all three and go right to the salad bar. I fill a small plate with some lettuce, a few carrot shreds, a spoonful of sunflower seeds and a little bit of cottage cheese. I know neither my mother nor Dr. Morris would approve of my meal choices, but they aren’t here.
I take my usual seat at a table in the corner by the window. Most of the time, I’m left alone to eat in peace, but occasionally when the place is really busy, someone will come by and ask if they can sit at my table. That’s why I try to avoid being here when it’s busy.
I eat in a hurry to avoid the rush, even though things are usually pretty quiet on Fridays, and go back to the dorm. I’m about to just head up to my room, like In usually do, but I pass by the pool table. A week ago, I challenged Landon to a match and quickly realized my mistake. He knows his way around a pool table. Still, even though I know he let me win, I enjoyed playing with him. Then again, every time I do something with Landon, I end up having a good time.
Yet still I push him away. Some shrink would probably have a field day with that one.
No one’s using the table right now, so I set my backpack on the floor and start racking the balls. I finish that and grab a cue.
“Do you want to play a game?” I’m just about to hit the break shot when the voice interrupts me, and I look up. It’s a guy from the floor below me. His name is Cody or Coby or something like that. He’s got blond hair that hangs in his eyes and he’s actually pretty cute. But he’s not Landon, and playing pool with him means socializing.
“What?”
“I asked if you wanted to play a game. You know, rather than play by yourself.”
Actually, playing by myself didn’t sound too bad. I shake my head. “No thanks. I really don’t feel much like playing anyway.” I hand him the cue. “The table’s all yours.”
~Landon~
I’m not used to getting shot down, so it stings a little. Okay, it stings a lot. I tell myself it’s not me, it’s not really a rejection. After all, Kori did say that I have some chance. She’s just not ready yet.
On some level, I get that. I understand what it’s like to feel numb, like time is standing still for you while the rest of the world keeps on moving. The trick is realizing that you can’t be stuck, frozen. You need to keep moving too.
I’m not sure what it is about Kori, why I’m so drawn to her, but I want to be there when that moment of realization comes for her. And if I can be part of the reason for it, that would be even better. So I’m willing to be patient, give her a little time, for now.
Too bad that leaves me with nothing to do on a Friday evening. I get back to my dorm and I’m about to go up to my room to see if my roommate’s around and wants to go to the dining hall, or maybe somewhere else to eat, when I hear someone call my name.
I turn around, and it’s Amanda. “Hey,” I say.
“Hey yourself, stranger,” she says. “I feel I haven’t seen you in forever.”
We may live in the same dorm, but on separate floors, and our paths haven’t crossed much in the past couple weeks. Then again, that could be because I’ve been so preoccupied with baseball and studying for the test. “Sorry, been busy,” I say, though I’m not that sorry. I didn’t like the way she insulted Kori the last time we talked.
“How’d your test go?” Amanda asks. “It was today, right?”
I nod. “Yeah. I think it went well.” It’s nice of her to ask, especially since most of the time she’s pretty self-centered. “Some tricky questions, but I feel good about it.”
“That’s great,” she says, and tucks a strand of blond hair behind her ear. “So what are you doing tonight to celebrate?”
“No big plans.” In a way, it kind of sucks, especially since I don’t have a game tomorrow that I need to rest up for. “I’ll probably grab some food with Lucas, then maybe head to the gym.” Not how I’d hoped to spend the evening, for
I take my usual seat at a table in the corner by the window. Most of the time, I’m left alone to eat in peace, but occasionally when the place is really busy, someone will come by and ask if they can sit at my table. That’s why I try to avoid being here when it’s busy.
I eat in a hurry to avoid the rush, even though things are usually pretty quiet on Fridays, and go back to the dorm. I’m about to just head up to my room, like In usually do, but I pass by the pool table. A week ago, I challenged Landon to a match and quickly realized my mistake. He knows his way around a pool table. Still, even though I know he let me win, I enjoyed playing with him. Then again, every time I do something with Landon, I end up having a good time.
Yet still I push him away. Some shrink would probably have a field day with that one.
No one’s using the table right now, so I set my backpack on the floor and start racking the balls. I finish that and grab a cue.
“Do you want to play a game?” I’m just about to hit the break shot when the voice interrupts me, and I look up. It’s a guy from the floor below me. His name is Cody or Coby or something like that. He’s got blond hair that hangs in his eyes and he’s actually pretty cute. But he’s not Landon, and playing pool with him means socializing.
“What?”
“I asked if you wanted to play a game. You know, rather than play by yourself.”
Actually, playing by myself didn’t sound too bad. I shake my head. “No thanks. I really don’t feel much like playing anyway.” I hand him the cue. “The table’s all yours.”
~Landon~
I’m not used to getting shot down, so it stings a little. Okay, it stings a lot. I tell myself it’s not me, it’s not really a rejection. After all, Kori did say that I have some chance. She’s just not ready yet.
On some level, I get that. I understand what it’s like to feel numb, like time is standing still for you while the rest of the world keeps on moving. The trick is realizing that you can’t be stuck, frozen. You need to keep moving too.
I’m not sure what it is about Kori, why I’m so drawn to her, but I want to be there when that moment of realization comes for her. And if I can be part of the reason for it, that would be even better. So I’m willing to be patient, give her a little time, for now.
Too bad that leaves me with nothing to do on a Friday evening. I get back to my dorm and I’m about to go up to my room to see if my roommate’s around and wants to go to the dining hall, or maybe somewhere else to eat, when I hear someone call my name.
I turn around, and it’s Amanda. “Hey,” I say.
“Hey yourself, stranger,” she says. “I feel I haven’t seen you in forever.”
We may live in the same dorm, but on separate floors, and our paths haven’t crossed much in the past couple weeks. Then again, that could be because I’ve been so preoccupied with baseball and studying for the test. “Sorry, been busy,” I say, though I’m not that sorry. I didn’t like the way she insulted Kori the last time we talked.
“How’d your test go?” Amanda asks. “It was today, right?”
I nod. “Yeah. I think it went well.” It’s nice of her to ask, especially since most of the time she’s pretty self-centered. “Some tricky questions, but I feel good about it.”
“That’s great,” she says, and tucks a strand of blond hair behind her ear. “So what are you doing tonight to celebrate?”
“No big plans.” In a way, it kind of sucks, especially since I don’t have a game tomorrow that I need to rest up for. “I’ll probably grab some food with Lucas, then maybe head to the gym.” Not how I’d hoped to spend the evening, for
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