had somehow changed events. The thing he had been wary of was proving true.
To make matters worse, all of this internal turmoil caused his academic performance to suffer as well. The thing that had changed him from an underachiever to an overachiever was gone. That thirst for knowledge was replaced by an overwhelming desire to make this situation come to a head. His preoccupation with her was destroying the focus that he had maintained on his mission. Several times he nearly told Katie how he felt. If they had been face to face instead of on the phone he just might have. He tried to drop a few hints. Maybe plant the idea in her head in some subtle way. But, all that got him was a visit, from Alicia.
Katie told her where he could be found, and she just showed up one day. Lovelle wasn’t sure if Katie thought this would be funny, or if it was her not so subtle reply to his subtle hints. But there she was. A gorgeous girl in his dorm, sent to him by his wife. He had to laugh. It sounded like some letter in a men’s magazine. But what it really was, was the ultimate kiss off. It was like saying, “Here, if you’re so lonely up there, sleep with this and leave me alone.”
Of course, he didn’t sleep with her. Oh, he was tempted. There she sat, on his bed, wearing the tightest dress you could pour her into, all but asking him to. It was a test of willpower. So he did the only thing he could think of. He told her exactly how madly in love with Katie he was. Alicia looked as if the secret of the universe had just been revealed. Then she sat up and pulled at her skirt, covering as much of her as the little thing could, and seamlessly transitioned from temptress to confidante.
“I should have known. No guy spends as much time talking to a girl as that unless he’s got the hots for her. You two would make a nice couple. But she isn’t going to leave Dave. He’s such a good guy, and they have the best relationship. I even had my eye on him before you came to work there.” She paused for a moment, thinking. "You know, I’m still glad you came and made me laugh. I would hate to have split them up before they even got started.”
Wham!
It hit Lovelle like an atom bomb. He suddenly felt sick. It was the mother of all unintended consequences. It was now so clear. The first time around Dave had dumped Katie for this vixen. This time Lovelle had short circuited the process. Of all the scenarios he had imagined where the ripples of his actions might ruin his chances with Katie, none had ever looked like this. He never imagined that he would run interference between Katie’s boyfriend and the woman who was destined to take him from her. Yet, the moment he began his friendship with Katie was also the moment he threw their romance out the window. His little ice breaking joke had backfired. He had wooed the wrong woman.
After his epiphany he excused himself to the restroom. He had to do so as he was about to lose his composure. In his bathroom he leaned heavily on the counter top. His entire body trembled. Briefly, all of his strength left him and he nearly fell over. After a moment he recovered his strength. Anger swept over him. He turned on the water at full blast, found a wash cloth to clench between his teeth, wrapped a hand towel around his fist, and proceeded to pummel the only thing that wouldn’t make an obvious sound, his thigh. He had not had an outburst like that since he broke the window of his car the first time he realized that this life was not a surreal dream. Then, as he regained his composure, he was grateful for having enough self-control not to have smashed the mirror.
After a couple of minutes, he returned to his room, and Alicia, and they went to dinner. This would be the last time Alicia expressed anything more than a passing interest in him. Apparently, all she needed was an explanation for his rebuffs so she could move on.
*****
On top of his depression, Lovelle now carried a tremendous guilt and
To make matters worse, all of this internal turmoil caused his academic performance to suffer as well. The thing that had changed him from an underachiever to an overachiever was gone. That thirst for knowledge was replaced by an overwhelming desire to make this situation come to a head. His preoccupation with her was destroying the focus that he had maintained on his mission. Several times he nearly told Katie how he felt. If they had been face to face instead of on the phone he just might have. He tried to drop a few hints. Maybe plant the idea in her head in some subtle way. But, all that got him was a visit, from Alicia.
Katie told her where he could be found, and she just showed up one day. Lovelle wasn’t sure if Katie thought this would be funny, or if it was her not so subtle reply to his subtle hints. But there she was. A gorgeous girl in his dorm, sent to him by his wife. He had to laugh. It sounded like some letter in a men’s magazine. But what it really was, was the ultimate kiss off. It was like saying, “Here, if you’re so lonely up there, sleep with this and leave me alone.”
Of course, he didn’t sleep with her. Oh, he was tempted. There she sat, on his bed, wearing the tightest dress you could pour her into, all but asking him to. It was a test of willpower. So he did the only thing he could think of. He told her exactly how madly in love with Katie he was. Alicia looked as if the secret of the universe had just been revealed. Then she sat up and pulled at her skirt, covering as much of her as the little thing could, and seamlessly transitioned from temptress to confidante.
“I should have known. No guy spends as much time talking to a girl as that unless he’s got the hots for her. You two would make a nice couple. But she isn’t going to leave Dave. He’s such a good guy, and they have the best relationship. I even had my eye on him before you came to work there.” She paused for a moment, thinking. "You know, I’m still glad you came and made me laugh. I would hate to have split them up before they even got started.”
Wham!
It hit Lovelle like an atom bomb. He suddenly felt sick. It was the mother of all unintended consequences. It was now so clear. The first time around Dave had dumped Katie for this vixen. This time Lovelle had short circuited the process. Of all the scenarios he had imagined where the ripples of his actions might ruin his chances with Katie, none had ever looked like this. He never imagined that he would run interference between Katie’s boyfriend and the woman who was destined to take him from her. Yet, the moment he began his friendship with Katie was also the moment he threw their romance out the window. His little ice breaking joke had backfired. He had wooed the wrong woman.
After his epiphany he excused himself to the restroom. He had to do so as he was about to lose his composure. In his bathroom he leaned heavily on the counter top. His entire body trembled. Briefly, all of his strength left him and he nearly fell over. After a moment he recovered his strength. Anger swept over him. He turned on the water at full blast, found a wash cloth to clench between his teeth, wrapped a hand towel around his fist, and proceeded to pummel the only thing that wouldn’t make an obvious sound, his thigh. He had not had an outburst like that since he broke the window of his car the first time he realized that this life was not a surreal dream. Then, as he regained his composure, he was grateful for having enough self-control not to have smashed the mirror.
After a couple of minutes, he returned to his room, and Alicia, and they went to dinner. This would be the last time Alicia expressed anything more than a passing interest in him. Apparently, all she needed was an explanation for his rebuffs so she could move on.
*****
On top of his depression, Lovelle now carried a tremendous guilt and
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