Chapter 9

Gilbert followed the sound of blaring 80s music to Anne and Diana's room, where he found the doors to their room, Priscilla and Stella's room and Jane and Ruby's room propped open. He stopped at Anne's doorway and enjoyed the sight of her singing and dancing around as her and Diana got ready. As he watched, Anne not watching where she was going, her back to him, spun into him as she went to turn and go to the other girl's room. He caught her by the shoulders steadying her so she didn't fall. As Anne's startled eyes met his own twinkling ones, he said grinning, "Hi Anne."

"Gilbert," Anne said by way of greeting.

"It's about time you threw yourself at me," he said with a cheeky grin, not letting go of her shoulders.

"I think I'd rather throw my tea at you than myself," Anne said dryly.

"But I much prefer this," Gilbert told her.

"I'll let Josie and Gertie known your looking for someone to throw themselves at you," she said stepping around him into the hallway.

"Ah but the only girl I want to throw herself at me is you. I wanted to stop by and remind you that if you need anything tonight I'm just a phone call away," he said leaning up agaisnt the wall.

"We don't," Anne said flatly.

"It is really sweet of you to offer, Gil," Diana said. "If we have any problems I'll call you."

"Are you sure you guys wouldn't rather go to the Lambs party tonight?" Gilbert tried asking again.

"No. We are going to Phil's friend's party for girl's night," Anne told him.

….

Gilbert bit back a grunt of frustration as a co-ed attempted to engage his attention again. He had no interest in any of the girls at the party since none of them were Anne. He had planned on enjoying spending time with his frat brothers and cathching up with them, but it seemed the females at the party had other ideas. His eyes met Ronald's ammussed ones over the pool table as the girl cooed enthusiastically in his ear, "I love this song, let's go dance!"

"No thanks," Gilbert said shrugging off her hold on his arm. "See that guy over there," he said pointing to a frat brother. "He's a great dancer. Real smooth moves. He's who you ought to dance with."

"But I want to dance with you," she said with a pout. She was more persistent than the other females Gilbert had dissuaded that night and while she was pretty, with each further attempt to get his attention, he found himself growing more annoyed. He felt distinctly like a piece of meat and her a hungry lioness. He hoped he hadn't made Anne feel like this girl was making him feel with her brazen attempts to flirt with him. He wanted to adore Anne and make her feel cherished, not make her feel like a piece of juicy steak.

"Well, I have no interest in dancing. Or anything else with you," Gilbert said flatly, finally avoiding any attempt at politeness. "All I intend to do tonight is shoot some pool and catch up with my brothers, meet a few of the new ones and then go home. Alone. I don't want your number, and I'm not going to give you mine."

The girl gasped, but before she could say anything else, Ronald said, deciding to come to his friend's aide, "You heard the man. Sorry, but he isn't interested."

"Not interested?" she asked incredulously, glancing down at her self as if she couldn't understand why he wouldn't be interested.

"It isn't you," Gilbert said in as kind of a voice as he could manage. "You're very pretty, but well there is someone else."

"Someone else? Who?" she asked looking around.

"She isn't here," Gilbert said seeing her scanning the crowd.

"Then why-" she started to ask.

"Because I care about her. A lot," Gilbert interrupted her. "Doesn't matter where she is, or where I am. I've cared about her since I first saw her and haven't even wanted to look at another girl since then. No matter how pretty, fun or flirty they are."

"She's a lucky girl," the girl said, but before finally walking off she added, "If it doesn't work out," trailing off with a shrug.

"She's right," Ronald said grinning, once she was gone. "Your Anne is a lucky girl. You haven't hesitated to send a single one of these girls away, some of them downright hot, and you're not even dating Anne. I'm sure our brothers all appreciate it. But smooth moves? Riley? His dance moves are about as smooth as a cactus."

"She was annoying me," Gilbert said with a grin. "Would have served her right to end up on the dance floor with his flailing limbs. Not my fault she didn't take any of my other suggestions of guys before that."