He lets go of me, gives me that eye and says, “Fine. You're leaving with me.” He pauses for effect, “Have you got that?”
I nod my head.
“Repeat it,” he bosses.
Being the smart ass that I am, I raise my right hand up, like I'm taking an oath in a courtroom and say, “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I will leave the party with you.”
“Continue.”
I sigh. The boy knows me too well. “Even if there is a cute boy that I would rather leave with.”
Then thinking of a possible loophole, I say, “Hey Phillip, what happens if I don't want to leave the frat house. Depending on how it goes, maybe I'll want to stay.”
Phillip is getting irritated with me, I can tell. I kind of like seeing him a little irritated and fortunately, I seem to be able to irritate him easily. He is usually so reserved.
Shoot!
I just realized that I am also very dumb because I really should have kept that loophole to myself. I may have needed it later.
That's the problem with my mouth. Sometimes it talks before my brain can think.
“God, do I need to get a lawyer just to get you to agree to something? Here it is. JJ, YOU ARE LEAVING WITH ME WHEN I AM READY TO LEAVE. GOT IT?”
“Yeah, I got it.”
Jeez, he's my knight in shining armor, whether I want him to be or not.
Phillip and I walk into the frat house and are greeted by two pledges. They are sitting at a table in front of the door and matching girls with their pledge interviews. One of the boys takes a Polaroid picture (I didn't even know those cameras still existed!) of each girl and writes her name on it with a permanent marker. I get my picture taken, we head into the party, grab a beer and stand off to the edge of the party room, chatting and taking it all in. I keep catching a guy starring at me from across the room. Of course, being the terrible flirt that I am, I forget all of Phillip's rules and bat my eyes at the guy. I watch as another guy hands him one of those permanent markers.
What? Is he signing autographs later?
Across the way, I recognize two girls from my history class. A group of us have been whiling away the boring lectures by writing notes to each other about what kind of nasty things we'd like to do to the hot grad assistant. Due to my lack of experience in this area, I can easily say that I'm learning way more than expected in history class.
I glance back at the cute guy. Maybe it's time I get some of that experience.
“Don't look now, Phillip,” I order, “but who's the guy over there in the green Polo shirt?”
“Why do you care?” Phillip asks me suspiciously, in his snotty little boy voice. I swear sometimes I think he's twelve.
“I don't know,” I shrug. “He keeps looking over here. I just wondered who he is.”
Phillip does as he is told and waits a minute.
At least the boy can follow directions.
“Do you think he's cute?” he asks, before he looks.
“No, not really,” I lie.
Phillip rolls his eyes at me, glances over toward the green Polo and says, “Ah.” He nods his head up and down and frowns, “That is Matt Fuller. He's a senior and our Pledge Advisor.” He looks at me with squinty eyes and tries to read my mind. “He specifically asked me to interview you.”
“Really?” I smile way too big because now he totally knows I was lying about the cute part. “When? I'm pretty sure I'd remember him.” I look at Phillip quizzically.
“I don't remember exactly, but I think he saw me giving you a piggyback ride across campus.” Phillip shakes his head at me. “I really don't know why I let you get away with the stuff that you do.”
“Because I'm irresistible, Phillip,” I smile and shrug my shoulders. “You can't help yourself. Besides, you didn't go across campus, you only went about fifty feet before you pretended to have a heart attack from supporting my weight and collapsed on top of me in the grass.”
“Oh, yeah. I remember. I think you've gained some weight.”
I slug him in the shoulder.
He ignores it and continues, “Come to think of it, I think that's when Matt saw you.”
He gives me a big grin.
Like he just now remembered it.
“You probably didn't notice him because you were too busy rolling around on the grass with me.”
“I'm pretty sure I was trying to get you off me.”
“Well, it must've not looked that way to Matt because he asked if you were my girlfriend.”
“Oh, God. What story did you make up this time, Phillip?”
He smirks. “Oh, I just told him that even though you're madly in love with me, I don't want to be tied down, so we're just friends. Of course, what I should've said was Please, just take her, she's more trouble than she's worth.”
I give Phillip the finger.
Then I turn my back on him and stare over at Matt. I'm intrigued and excited by the fact that he wanted me interviewed. That means he's at least somewhat interested. Matt is really hot. I'm guessing him to be about 6'2” and he's built like an athlete. In good shape, but not too big. He has thick, wavy brown hair and I'm not sure if it's his authoritative stance or the crispness of his oxford, but he looks like he grew up with a rich daddy. I can picture him driving a little BMW to the club for golf and tennis. He could probably be in an ad for the company that made his shirt. He would look right at home standing in the backyard of a big summerhouse on the ocean, playing croquet and holding a martini.
Not my typical rough around the edges guy. But hey, I'm at college to experience new things, right?
Phillip, who evidently has been successful at reading my mind again, says, “I really don't think you want any part of that, Princess. He has a playboy reputation and the rumors of his sexual prowess are of practically legendary proportions. All the pledges are in awe of him, or at least of the stories about him.”
“Everyone? Even you, Phillip?”
Phillip just shakes his head at me. I frustrate that boy, I think.
I smile though because I like what I'm hearing about this Matt. Hopefully it's not all hype. Maybe there is a bad boy under all that polish!
Phillip frowns, “Unfortunately, I think he has you in his sights. So be careful, or better yet, just try to avoid him.”
“Phillllllipp, I am not going to avoid him.” I glance up to see Matt looking my way again. This time, I catch his eye. I hold his stare for a second, smiling, until he looks away seemingly embarrassed.
Some playboy.
He is cute though. What the hell? He probably made up his own reputation just to impress the pledges.
I think what the hell has become my personal mantra. I may have T-shirts made up soon.
“Okay. Then at least stop giving him those eyes. You're making me sick.”
I ignore Phillip's eye comment. “I'm sure the rumors are exaggerated, and besides he's probably not that interested in me anyway. I bet he asked for lots of freshman to be interviewed. Plus he doesn't look like my type…”
“What? He's not an idiot?” Phillip interrupts, taking a cheap shot at my taste in guys.
I frown at him, put my hand on my hip and flash a little attitude. “You know what? Just for fun, I'll bet you five bucks, I can make him come over here now and talk to me.”
We'll test out some of my newly discovered powers of male persuasion.
“Really? And just how are you gonna do that?”
Like I can't.
Lets see, I have already smiled and given him the eye. (Apparently Katie and Lisa have taught me well.) Next step, make him worry that my availability is questionable.