He spends twenty minutes waiting for her to come out of the movie. She's got that stupid kid with her, but she shoos him away quickly once she spots him. She walks up slowly, her stance awkward as she greets him, "Hey."
"Hey" he replies.
Both of them sat in awkward silence for a moment, but then they spoke at the same time.
"I'm sorry…"
"I heard that…"
They both laughed.
"You first," she finally say.
He takes a deep breath and reminds himself this is just a basic apology for lying to her—nothing more.
"I'm sorry about—lying to you. My boss said to make friends with students. I didn't realize who your dad was."
"Oh," she says, "Well its fine. You were just doing your job. And apparently you did a great job. My dad told me that you got the guys."
"Yeah," he says, "Listen, that night, I'm sorry if I," he paused, "If I scared you….in the closet. I needed to get you out of there fast and without blowing my cover."
"Its fine," she said quickly, "I wasn't scared. Mortified maybe, but not scared."
"Mortified?" his brows drew together in confusion, "Why would you be mortified?"
Cassie's eyes widened and she let out a laugh—an exasperated, you're an idiot laugh—"Why? I don't know, maybe because I thought you were interested in me and I was all over you and all the time you were actually 24 and probably laughing at me."
"I wasn't laughing," he said quickly.
"Right. Listen, you don't have to spare my…"
He reaches out and grabs her wrist—he doesn't even remember giving his hand permission to do that, but it does—"I'm not sparing you're feelings and I was intere---" he cut himself off and took a deep breath. He drops her arm like its on fire.
"Val," she says and he knows he has to get out of here before it gets really bad.
"What I meant was—I would have been interested. If I was 16, and not 24."
"But you are…24," she says as if she's reminding herself.
"I am. And…."
"You dig you're job," she finishes with a smile, "I get it. And I…I won't tell my Dad I saw you okay?"
He smiles back at her, "Thanks."
"I'll, uh, see you around, "she tells him and turns back to meet her idiot friend.
He tips his head to the side and watches her leave. When he looks up the moron is glaring at him.
He doesn't really blame him.
He turns to go, reminding himself that he seriously digs his job.