Getting Acquainted
Mimi smiled as she walked down her dorm's fifth floor hallway, loving the way her new skirt danced around her. Her hair was divided into two low ponytails, the elastic ties touching either side of her neck just below her ears, accenting her playful cowgirl look. And, of course, her lucky pink cowboy hat was in order, since she was going to talk to Joe. Not that I need luck.
She tapped Joe's door, and there was a pause before she heard, "Joe, it's for you." Footsteps moved away from the door, and Mimi scowled. What, Izzy wouldn't open up unless the visitor was for him? And what was with the monotone? But she heard Joe approaching, so she forced a smile. She didn't want him to think that she was annoyed with him.
Soon, Joe stared at her, his jaw going slacker by the second. "M-Mimi!" he sputtered, and her smile warmed and softened. She had wondered if Joe's awe of her would diminish without the influence of alcohol, but, if anything, he was more flustered now than he was at the frat house.
Mimi poked his chest. "You're in trouble, mister! I know Amy gave you my number. Why haven't you called?!"
Joe paled, and his feet edged backwards, but his upper body leaned towards her, as if she exerted a magnetic pull on him. He seized the door frame, and it was clear that he needed the support. "I… You actually want me to call?"
Mimi grinned, charmed by his shock. "Why else would I tell Amy to give you my number?" she scolded, swatting his chest with her palm.
Joe adjusted his glasses, looking thoroughly stumped. "Huh. I guess I didn't think of it that way."
"And here Amy's been telling me how smart you are," Mimi sighed. "But! I can forgive you, if you grab lunch with me."
Joe's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Alright. Let me put shoes on." He moved away from the door, and Mimi wandered inside. She stepped behind Izzy, who was working on his computer at his desk.
"Hi, Izzy," she chirped.
"Hello." He didn't even bother to look away from the screen. Screens, actually; Mimi had no idea what anyone could need two monitors for. Being so blatantly ignored stung, and she began to bristle.
"Oh, right." Joe looked up from tying his shoes. "Do you want to get lunch with us, Iz-"
"No, thank you."
Mimi frowned as her annoyance built up beyond her limited patience. She couldn't believe that Amy had gone on a date with this guy, and she was just about to say so when Joe tapped her shoulder. "Ready," he said, with a nervous grin. Mimi shot one last glare at Izzy, then turned and followed Joe out of the room. He closed the door behind them, and they had hardly taken five steps before Mimi crossed her arms and huffed.
"Is your roommate always such a jerk?" she demanded. Joe blinked, then scratched the back of his head.
"Huh. That was downright civil, by his standards. People he's not familiar with are lucky to get a grunt when they talk to him while he's on the computer."
Mimi's stomach sank. Though she was annoyed, she had assumed, or maybe hoped, that Izzy's standoffish behavior wasn't the norm. "Oh, no! So he really is a jerk?! But Amy went on a date with him! I was so hopeful, she never dates…"
"He's not a jerk," Joe said gently as he pushed the elevator call button. "He's kind. It's just… buried deep." Mimi arched a brow and scowled, a picture of disbelief, and Joe cleared his throat. "Uh, very deep. Okay, so, he doesn't care about appearances and social norms, and I guess you could say that he probably doesn't think about most people. But he would never hurt someone, and he's generous with his time and skills if the other person approaches him respectfully. And he tries hard for the few people who matter to him… Even if he has been a pain in the neck lately." He shook his head as he finished, looking a little annoyed himself.
Mimi was silent as the doors opened and they stepped inside the elevator. On one hand, she already found herself trusting Joe's judgment. On the other, she wasn't sure she believed there was a kind person beneath Izzy's layers of disinterest. And that worried her, because she would not stand by while one of her girls dated someone suspect. Not this time.
And, of course, there was the small matter of her pride.
"Stupid Izzy," she muttered, pressing the button for the first floor. "It took me weeks to get Amy to agree to do something with me. And how did she even get him to talk to her?" It ruffled Mimi that Amy had captured the attention of a boy who had blown her off. That was the opposite of what usually happened. And what was so great about Izzy that Amy dropped her introverted inclinations to go out with him?
"I was surprised by that, too. Izzy tends to push new people away, but he seems interested in Amy. Actually, you know her pretty well, right? Can I ask you something?" Joe sighed, and Mimi leaned closer, intrigued. "We're lab partners, and we study together sometimes. But I tried to ask for her number so I can contact her with questions, and she changed the subject so fast, I got dizzy."
"Oh no, she's still doing that!" Mimi groaned. "Just so you know, it's not you. She's fine with talking to people, but if you ask her to do something with you, to share contact information, or to talk about something she thinks is too personal… She does this, like, verbal dodge ball, it's crazy. That's why I can't believe she went out with Izzy so soon, she's usually a total loner outside of her friends."
Joe stared down at her, looking surprised. "Huh. She seems so friendly… I wonder why she's like that." They exited the elevator, and Joe opened the door leading out of the dorm lobby and waited for her to pass. Mimi smiled her approval; any potential love interest had to treat her right, from the little things to the big. She deserved no less. Every girl deserved no less.
Once they were outside in the early September heat, Mimi turned towards the sun, reveling in its kiss on her skin. "Oh, I don't know, I'm not good at figuring that stuff out," she said offhandedly. "All I can tell you is, if she lets you in? She'll love you for life. Trouble is, she only really likes five people: Tai, Matt, their younger siblings, and me. But, if she agreed to do something with Izzy, he may be on his way to becoming number six…" Which is why I need to make sure he's a prince. Absolutely no less will do for one of my girls!
Joe sighed and slipped his hands into the pockets of his gray slacks. Mimi wondered why he dressed so well on a Saturday when he wasn't leaving campus. He wore a navy button down shirt, and she was surprised by his ability to pick colors that suited him so well. He was much better about that than Izzy, who wore an orange button down that clashed with his red hair. But, then, Amy never had much of an eye for color, either… Anyway, while Joe looked out of place on campus, where students roamed in tee shirts and flip flops, there was no denying that he was put-together. Mimi amused herself by picturing him swapping outfits with the boy passing by on the sidewalk: Joe in a ratty, backwards baseball cap, a white tank top tinged gray with age, and red basketball shorts. She fought down a giggle.
"Can I ask how you managed to do it? Make your way on her list, I mean. I don't need to be her, ah, friend for life, but I would like her to be comfortable with me. We'll be taking the same classes, and she's a great study partner." He scratched the back of his neck, and Mimi smiled. She liked his gestures. Back in high school, the cocky, confident boys were more her thing, but she was beginning to tire of their bravado, and of the emotional neediness that often accompanied it. Joe seemed to be a straight forward guy. That might be nice, for a change.
Mimi nodded. "Yeah, she's always been really serious about school. Anyway, with our friendship… She started it, if you can believe it! We went to the same high school for our freshman and sophomore years, but then I moved away to California. When I first started high school, I had just moved to the east coast, and freshman girls? They can be really mean. It can be hard to be beautiful at that age, you know?" Mimi paused, wondering how Joe would react to her pointing out her own beauty. In the past, boys had given her looks for that, and girls had been disgusted. But if something was true, her way was to go ahead and say it. Beating around the bush was a waste of time.
At first, Joe looked amused, in a slightly disbelieving way, with his lips curving up at the corners and his eyebrows rising. But then he studied her and shrugged, almost imperceptibly. Well, she's beautiful, all right, his expression seemed to say. And, just like that, he earned some more points with her.
"The girls mostly treated me like I was a threat, or like I thought I was better than them," she continued, "and I was new to the area, so I didn't have any friends. I had never been alone like that before. One day, I was in the cafeteria, looking for a place to sit, and the girls were ignoring me or giving me these awful looks… Then I just… I dunno, I swear I felt eyes on me. I noticed Amy staring at me over a book. She always read during lunch, sitting at a table next to Tai, Matt, and their friends."
"Then she smiled, and… It felt so nice, and I guess I went to her without thinking. Then she shoved Tai out of the way to make room for me, and we talked. It didn't take long for me to win everyone over, but I never forgot that, for two or three weeks, Amy was the only girl who welcomed me. But, and this is the weird part… As soon as I didn't need her anymore, she stopped going out of her way for me. I tried to make friends with her, but she kept making excuses and slipping away."
Joe nodded slowly. "Now that sounds familiar. But how strange that she would pull back like that…"
"I know, right?" Mimi leaned forward, established eye contact with Joe, and smiled her sweetest, most innocent smile. "But, you see… I don't take no for an answer."
Joe swallowed hard, colored, and swayed as he missed a step. "I may be in trouble with you," he said, laughing nervously. Mimi noticed a bead of sweat sliding down the side of his face, and grinned. There was nothing more fun than a boy who reacted to teasing.
"You know it!" she chirped, giggling. "Anyway, I kept bugging Amy until I found her weakness: she loves to sing. Once I found that out, I invited her to karaoke, and I begged Tai to drag her there when she showed signs of bailing. And he totally threw her over his shoulder and hauled her into the karaoke place, it was hilarious! After that, I think she kind of gave up, and the rest is history!"
Joe stared at her for a long moment. "I'm not taking her to karaoke," he said stiffly, and Mimi laughed.
"You'd better not! I'd be jealous!" Joe's sputtering had her glancing up, and she discovered that he was blushing. His reactions were just so cute, and she took his hand to see what would happen. Her brow rose when she realized how large and warm it was.
For a moment, nothing happened, and she realized that she had shocked him. Then, he swallowed hard and shifted his fingers so that his hand wrapped around hers, engulfing it. Somehow, she hadn't noticed it before, but Joe was really tall, and not nearly as scrawny as she had thought.
"Don't worry about Amy. I'll put in a good word for you. I may be able to convince her to drop her guard a little." She smiled up at him and winked. "After all, you've convinced me to do the same."
There was a brief pressure on her hand, there and gone as Joe twitched. "T-thanks," he wheezed, and Mimi's delighted giggle sweetened the summer afternoon.
This boy really is too much fun…!
XXX
It was three o'clock on a Saturday, and Izzy was on his computer, ignoring the blue skies and sunlight beyond his window. There was a knock on the door, and he rose quietly, not knowing if it was someone he would want to allow in. After all, Joe and Mimi were still out, which probably meant that their lunch had given way to some other activity. He was blissfully alone, and he wouldn't throw that away for just anyone.
He crept to the door and pressed an eye to the peephole. His breath caught when he saw Amy, looking spherical due to the distortion of light through the glass. Izzy's hand went to the doorknob, but he didn't turn it. He experienced a surge of eagerness, not unlike the sensation he received from finding an intriguing new puzzle, followed by fizzing delight, and he had no comparison for that. But beneath them was wretched, paralyzing fear and bitterness. Despite enjoying Amy's company in the past, he couldn't imagine that this encounter would go well for him.
He froze, ignoring the second, more hesitant knock. When her footsteps receded, he sat on his desk chair and sighed. His fingers drifted to his keyboard, but he remained motionless in front of the computer for a few minutes, feeling guilty and oddly disappointed.
XXX
Matt stared at the menu, struggling to make sense of its contents. Sora had suggested a sushi place, and he didn't have the balls to tell her that he hadn't eaten sushi before. What was a maki? Sashimi? Wasn't most sushi raw? He didn't consider himself a food wimp, but he'd be more confident if he knew what he was ordering.
Matt cast a sidelong glance at Sora and was surprised to find her grinning. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about the way her eyes shined seemed playful. I have you right where I want you, they seemed to say, and Matt wondered if he was sweating. The menu twitched in his hands, slipping down a few inches, and suddenly, his whole face was visible. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked at last, and immediately colored. He cleared his throat and tried to rearrange his face into a calm, measured expression.
"You could have told me that you've never had sushi before," Sora said. Matt swallowed hard, then forced a snort.
"Of course I have." Pure pride controlled his tongue; it seemed impossible to admit that he had come all this way without saying anything. Besides, he didn't want her to think that he was a stereotypical, culturally ignorant American.
"Oh?" She leaned closer to him, and her smile sweetened. "Then why are you staring at your menu like you can't read it?"
"I just like to know all of my options," he said, shrugging easily, grateful that his glibness was returning. Sora stared at him, folded her menu, and placed it on the table.
"Would it kill you to be honest?" she asked, sighing. Matt fought to keep his surprise to himself. It was rare for girls to call him out. Usually, they were more than happy with everything he said, eager to go along with whatever he did.
He had two options here. He could continue to misdirect Sora, to let his pride do all the talking, or he could step back and be honest. There were pros and cons to both choices, and he paused while his brain sputtered over them. Continuing to lie would be easier, and could make her walk away from this with a better impression of him, if he did it well. But then, she could clearly tell when he was lying- and didn't appreciate it.
Then, somewhere in the back of his mind, he remembered something that Amy had said so long ago that her voice sounded flutey and fairy-like, as it had when she was a child. I think that, when you're dealing with people, and you really want to do the right thing… Whichever choice seems hardest is usually the best.
Masochistic kid, he thought grimly. Then he took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry. I was worried you would choose somewhere else if I said I haven't had sushi before. And I thought you might think it was weird or narrow-minded that I haven't." His hands toyed with the pages of the menu, and he forced them to go still.
Sora stared at him, then nodded slowly. "I see. I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but I guess you don't know me well enough to know that. But, you know… You don't have to push yourself to impress me. I'm here to get to know you as you are." She turned to the approaching waiter, which was fortunate for Matt, because he was blown away.
No one had ever said something like that to him before. What the heck was he supposed to make of it? On the one hand, if she knew that he sometimes put up a front, then maybe this relationship could be the most natural and relaxed one he had ever had, assuming it ever became a relationship. But, on the other hand, that cool persona was a part of him now, and he didn't dislike it, so it could be a problem if she wanted him to drop it entirely. So how should he handle himself here?
Just be natural. Go with it, the way Tai and Amy do. He tried not to grimace. That was easier said than done. He admired how Tai said whatever he felt like saying, although he also saw the advantage of knowing when to keep quiet and when to politely lie. And then there was Amy, private with her thoughts, but too obvious with her feelings for her own good.
As for his brother, TK, well… It wasn't like he went around lying. But Matt knew he filtered incoming signals and adjusted his responding behavior accordingly. This seemed like an ideal strategy to Matt, except that TK still managed surprise the hell out of him.
"I'll have whatever she's having," he muttered to the waiter, since he had no idea what he wanted to order, anyway. The waiter retreated, and Matt returned his attention to Sora, wondering how in the world he was going to respond. Then she smiled warmly and asked about his first week of school.
Thank God, he thought, exhaling slowly. Matt placed his hands on his knees and eased into the conversation as naturally as he could, and soon he was making use of his irreverent, sarcastic humor and his easy, smooth laughter.
When the sushi came, he hardly noticed what he was eating, finding Sora's enjoyment of her food much more interesting. The way she closed her eyes as she took the first bite had him riveted. Who knew that watching someone do something so ordinary could be arousing? With a will, he shifted his eyes from her face to his plate.
Reign it in, old son! Can't have your mind in the gutter and the conversation!
With effort, Matt focused, and was rewarded with fantastic company.
XXX
Tai opened his eyes on Sunday morning and lurched upright, remembering that he might be playing tennis with Sora soon, assuming that Amy helped him out. He glanced through the window, expecting sunshine, which was what he saw the day before.
Rain fell in thick, steady sheets. He stared into the gloom, his mind numbing with shock and disappointment.
Well, fuck me, he thought, collapsing back onto the sheets.
