryan nodded, still unsure. “I see how you got there, getting there on my own is the persistent problem.”

As the night wore one, I erased quite a bit on Ryan’s paper. We had hundreds of tiny shreds of decimated eraser all over us. His patience and humor made the night go much faster, although I worked on his chemistry and didn’t study the notes I had brought.

“I appreciate you helping me,” Ryan said, folding his paper into his book.

“I’m not sure how much I helped, but you’re welcome. We have study group here twice a week, come anytime.”

Ryan’s face lit up. “I will. Thanks. Uh…some of us guys are going out for drinks this weekend. It’d be cool if you’d come.”

“There are only a handful of places I can get in to.”

Ryan winked at me. “That won’t be a problem.”

It sounded harmless enough. “That sounds fun. I’ll see what the girls are doing.”

Kim looked at her watch and yawned. “Stick a fork in me. I’m done.”

“Nigh, are you ready?” Beth asked.

“Nigh?” Ryan asked with a raised eyebrow.

I grimaced. “It’s a nickname they came up with to torture me. Don’t call me that.”

“Noted,” he said.

Kim and I stood, waiting for Beth to gather her miniature office supply store.

“This is why I don’t bring anything,” Kim said, gesturing to Beth.

“You borrowed my pen!” Beth objected.

“Oh. Right,” Kim said, tossing the pen into Beth’s bag. “All packed.”

Beth rolled her eyes and looked at me. “Will you put some tape on her mouth?”

“I don’t think tape would help,” I grinned.

We walked back to Andrews and Kim waved goodbye, continuing to her room. I collapsed on my bed as Beth gathered her things to head to the showers. As I traced the imperfections of the ceiling with my eyes, my mind drifted to Jared. Not only had I gone from never seeing him to running into him regularly; it was as if I was seeing him at will.

“Ryan asked you out for this weekend?” Beth burst in, towel-drying her hair.

“No. He asked us out for this weekend. I guess some of his friends are going for drinks; he asked us to come along.”

“What did you say?” she asked, suddenly interested.

“I said it sounded like fun.”

“You want to go?” she squealed.

“I guess you do,” I chuckled, rolling my eyes.

“Yes! I do! You wanna go? Please say yes!” she dropped to her knees beside me on my bed.

“I want to go,” I said flatly.

Beth tackled me. “Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!” she cried.

“You’re welcome! Now get off!” I laughed.

The next day was warmer, a good day to take a walk off-campus. Providence transformed from a beautiful crystalline city of white into the soiled, wet mess the cars and mud quickly created. The pristine snow had become a grey-brown sludge lining the roadways and sidewalks. I happily slipped on my black and white fleur de lis galoshes and stomped through the slush in hopes of proving my sheer-will theory concerning Jared.

After an hour of walking, the sun no longer kept me warm. I slipped into the first coffee shop I came upon and ordered the largest size they offered, thawing by the window.

It occurred to me how ridiculous I had become; walking around in near-arctic temperatures to see if Jared would materialize. I was the future savvy CEO of Providence’s premiere shipping company for the love of all things holy! What kind of crack pot had I turned into? Over a boy? An incredibly attractive, intelligent, courteous, well-dressed, fantastically-smelling boy. But he was just a boy. Man. Boy. They were all boys.

When the blood circulated again in my fingertips, I made my way back to the school. It was closer to sunset than I would have liked so far from campus, so I quickened my pace.

Two blocks from the school, I pressed the button at the light and kept my distance from the corner, fearful of the inevitable splashing of the cars passing by. The light changed and I trotted across, noting that the warmth from my coffee was waning.

Before I made it to the half-way point of the cross walk, a car horn blared beside me. I jumped, and my eyes darted to the light. It was still green. I turned to glare at the offending vehicle, but my eyes widened when a black Escalade came into view. Jared waved, quivering from a barrage of laughter.

I wasn’t sure if I was annoyed or euphoric, but the mixture of emotions propelled me to the passenger side of his car. I whipped open his door and climbed in.

“You scared me to death!” I said, slamming the door behind me.

“I’m sorry!” Jared exclaimed, trying to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up.

The light turned green and he looked at me. “You want a ride?”

I stared at him blank-faced. “Seriously? I’m in your car.”

He shrugged and pulled forward.

“You look frozen,” he said, touching the end of my nose. That one tap sent adrenaline running throughout my body and I felt nothing but warmth. He reached for the knobs under his radio and twisted the heat to its highest setting.

“I went for a walk,” I said, unable to subdue the ridiculous grin on my face.

“I see that,” he frowned, disapproving.

“Where are you on your way to?”

“To pick up a client.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“Are you always this vague?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’re full of piss and vinegar today.”

“May I remind you that you honked at me in the middle of a busy street? I could have been killed.”

“Doubtful. The light was on our side.” I dwelled on how he said ‘our’ for a moment.

“Let’s not discount the possible rabid motorists flying through the wet intersection. My hesitation caused by your honking could have led to some serious sidewalk chalk drawings.”

Jared laughed. “Are you sure you shouldn’t apply for law school? You have quite an imagination.”

“So I’ve been told,” I grinned.

“What are you doing this weekend?”

“I’m having drinks with some friends. I would invite you, but I assume you’ll be there,” I watched for a guilty or stunned expression at my comment, but I was quickly disappointed.

“You’re not old enough to drink,” he grimaced, ignoring my accusation.

I leaned closer to him. “We don’t tell the bartender that,” I whispered.

Jared’s expression twisted into frustration. “Am I going to have to make an appointment with you for dinner?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s called a date.”

He smiled his amazing smile and I tried not to gasp. It was hard being candid with him when he was so stunning. I felt like I had car-jacked a film star.

“Would you like my number?” I asked without thinking. A wave of embarrassment washed over me as soon as the words left my mouth.

He didn’t answer right away; instead he let out a long sigh. I felt the heat rise on my face, starting at my neck and surpassing my eyes until it scorched the roots of my hair.

“I don’t have to give you my number, I just meant….”

“Are you all right?” Jared said. He watched me as if he thought I would break down into tears at any moment.

I could only nod as he slowed to a stop behind Andrews. I didn’t dare look at him. I fumbled with the handle and then felt his hand on my arm.

“Nina?” He reached around to gently hold my jaw and turned me to face him. “Don’t be upset. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I’m sorry. I…I think I misunderstood,” I bit my lip, drawing his attention to them.

He leaned in closer; his eyes still focused on my mouth. When he was just a few inches from me, he shook his head and pulled back.

The blood rushed in from every inch of my body and my feet tingled as the adrenaline rushed through them and then disappeared. I had been wrong. What I had taken to be flirtation or attraction must have been more of a fondness for me. He looked at me as a little sister, and I had made my misconception all too clear.

I opened the door, hopping out into a shallow puddle. The motor of the Escalade still hummed behind me as I pressed the door closed and walked to Andrews, too humiliated to look back.