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Authors: Travis Thrasher
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around.”
“What do you mean,
word?
Come on.”
“You and Alec—”
“Hold on. Alec is his own man. Don’t lump me in with him.”
“I’ve heard stories.”
“He’s only been back a month.”
“Yes, but I’ve heard stories about you two.”
For a moment Jake got a sick feeling in his stomach, and he pictured the night in Chicago again. He wondered what Laila had said about it, especially since he had avoided her around campus ever since.
He buried those thoughts. “Yeah. The movie
Risky Business
. That’s our biography.”
“You act so innocent,” Alyssa said.
“And you act like I’m so guilty.”
“Let’s see. How many times have I seen you in Ms. Peterson’s office?”
“Not for girls.”
“One thing leads to another.”
“You’re wrong.”
“And what about Brooke. Diana.
Laila.”
She knows. She’s just waiting to hear me admit it
.
“Hold on now. Brooke—we dated, yeah. Nothing there. Diana, I have no idea what you’re talking about. And Laila—who
hasn’t
gone out with her?”
“It’s good to know you’re selective,” Alyssa said, wiping a corner of her mouth with her napkin.
“You know what I mean.”
“Actually, no, I don’t.”
“This is what drives me insane about you. You make it out like I’m some typical guy, some pig.”
“And you’re not?”
“No.”
“Laila does date quality guys.”
Jake didn’t want to go there with Alyssa. “I’m not saying you’re Laila. You’re nothing like that—”
“That what?”
“Laila,” Jake finished, being nice.
“See, the thing is, I can see her with a guy like you.”
“You have me all wrong.”
“Do I?”
“That’s why I had to concoct this date, for you to try to get to know the real Jake Rivers.”
“And who is that guy? The guy who drove on the soccer field and caused several thousand dollars’ worth of damage? The guy who helped take—or should I say steal—every single fork from the cafeteria and decorate the lawn with them?”
“That was Shane’s idea, by the way—”
“The guy who seems to like to partake of alcohol quite frequently?” she continued.
“Not tonight.”
“Who exactly is that guy then? Tell me that.”
“It’s a guy who hates fake people and being a hypocrite.”
“So stealing forks is being
authentic?”
Jake couldn’t help laughing. “No. But the partying, all that stuff. You know—Ms. Peterson thinks I have a drinking problem.”
“Do you?”
“No. Yeah, I know. If you have a problem, of course you deny it. But I don’t. I’m just doing what other college kids do. It’s just this college we go to.”
“Then why are you going here?”
“I went to USC for a while. Flunked out and got into a lotof trouble. My parents gave me an ultimatum. If they were going to pay for college, I’d go where they told me.”
“Must be nice to have a paid vacation.”
Jake shifted in his seat and took a sip of water. “Alyssa, tell me one thing.”
“What?”
He studied her sweet, reflective face. Sitting across from her was worth it all. Too many nights he’d be sitting in a bar or in his apartment and would close his eyes and picture her there, just as she was now, a picture of innocence and dignity.
“Our date last year. Didn’t you feel anything?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean—I know there was something on the other end of that kiss.”
She shook her head, and one hand nervously brushed her hair behind her neck.
“Tell me—don’t lie,” Jake asked.
“That girl has grown up.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that she isn’t looking for a guy she can carry home from a party and tuck into bed.”
Jake couldn’t help chuckling.
Alyssa went on. “She’s looking for someone who shares her beliefs.”
“Oh, come on.”
“What?”
“Where’s that coming from? I believe everything you believe.”
“How do you even know what I believe?”
“I know the type of person you are, Alyssa.”
“If you did,
“What do you mean,
word?
Come on.”
“You and Alec—”
“Hold on. Alec is his own man. Don’t lump me in with him.”
“I’ve heard stories.”
“He’s only been back a month.”
“Yes, but I’ve heard stories about you two.”
For a moment Jake got a sick feeling in his stomach, and he pictured the night in Chicago again. He wondered what Laila had said about it, especially since he had avoided her around campus ever since.
He buried those thoughts. “Yeah. The movie
Risky Business
. That’s our biography.”
“You act so innocent,” Alyssa said.
“And you act like I’m so guilty.”
“Let’s see. How many times have I seen you in Ms. Peterson’s office?”
“Not for girls.”
“One thing leads to another.”
“You’re wrong.”
“And what about Brooke. Diana.
Laila.”
She knows. She’s just waiting to hear me admit it
.
“Hold on now. Brooke—we dated, yeah. Nothing there. Diana, I have no idea what you’re talking about. And Laila—who
hasn’t
gone out with her?”
“It’s good to know you’re selective,” Alyssa said, wiping a corner of her mouth with her napkin.
“You know what I mean.”
“Actually, no, I don’t.”
“This is what drives me insane about you. You make it out like I’m some typical guy, some pig.”
“And you’re not?”
“No.”
“Laila does date quality guys.”
Jake didn’t want to go there with Alyssa. “I’m not saying you’re Laila. You’re nothing like that—”
“That what?”
“Laila,” Jake finished, being nice.
“See, the thing is, I can see her with a guy like you.”
“You have me all wrong.”
“Do I?”
“That’s why I had to concoct this date, for you to try to get to know the real Jake Rivers.”
“And who is that guy? The guy who drove on the soccer field and caused several thousand dollars’ worth of damage? The guy who helped take—or should I say steal—every single fork from the cafeteria and decorate the lawn with them?”
“That was Shane’s idea, by the way—”
“The guy who seems to like to partake of alcohol quite frequently?” she continued.
“Not tonight.”
“Who exactly is that guy then? Tell me that.”
“It’s a guy who hates fake people and being a hypocrite.”
“So stealing forks is being
authentic?”
Jake couldn’t help laughing. “No. But the partying, all that stuff. You know—Ms. Peterson thinks I have a drinking problem.”
“Do you?”
“No. Yeah, I know. If you have a problem, of course you deny it. But I don’t. I’m just doing what other college kids do. It’s just this college we go to.”
“Then why are you going here?”
“I went to USC for a while. Flunked out and got into a lotof trouble. My parents gave me an ultimatum. If they were going to pay for college, I’d go where they told me.”
“Must be nice to have a paid vacation.”
Jake shifted in his seat and took a sip of water. “Alyssa, tell me one thing.”
“What?”
He studied her sweet, reflective face. Sitting across from her was worth it all. Too many nights he’d be sitting in a bar or in his apartment and would close his eyes and picture her there, just as she was now, a picture of innocence and dignity.
“Our date last year. Didn’t you feel anything?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean—I know there was something on the other end of that kiss.”
She shook her head, and one hand nervously brushed her hair behind her neck.
“Tell me—don’t lie,” Jake asked.
“That girl has grown up.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that she isn’t looking for a guy she can carry home from a party and tuck into bed.”
Jake couldn’t help chuckling.
Alyssa went on. “She’s looking for someone who shares her beliefs.”
“Oh, come on.”
“What?”
“Where’s that coming from? I believe everything you believe.”
“How do you even know what I believe?”
“I know the type of person you are, Alyssa.”
“If you did,
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