“No, your mom.”
“What’s up, Alex?”
“How much does it cost to enroll at that kung fu school you’ve been going to, Drew?”
“Hundred twenty-five a month, plus you gotta buy gear. But you can go almost every night of the week if you want. Why, you finally wanna go?”
“Yeah.” That price would hurt. He could cover it for at least a couple months at the expense of the new computer he’d been saving for…but this was too important.
“Good. What changed your mind?”
“I, um…kinda got into a scuffle the other night while I was out alone and I realized what an incompetent ‘tard I am.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just got a little shoved around, but they won’t be bothering me again. Close call, though, y’know? Kind of thing that makes you think.”
“Well, you know nobody turns into an instant bad ass overnight, right? It takes years to get good at it. If ever.”
“I hear you. Gotta start sometime, though. What’s the address and when’s a good time to go by?” He jotted down the details, said thanks, and hung up. Then he turned back to the course schedule.
Life had gone crazy and might well stay that way. Lorelei may be bound to protect him, but he had no interest in hiding behind her. Moreover, he had no interest in her coming home one day to find him carved up and stuffed in the refrigerator because he filled the role of “helpless love-interest.”
* * *
“You want to add another class to your load,” the heavyset counselor observed without much interest. Her jaw was propped up on her hand with her elbow on the desk, looking down at the form in front of her.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You want to take First Aid/CPR.”
Alex nodded patiently at her thrilling demonstration of reading comprehension skills. Then he realized she couldn’t see him anymore than he could see her eyes. He saw only her mop of ragged, curly black hair. “Yes, ma’am.”
“And you’ve already got a full class load. More than a full class load,” she noted. He wasn’t even entirely sure she was awake. Her eyes didn’t seem open, and besides the way her head bounced up and down slightly as she spoke, what with her jaw being held up by her hand and all, she hardly moved.
“I filled out the petition form there. I swung extra units last year, too, and I kept my GPA up with that. Dean’s list. And it doesn’t conflict with my current schedule,” Alex explained in a helpful, polite tone.
“Are you switching to a major that requires this class?”
“Um. Not really, no.” Thus far, Alex had taken only widely required courses because his major was still undeclared. As a kid, Alex dreamt of becoming a cop, but long discussions with several veteran cops on the topic of constantly dealing with human misery had turned him from that. He toyed with the idea of law school once, but Keating amp; Rose made him think twice about the lawyer’s life. Most recently, the idea of being a high school teacher had some appeal, but after the last two days his disinterest in younger girls now carried added fears. He wanted to avoid underage girls at all costs.
“This represents a serious increase in your class load.”
“I can handle it,” Alex nodded. “First Aid isn’t even a full-semester course.”
Without moving anything but her right hand and arm, the counselor reached for a stamp, pushed its ugly, red “Denied” imprint onto his form, then held it out to him. She didn’t look up. Stunned at her complete disregard, Alex took the form back-he didn’t even know why he needed it now-and wandered out of her cubicle.
Back in the counseling lobby, Alex wondered what to do. That whole “meeting” had seemed incredibly rude. He wasn’t even sure why she saw him. Would another counselor actually, perhaps, counsel him?
Alex decided it was worth a shot. He got back into the queue of students waiting at the front counter of the counseling office. Predictably enough, the line wasn’t moving very fast. Alex kept his eye on the staffers behind the counter.
Eventually, he spotted a young Asian woman working on a computer at a “closed” window behind the counter. She was cute, too. He decided to go for broke. Alex left the line and approached her. “Hey, sorry to bother you,” he began, smiling and trying not to stare down the small opening in her mostly-modest shirt, “but can I just ask you a quick question?”
“Sorry,” she said without looking up from her paperwork right away, “this window’s…ah…” she looked up at him, smiling back shyly. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi,” he said. Holy shit, is this happening again? He wondered. Maybe it’ll help? “Wow, you’ve got pretty eyes.”
“Oh, do I?” the woman blushed, and looked away. Then she shrugged and admitted, “Contacts.”
“That color works for you,” Alex pressed on anyway, holding her gaze. “You’ve got good taste.”
“Thank you.”
“So, um…Ugh. Sorry to be all creepy like that, I totally apologize. Way inappropriate.”
“Oh, no, it’s not creepy,” she said, still blushing and now tugging on a lock of hair. “What can I do for you?”
“Well, I just saw a counselor for a course change, and she didn’t even listen to me before stamping my form here.” Alex held it up to show her. “Is there someone else I can see?”
“Really? Hm,” the girl frowned. She took the form from him and looked it over. “Where’s the harm in letting you take First Aid? She didn’t even talk to you?”
“Not so much. Didn’t even look at me.”
“Huh,” the girl said. She glanced up at Alex, blushing again before she turned to her computer with the form in hand. Alex watched as she quickly called up his student record and began making adjustments. “Let me see if I can help you with that,” she mumbled as she worked.
Alex’s jaw dropped. Was she seriously going to-?
“There you are,” she said quietly, “your course changes are approved. But, oh, darn,” she added as she promptly put his denied request form straight into the shredder, “I guess I must have misplaced your form somewhere. Oops. I’m such a dingbat,” she smiled.
“Wow,” he breathed.
“Did you want a print-out of your new schedule?”
“Sure?”
“Not a problem,” she muttered again. “Lemme just make a note here. Done. Okay, here you go. Please let me know if you need anything at all. I’d be glad to help you.”
His class schedule now bore the handwritten note: “Theresa. Call me. 206-555-4689.”
Alex stared at the note wistfully as he exited the counseling office. She couldn’t seriously want him that badly, that quickly. Then again, it might be that easy to get away with such shenanigans while working in the counseling office. But to just throw it out there like that…was she looking for a fling? Something serious?
“Hello, Alex,” called out a sweet, almost musical voice. He looked up, completely bewildered, and saw an angelic young blonde standing in front of him. She wore a white dress, equal parts innocence and whimsy. Sunlight broke through the overcast skies to shine down on the exact spot where she stood, illuminating her beauty and her smile.
“Rachel?” Alex blinked.
Her face was a heart achingly lovely picture of warmth, and kindness, and all that was good… right up until it twisted in a disgusted scowl. “Oh good Lord,” she burst out loudly, “you stink of that cheap, nasty slut!”
Passersby turned their heads. Alex just stood there, mouth agape. “What kinda moron cheats on a babe like her?” someone muttered.
“…Hello, Rachel,” Alex managed once he got hold of his wits again. “How are you?”
“I was fine until I started inhaling the stench of whore-vagina.”
Alex became aware of the dozens of eyes on them and the mumblings of “jackass,” “loser,” and, “I never understand why hotties hook up with such douchebags.” He offered her his hand. “I’ve been hoping to see you again. Can we go somewhere and talk?”
Rachel looked at his hand like he’d just pulled it out of a toilet. “Go,” she waved, “I’ll walk with you, just…go.”