This is the thirteenth part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, Part IX, Part X, Part XI, and Part XII before continuing.
“So, how’s the play in verse coming along?” Blaine asked on their first official date. “Or is it still top secret?” he said with a smile.
Sarah’s heart began to race, and not in a good way. She hated feeling like this, and she didn’t want to lie to Blaine on their first date. Enough was enough. “Look, I have to tell you something.”
“OK.”
“When I said I was texting Britney about a play in verse, I meant she’s the one writing a play in verse. Not me.”
Blaine’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “Then why did you say you were writing a play in verse?”
“I didn’t, but when I said I was talking about a play in verse, you just assumed I was the one writing it. And you thought it was so cool and I wanted so badly for you to think I was cool that I just kind of went along with it. I had no intention for it to go this far. I guess I hoped you would just forget about it after a while.”
Blaine didn’t say anything for a long time. He just looked off into space with those furrows on his forehead until Sarah started to feel scared. “I hope this doesn’t change how you feel about me.”
“It changes everything.”
Sarah felt her heart drop into her stomach and then the two of them collapse onto the floor below her seat.
“You Cyrano de Bergeraced me. Britney is the one I’ve loved all along.”
Sarah picked up a piece of her muffin and threw it at him. It bounced off his cheek and landed in his lap, whereupon he picked it up and ate it, grinning broadly at her. “You’re such a jerk,” she said.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it. You looked so serious.”
“I felt really bad about it, OK? She’s been working so hard on this play, and the fact that I would try to take credit for it is just…” she trailed off, covering her face with her hands.
“Hey, it’s OK,” Blaine said, reaching across the table and pulling her hands away from her face. “I shouldn’t have assumed. That’s on me.”
“But I shouldn’t have gone along with it.”
“So, we’re both to blame. We’re both very sorry. Now, can we please get back to our regularly scheduled date?”
“You’re sure you don’t hate me?”
Blaine laughed and said, “I’m sure I don’t hate you.”
“You promise?”
“I promise never to go on a date with someone I hate. Unless, I don’t know, I’m being blackmailed, or someone I love is in danger.”
That finally made Sarah’s expression of self-pity break into one of relief and laughter, at which point they were, in fact, able to resume their regularly scheduled date.
After coffee, they made their way back to Blaine’s apartment off campus. He had three roommates, but he had his own bedroom, so they were able to get some privacy there while he powered up his laptop so they could watch a movie. They snuggled up together on his bed, leaning against the headboard together with half his laptop on his lap and the other half on Sarah’s lap. The bed was only a single, so they were forced to cram together to avoid falling off the bed.
Sarah wasn’t complaining. Blaine put one arm around her shoulders and she leaned into it, resting her head against his shoulder as they watched the movie. She reveled in the hard feel of his muscles beneath the fabric of his sweater and inhaled deeply of his musky scent. It felt like safety.
To be continued…