Anne kept off her ankle for the next few weeks, making navigating around campus harder than usual.
"I can give you a ride any time you like." Charlie assured her over phone.
"Thanks, that's sweet, but my ankle is actually feeling much better. I started walking without the crutches yesterday."
"Still, if you do..."
"Then I know who to call." Anne said nicely. She hung up the phone and went back to her dinner. She was eating with Ben and Lisa at the dining hall.
When she looked up from her baked chicken she saw their broad grins.
"What?" she asked
Lisa snickered. "You and Charlie are absolutely adorable."
"Wait-what?" Anne asked appalled.
Ben nodded in agreement. "He like, follows you around."
"No, he does not!" she interjected. She paused and looked from Lisa to Ben and thought for a moment. "You really think he does?" she asked finally.
"Oh yeah." they said together.
"But I'm not that type of girl, you know?" she insisted. "And I thought I've been very clear with my signals that I like him as a friend."
"Oh, you have." Ben said. "He just chooses to ignore them."
Anne groaned.
"Hey Freddy, come sit with us!" Ben suddenly called out. Anne looked up and saw a sea of white uniforms. The ROTC students had just entered the dining hall, Rick among them.
"Call me Freddy again and you'll wish you hadn't." Rick said, sitting next to Ben. "Hey Lisa, Anne."
"Hey." Anne said.
"You look good in your uniform, Rick" Lisa said, giving him a once over.
Anne felt sick.
"Thanks," he said.
"We were just discussing Anne's interesting love life." Lisa said.
"No!" Anne said.
"Oh we were. It was fascinating." Ben said to Rick.
Rick smiled surprisingly. "How interesting."
"She's whipped this guy, you see..."
"Ben! Shut up!" Anne threw a french fry at him. "You guys suck."
"Is this that Charlie guy that came with us to the movies the other weekend?" Rick asked Anne.
She nodded, recalling the awkward memory.
"He's nice." Rick commented. "I hear he has a nice family." he took a sip of water and gave Anne a challenging look.
"I don't see him in that way, but he keeps-"
"Calling?" Ben offered.
"Stalking?" Lisa said.
"No." Anne answered. "He just...I don't know. I guess I should be more clear."
"That sounds like a good idea." Rick said. "You don't want to lead a guy on, right Anne?"
"I doubt that Anne's heart won't be so easily won." Ben said
Anne looked around disbelievingly. "Since when did I become the most interesting dinnertime topic?"
"Since now." Lisa said, her eyes twinkling. "Has any boy succeeded, Anne? Can it be done?"
Anne paused. "I've never been in a relationship."
"Really?" Rick asked, but then stopped himself.
"Not even in high school?" Ben asked.
"No time for dating."
Lisa smiled. "You know what, I bet you're one of those quiet, brooding girls suffering from unrequited love, am I right? You seem the type."
"What?" Anne almost laughed. "Seriously guys, we're in college. Can we talk about something else, please?" she asked almost desperately.
"Yes, aren't we supposed to be having deep and meaningful conversations at this point in our lives?" Rick said. He quickly changed the subject and Anne felt relieved. It almost felt like old times, when she felt like he could read her thoughts.
That can't be true, she thought quickly, brushing off the notion.
"Let's talk about poetry." Ben said smirking.
Lisa forked at her chicken. "Of course Ben wants to talk about poetry. Could you be any more predictable?" she asked.
"I don't mind." Anne said.
"Rick and I are numbers people, right Rick." she said touching his arm.
He nodded. "You bet."
"Why?" Anne asked suddenly.
Rick met her glance. "Why do I like it?"
"Yes." she challenged.
"I like getting a right answer. I like working toward a goal. No complications."
"Maybe there doesn't always have to be one right answer." Anne said. "I like the interpretation."
"I like clarity." Rick said.
Anne was amazed. They were talking- actually talking.