Here's what Olivia learned about Fitz on the internet during the summer months.
He was born and raised in Oklahoma on a cattle ranch that had been in his family for generations. He had played football and lacrosse in high school.
That's it. He didn't have a Facebook page. A Google search only linked to articles about his family's ranch as well as some archived results from high school game recaps.
She searched Jo's Facebook photos a million times, wondering if Fitz had ever been at any of the parties Olivia had said no to. But she knew she would have remembered his face during her first time seeing the photos.
Olivia spent her summer working as an assistant at her father's laboratory, typing up his notes, cleaning up the lab, and doing other tedious tasks that had nothing to do with the career she wanted. She spent her free time, and there was a lot of it, on the internet. She searched for journalism jobs or internships she could get after her sophomore year. She searched for Fitz. She chatted and skyped with Emily and Jo. By the time August rolled around, her desire to be back in Chicago was stronger than ever.
Here's what Fitz learned about Olivia on the internet during the summer months.
She was from a small town outside of Hartford, Connecticut. She had been on the swim team. She liked taking selfie photographs with her friends from college, Joanna and Emily. She seemed to be working at some sort of laboratory over the summer according to her witty status updates. She had a blog, but it was password protected.
He had found all of this information with the help of his sister Heidi. She was Olivia's age and a freshman at Oklahoma State. She was also extremely Facebook savvy and had helped Fitz find her page.
Fitz spent his summer working on the ranch. There's a lot to be done on a cattle ranch during the summer months, and most of it takes place before 9am because of the heat. He spent his mornings outdoors, his early afternoons resting, and his evenings hanging out with his friends from high school. Mostly they would just drive out on the land in someone's truck, blast music and drink beer. Occasionally they would head into town, though town was just one street, one restaurant and one saloon. It was called The Saloon. Late at night is when he did what he enjoyed most for relaxing, which was reading. He read classics and new releases. He even found himself reading the latest young adult literature. He took notes about the stories in a journal he kept under his mattress, and when he was reading something that reminded him of something else, he would use the notebook for reference. His days and nights were full, his body was tanned, and by the time it was ready to head north to Chicago, he was ready for the break from home.
There had been a lot of discussion about where the Three Amigos should live for their sophomore year, and they had finally decided on a three bedroom, one bathroom coach house on campus in Evanston. It was a tight space, but it was private and cozy and the girls spent all summer deciding how it would be decorated. Olivia's parents met Emily's parents and Jo's father on move-in day. As always, Caleb Pope took over the conversation, leaving the girls, including their mothers, to set up the house. Olivia had taken the smallest bedroom, the only room on the top floor of the house.
"Well, it will be quiet for your studies," her mother said slowly.
"I know it's tight. But it's private, and it feels good up here I think."
"It does, you're right. And I have one more thing to add," Simone said, pulling a 4x6 frame out of her purse.
It was a photograph of Olivia and her mother, smiling in front of the Art Institute in Chicago during one of her visits to see Olivia last year.
"One of my favorites of us. Just to remind you that home isn't all bad." She smiled.
"I love you, Mom," Olivia said, wrapping her arms around her mother. She knew her mom was worried that Olivia would never return after college. She was right to be worried.
Olivia placed the frame on her desk.
"I'll see you in two months for parents' weekend. And you can text now, so let's do that."
"I'll do my best," Simone said as they made their way down the small staircase to the living room of the house. It only fit a couch and a small TV stand, and it led into the small galley kitchen. The bonus was that there was a washer and dryer in the unfinished basement. When the girls had seen it, they had asked to sign a lease immediately.
Fitz moved into the same house he had lived in since he was a sophomore. He had made the drive alone from Oklahoma in his SUV. He didn't plan on going home until Thanksgiving. He would visit his sister, and maybe other friends around the country, but he wouldn't be going home.
Walking into the house, he found his three roommates already there and playing foosball. They had purchased the table from a yard sale a year ago and it had replaced video games as their go-to activity. He hugged Tyler and Trey, the twin brothers from Chicago he had met during orientation and Andrew, from Indiana, who had been in a class with Fitz during his freshman year. The four had become fast friends after moving in together and it made this part of the process so easy. They kept the same bedrooms, didn't have to pack every year, and respected each other's space and privacy.
Fitz walked to the back of the first floor to his bedroom, the only room on the first floor of the house. He had taken it because the guys were concerned about the noise level when they were studying, and that hadn't been a concern of Fitz's. He dropped his bag on his bed, ran his fingers through his hair and decided to go for a walk. His muscles were tight after the long drive.
Olivia was walking around campus, waiting for her friends to be done at the bookstore. She had pre-reserved her books so the process had been quick. She knew Emily and Jo would be wandering the aisles and then waiting in line for at least thirty minutes. She was wearing red shorts and a white v-neck t-shirt and her black backpack. She found herself making her way toward the dock Fitz had showed her months ago. She wasn't sure she would remember the way, given it had been dark and she had been slightly tipsy. She was standing on top of a small bluff at the edge of campus. She could see the dock, but couldn't remember how to get to the stairs. She was about to give up when she heard footsteps on the sidewalk behind her and turned.
"Hello there," Fitz said, blushing before the second word was even out of his mouth. Just her eyes on him made him blush.
"Hello," she said, struggling to come up with a way to explain what she was doing in the spot where they had last seen each other.
"Heading for a swim?" he said, smiling. It was a full smile, not the smirk she had seen the last time they spoke. The first night they met.
"Very funny. I was just passing some time and thought I'd try to find the spot, but I got stuck here."
"Here, I'll take your bag. Let's go together," he said, putting out his arm.
"It's alright, I got it."
"Olivia, let me carry your bag."
"I can carry it! Thank you though."
He sighed heavily and she followed him. She was glad to be behind him, because she was smiling uncontrollably. She was back on campus, in a city she loved with the person who had consumed most of her thoughts for the previous three months. All of her ideas about having Jo orchestrate another meeting were unnecessary. Here he was.
They found the steps and Fitz turned.
"So, either I'm carrying your bag or you are leaving it here. You can't take these stairs with that thing."
She put her hands on the straps of the backpack.
"It's not that heavy."
"Sure. Whatever. Leave it here if you're too proud to have me carry it."
"It's not, fine, here," she said, pulling it off of her back and handing it to him.
"Lord, that's fucking heavy," he said, putting it on his back. "How many classes?"
"Five. I'm a journalism major. There are a lot of books."
"I can feel that. But better me than you on these things."
He started down the stairs. When they made it to the bottom, he set her bag down and they headed out to the dock. When they got to the end, because it was light and they could see, they removed their shoes (flip flops, both of them) and sat next to each other, their feet dangling in the water.
"Feels a lot warmer than the last time," Olivia said, smiling.
"Definitely," Fitz said, lifting his head to soak up the early afternoon sun. He kept his eyes closed. "How was your summer?"
"Typical. I worked, did some reading and writing, and counted the days until I was back here. You?"
"Almost exactly the same, actually."
"Those are some hefty tan lines. What kind of work did you do?"
He turned to look at her and shaded his eyes from the sun.
"You were looking at my arms?"
"You're sitting right here. Don't flatter yourself," she said, though yes, she had been looking at his arms.
"We'll get back to that in a second. To answer your question, I worked on my family's cattle ranch. The morning sun isn't as strong, but when you do the same thing every day for three months, it takes a toll."
"Do you enjoy it?"
"I don't."
She laughed.
"What?" he asked.
"It's just, you didn't even have to think about your response. I like it."
"Did you like your summer job?"
"Hated it."
He laughed, and so did she. When the laughter stopped, they fell into a comfortable silence. Their arms were behind them, and they were both leaning back, enjoying the feel of the cool water on their feet and the warm sun on their faces.
"So, you were checking out my arms."
"I wasn't."
"It's okay if you were."
"Great, thank you, but I wasn't."
They went on like this for a minute, neither of them looking at each other, just bantering as they basked in the sun. When Olivia felt Fitz's arm move from beside her, she was snapped out of her trance. She had been so comfortable sitting next to him. And arguing with him.
"Olivia, confession time."
She sat up.
"I've thought about you a little bit over the last few months."
She smiled. "A little bit?"
"Yes. And I was hoping to see you again. This arguing, while enjoyable, could go on forever. Or I can just do us both a favor and say what we're both thinking."
"You know what I'm thinking now?"
"I'm hot."
She scoffed. "Excuse me? That's what I'm thinking? Even if it was, which I am not confirming, it's pretty presumptuous of you to assume, don't you think?"
"See, I meant that the sun is getting to us and we should find some shade. But if you were talking about my attractiveness, color me surprised."
She hit him playfully. "You are so annoying, you know that?
"It's because I'm not good at this," he said, making the same gesture she had made the first night they met.
"Conversation?" she asked, remembering the exchange herself.
"Conversation with women I like. I've been told by some, namely my roommates and my sister, that I come off sounding like a pompous asshole when I'm trying to flirt. I fear that is what just happened and I was just trying to be funny."
"You are correct. You sounded like a pompous asshole."
He sighed and turned to her. "Did you hear the part about me liking you?"
She tensed. Of course she had heard it. And somehow she had escaped telling him of her frivolous search for information on him. But she didn't know what to do next. So, she just nodded.
"And, do you have thoughts about that, or is that topic the one thing about which you have nothing to say?"
"I have thoughts. I'm formulating them. I need a minute."
"By all means."
When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her.
"Look, Fitz. I have liked both occasions that I have spent time with you here. But I don't know what to do next. I'm not good at navigating social situations. I have a comfort zone and I stay in it. You should know that about me."
"Noted," he said.
There was silence as they just stared at each other.
"So we're both terrible at this and we both hated our summer jobs. Two good commonalities, I'd say. A good starting point."
She smiled.
"We also both like reading."
"You were listening?" he asked.
"Of course," she replied.
"Favorite book?" he asked.
They went on like this for another fifteen minutes or so. It was the best non-first date either of them had ever had. It was closest Olivia had come to a date in her life. But she knew that her friends would be looking for her, and so she had to ask Fitz to check his phone for the time.
"I should go. Emily and Jo are probably wondering what happened."
She started to stand, but he hopped up and helped her. They were standing facing each other.
"What will you tell them?" he asked, softly. They weren't touching, but they were as close as they could be otherwise.
"That I ran into you. We talked. Enjoyed the water."
He looked at her curiously. "Gotcha," he said. "Well then, let's go."
He turned and started walking down the dock toward shore, faster than she had ever seen him walk. She stood there immobile, waiting for him to realize that she hadn't followed. When he did, he stopped and turned, then slowly started walking back toward her.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
She walked toward him and met him in the middle.
"I'll also tell them that I was happy to see you, because I had Googled you this summer."
His face changed slowly into a smile.
"That's all I can give for now."
"That's more than I hoped for," he said. He reached up and wanted to tuck one of the hairs that had fallen out of her bun behind her ear, but stopped himself.
"You hoped for something?"
"I hoped I'd see you again. I hoped you wouldn't run in the opposite direction. I call today a win."
She laughed. "We should get going,"
They walked to shore next to each other, their arms touching. He picked up her bag without argument from Olivia and carried it up the steps. When they got to the top, he handed it to her.
"Can I see you again?"
"You can."
He laughed. "May I? May I have your phone number so that I might contact you regarding a social outing?"
"You may," she said, telling him her number as he punched it into his phone. "Sorry, my parents were manners and grammar people."
"I can relate. Olivia, thank you for a surprisingly wonderful welcome back. I'll talk to you soon."
"Sounds good," she said, and then both turned toward where they needed to go.
"Olivia?" he called, when he was a little bit of a distance away.
She stopped and turned.
He ran back to her and breathlessly kissed her on the cheek.
"Bye," he said, smiling and putting his hand on his mouth as he walked away.
She stood silently. Her brain was a jumbled mess, and it wasn't because of the sun.
A half an hour later, after rinsing off in the shower, Fitz was lying on his bed, thinking about how his lips had felt against Olivia's cheek. The butterflies in his stomach for the entire duration of their time together. Her smile. He laugh. His phone was in his hand. He knew it was too soon to call. So he waited until 9:30, figuring she would be out at a welcome party or busy with her friends. He was about to head out himself, but he wanted to hear her voice, even if it was just on a voicemail greeting.
She didn't answer. He listened to her greeting, then left a message.
"Olivia, hi, it's Fitz. I was just thinking, well, I was thinking about earlier and you and wanted to say hello. I hope you're having a fun evening. Call me when you can. When you are able. Talk to you soon, I hope."
She listened to his message and smiled. She picked up on his grammar correction and it only took two listens for her to understand that he had simply been calling to say hi. She should have answered. She wasn't at a party, she was watching the news. Emily and Jo were still setting up their bedrooms downstairs. She waited what she thought would be a safe fifteen minutes before calling him back. He didn't answer.
"Hi Fitz, it's me. Olivia. I'm sorry I missed your call. I'm around tonight, just didn't hear the phone. It was nice to hear you. Hear from you. Bye."
She hated herself immediately.
Fitz listened to the message on the deck outside of the party he was visiting with Andrew. He smiled. He sent Andrew a quick text and called Olivia. This time, she answered.
"Hi," she said.
"Hi. Got your message. What're you up to?"
"I'm watching television, setting up my room. You?"
"I was at a party."
"You were?"
"I was. And now I'm walking toward campus but I need your address."
She sat up and inhaled sharply.
"Why?"
"Because I want to see you, and because I want to talk to you."
"It's almost 11:00. Why don't we make plans for tomorrow?"
"We can do that. But I'm seeing you tonight. I can always call Jo if I need to."
"No!" she said, almost too forcefully. She hadn't told her roommates about her earlier encounter with Fitz. She was still trying to process it herself. If he came over now, they'd see him. If she left, they'd ask why. But if she said no, she'd be lying to him and herself. She gave her address.
"Will you text me when you're here? I'll meet you on the porch."
"Yes. See you in ten."
"It's longer than that."
"I'm jogging," he said, ending the call.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Shorts and a t-shirt, again. Her hair was down, at least. She put on some lips gloss and headed downstairs. She stood in Emily's door and explained the situation. Emily squealed, which brought Jo over from next door. She explained again. Another squeal. Before she had to deal with it, her phone buzzed. It had been seven minutes.
"Holy crap," Emily said. "He really did jog."
"I knew it!" Jo said. "Go get 'im, girl."
Olivia rolled her eyes, steadied herself and walked to the front porch.
Fitz was sitting on the front step. She joined him.
"Seven minutes. That's impressive," she said, nudging him a little with her right shoulder.
"Motivation is everything," he said, looking at her.
"You know, for someone who thinks they aren't good at this, you sure do have a way of making a girl feel special."
"Yeah?" he said.
"Yeah. Why do you think you're bad at it?"
He thought about how to respond. The truth was that he hadn't felt anything for a girl in three years. He had some one-night stands, some two- or three-night stints, but he hadn't felt anything. He had turned off his emotions when he left Oklahoma and focused on studying and finding a way out. That hadn't left a lot of room for feelings. On the couple of occasions when he really tried talking to women, it always ended with him putting up a barrier that left them frustrated or offended. He was smart and funny but when used as a weapon against feelings he was neither of those things.
But he didn't say all of that. Instead, he tried to summarize it as best he could.
"I don't have a lot of experience, and like I said before, I usually let my ego get in the way of anything real happening."
She nodded. "That makes sense."
They returned to the space of the comfortable quiet they had been in earlier on the dock. After a minute, Olivia turned to him.
"I'm glad you called," she said. "I was hoping you would."
He looked at her. "I waited as long as I could."
She blushed and looked down.
"Have you never had someone make you blush before?"
Of course she blushed again.
"Not so much. I went on a pre-date with my prom date senior year, and then to prom. That's about it."
"Wait, what?" he was incredulous.
"That's about it," she said, shrugging.
"You've been on two dates? None here?"
"I was busy last year, getting acclimated, trying to find my place, get good grades, make the case that I should stay. My parents were hoping I'd transfer. I didn't do a lot of socializing with people other than my roommates." She shrugged again.
"Please don't take this the wrong way. But if you had gone out, you would have been swarmed."
She looked at him. "Swarmed?"
"There's nobody like you. Trust me."
"You make me sound so mysterious."
"You sort of are. I just mean that I've been to some parties. You stand out. For me."
"I see."
"Olivia, I don't tend to leave places and jog to the homes of girls. I hope that's obvious."
"It is."
There was silence.
"Fitz?"
"Yeah"
"Why are you really here?"
He turned to her. She was gorgeous. Her brown eyes were intently focused on him. She was genuinely curious, but also had a slight smiles as if she knew the answer.
He put one arm behind her on the porch and scooted closer.
"I was honest before. I wanted to see you and talk to you."
She nodded, smiling. She turned her head.
He breathed in the scent of her lip gloss. Her lips were so close to his. He leaned in placed his lips ever-so-lightly on hers and immediately tasted the strawberry flavor. He heard her inhale.
He pulled away and looked at her. She smiled again.
"I was hoping that was why you came," she said.
With that, he kissed her again, this time with more force so that she almost lost her balance. He caught her back with his right arm and used his other to wrap her in his arms and pull her closer to him. She instinctually put her hands around his neck. Without realizing it, she opened her lips and invited him to explore her mouth with his tongue. He accepted the invitation, and she moaned with delight. She had kissed some boys, and slept with one, but none had felt like this. She tilted her head and Fitz began kissing her cheek, then her ear, then her neck. When he got to her collarbone, she felt her body physically shudder. By that time she was holding onto his hair with one hand and had her other on his chest. She just wanted to feel him. When he had kissed every inch of her face and neck, he stopped and looked up at her.
Of course this was why he had come. He hadn't known it at the time, but of course it was. They were both breathing heavily. Her hand was over his heart and he looked down at it then back up at her.
"Shit," he said.
"Yeah. Shit," she said, getting a hearty laugh from him in return.
"How would your parents feel about that language and fragment?"
"Don't care," she said, and she started their second make-out session of the evening.
Twenty minutes later, despite his body begging for more, he stopped kissing her. His lips were swollen and his mouth was dry. Her hair, which was down, was messed up from him moving it out of his way to kiss every inch of her.
"Do you want to have dinner tomorrow, before classes start?" he asked.
She laughed hysterically.
"What?"
"Of course I do. Thank you for asking."
"I'm a gentleman," he said, standing.
"Is that how gentleman give first kisses?" she asked, taking his help to stand and face him.
"Only for women like you," he said, kissing her on the cheek.
"I'll call you tomorrow to choose a place for dinner."
"Okay. Thanks for coming over, Fitz."
He smiled and looked at her. "I really don't want to go."
"But you should. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes, tomorrow. Goodnight, Olivia."
"'Night."
Later that night, they both laid in their beds, thinking about what had just happened between them. It defied logic. It went against what they both thought they knew about themselves. But it had felt so good, and neither of them could deny that.
The last thought Olivia had before she fell asleep was that she wondered what Fitz would like in long sleeves, or with no shirt at all.
The last thought Fitz had before he fell asleep was that he wondered what other flavor lip glosses Olivia had in her collection.