he pulls his eyes away from the screen and gives the girl a polite nod. "Hey Sophie, how's it going?"
"Good." Her face is beaming as she skips over and sits down next to him.
"Hey, hey, watch it." Her butt is about to land on me so I jump out of the way, but not before her shoe goes straight through my boot leather. "Okay, she just totally stood on my foot."
Dale snickers.
"Are you okay?" Sophie asks, her wide eyes looking worried.
"Yeah," Dale clears his throat. "Just a funny text."
He taps my phone and looks awkwardly at the screen.
Her adoring eyes study him in silence then she dips her head and tucks a strand of black hair behind her ear. Clearing her throat, she glances over at Dale and smiles again.
"So, are you going to youth group on Friday night?"
"Check out that face." I grin. "Is this your girlfriend or something?"
"No!" Dale snaps.
"Oh. Okay." Sophie's smile drops away and she begins fidgeting with the silver ring on her middle finger.
"Dude, she is so crushing on you."
Dale ignores my taunts and sends the girl an apologetic smile. "I mean, maybe, I'm not sure yet."
The room lights with her sunshine smile and I can't help laughing. "What is your problem, Dale? Look at those big brown eyes. She wants you. Go for it."
"Would you shut up," he mumbles.
"I'm sorry?" Sophie looks crushed. "Is it not okay that I'm here?"
"Yeah, of course. It's totally fine." Dale pats her hand and stands up. "I just have to go and I was wondering if you wanted to use my computer then shut it up for me."
"Smooth," I whisper.
Dale closes his eyes and clears his throat, forcing a smile. Sophie smiles back and nods, obviously disappointed by his departure.
"Okay. Thanks, Dale." She slides into his chair and he reaches over her to hide the screen.
"I'll just log out."
She studies his face as he quickly shuts down his account. Giggles rumble in my belly, but I swallow them down. Dale looks so awkward right now. Bolting upright, he pats Sophie on the shoulder and says a quick goodbye.
"Bye." She gives him a little wave as he turns to walk out the door.
The corridor is empty as we make our way back towards the quad.
"What is wrong with you? That girl is on your doorstep, man. Let her in!"
"Maybe I don't want to let her in."
"What, you think you're gonna do better?"
Dale stops in his tracks and gives me a dark look.
I cover my mouth with my hand and wince. "I didn't mean to say it like that. What I mean is... she seems sweet."
He tips his head to the side, his right eyebrow jumping north, adding extra power to his droll expression.
I stupidly keep talking. "Come on, she totally looks like your type."
"How would you know what my type is? You don't even know me." Dale turns and starts walking again.
I run to catch up with him.
"Is it because of the scar? Because there are some awesome plastic surgeons in L.A.. They could fix that up for you."
"No, it's not because of the scar and I don't need it fixed. I like it this way."
"Really? Why?"
He closes his eyes and sighs. "It's a good reminder."
"Of what?" I look up at his pinched lips.
"Nothing." He shakes his head.
I fidget with my watch strap, unsure how to respond. My curiosity is definitely peaked. "I was just wondering if the scar made you feel—"
"Would you shut up about it? Jeez, Nicole! You've got the sensitivity of a shark."
My mouth drops open and I shoot him a scowl that I totally forget he can't see. "I was just trying to be helpful."
"How ?!" He spins to face me. "How is your constant chirping in my ear helpful?"
"I... she's a girl who likes you!" I point back down the corridor.
"You don't have to play cupid, okay. I can look after my own love life."
"What love life? You barely have any friends, let alone a girlfriend."
He groans and looks to the ceiling.
"You want to help me out, Nicole?" Leaning towards me, he tries to get right in my face. His direction is scarily accurate as he yells, "Stop talking!"
Fine. I cross my arms and glare at
"Good." Her face is beaming as she skips over and sits down next to him.
"Hey, hey, watch it." Her butt is about to land on me so I jump out of the way, but not before her shoe goes straight through my boot leather. "Okay, she just totally stood on my foot."
Dale snickers.
"Are you okay?" Sophie asks, her wide eyes looking worried.
"Yeah," Dale clears his throat. "Just a funny text."
He taps my phone and looks awkwardly at the screen.
Her adoring eyes study him in silence then she dips her head and tucks a strand of black hair behind her ear. Clearing her throat, she glances over at Dale and smiles again.
"So, are you going to youth group on Friday night?"
"Check out that face." I grin. "Is this your girlfriend or something?"
"No!" Dale snaps.
"Oh. Okay." Sophie's smile drops away and she begins fidgeting with the silver ring on her middle finger.
"Dude, she is so crushing on you."
Dale ignores my taunts and sends the girl an apologetic smile. "I mean, maybe, I'm not sure yet."
The room lights with her sunshine smile and I can't help laughing. "What is your problem, Dale? Look at those big brown eyes. She wants you. Go for it."
"Would you shut up," he mumbles.
"I'm sorry?" Sophie looks crushed. "Is it not okay that I'm here?"
"Yeah, of course. It's totally fine." Dale pats her hand and stands up. "I just have to go and I was wondering if you wanted to use my computer then shut it up for me."
"Smooth," I whisper.
Dale closes his eyes and clears his throat, forcing a smile. Sophie smiles back and nods, obviously disappointed by his departure.
"Okay. Thanks, Dale." She slides into his chair and he reaches over her to hide the screen.
"I'll just log out."
She studies his face as he quickly shuts down his account. Giggles rumble in my belly, but I swallow them down. Dale looks so awkward right now. Bolting upright, he pats Sophie on the shoulder and says a quick goodbye.
"Bye." She gives him a little wave as he turns to walk out the door.
The corridor is empty as we make our way back towards the quad.
"What is wrong with you? That girl is on your doorstep, man. Let her in!"
"Maybe I don't want to let her in."
"What, you think you're gonna do better?"
Dale stops in his tracks and gives me a dark look.
I cover my mouth with my hand and wince. "I didn't mean to say it like that. What I mean is... she seems sweet."
He tips his head to the side, his right eyebrow jumping north, adding extra power to his droll expression.
I stupidly keep talking. "Come on, she totally looks like your type."
"How would you know what my type is? You don't even know me." Dale turns and starts walking again.
I run to catch up with him.
"Is it because of the scar? Because there are some awesome plastic surgeons in L.A.. They could fix that up for you."
"No, it's not because of the scar and I don't need it fixed. I like it this way."
"Really? Why?"
He closes his eyes and sighs. "It's a good reminder."
"Of what?" I look up at his pinched lips.
"Nothing." He shakes his head.
I fidget with my watch strap, unsure how to respond. My curiosity is definitely peaked. "I was just wondering if the scar made you feel—"
"Would you shut up about it? Jeez, Nicole! You've got the sensitivity of a shark."
My mouth drops open and I shoot him a scowl that I totally forget he can't see. "I was just trying to be helpful."
"How ?!" He spins to face me. "How is your constant chirping in my ear helpful?"
"I... she's a girl who likes you!" I point back down the corridor.
"You don't have to play cupid, okay. I can look after my own love life."
"What love life? You barely have any friends, let alone a girlfriend."
He groans and looks to the ceiling.
"You want to help me out, Nicole?" Leaning towards me, he tries to get right in my face. His direction is scarily accurate as he yells, "Stop talking!"
Fine. I cross my arms and glare at
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