Chapter #7Enter the Dame by: Seuzz   "Do you have trouble talking to girls?" Gillian asks.
Your throat freezes even as you jaw hangs open. "I-- I don't know how to answer that," you say, and instantly wish the ground would open up beneath your feet.
"I think you just did," she says with a twinkly smile. "I'm Gillian, though you should have told me your name first."
"I know. I mean, I know you're Gillian. I'm Will Prescott."
"I know. Where's Caleb and Keith?"
"They're-- Why?"
"That's who I always see you with."
"You've seen me? I mean, they're not-- I was hanging out with Dane this afternoon."
"Uh huh. Yeah, I've seen you around. What do you like?"
"What do I--?" You've got to stop repeating her statements and questions. You look around dumbly. What in this place do you like? Besides her? You shrug. "Oh, different things."
"Mm. You know, if you liked role-playing with those guys in there, I'd see you a lot more often."
"Would you like to see more often?" you gulp.
"That's the kind of question I like," she says. She looks you up and down once, and then walks around the table while keeping you in her sight. You fight the urge to back off, which isn't hard, since your feet seem frozen to the ground. Once she's on your side of the table she gives you another long look up and down. "You'd fit in with those guys," she says. "Don't you like them? You look disappointed."
"Oh, well, I'm not really into role-playing games. I mean, not anymore. I played back when I was in middle school, but it's been a long time, and I don't--"
"What about video games? Christian and Darrell are really into videogames."
"I like videogames. I play them lots."
"Well, there's something you like. What else?"
"What do you like?"
She says nothing, and just bites on her grin. She comes up closer, and you stiffen all over as she pulls the brim of your cap up and plucks lightly at your stiff bangs. "I like your hair, Will."
"I need a haircut," you mutter.
"No you don't. Maybe a shave," she muses, and plucks at your chin whiskers.
This is so close to the fantasy you'd been having earlier that you can't stop yourself from following up. "Me and Dane were talking about going down to the river, hanging out--"
"Oh, is he the kind of thing you like?"
You probably turn the color of a very ripe tomato. "We were talking about finding some girls and-- So, if you'd like to go with us--" You don't dare move, for fear she'll glance down and notice the tent-like shape at the front of your pants.
"Braydon and me just got back from there," she says.
"Oh." And that instantly causes things to sag. "Is he something you like?"
"Mm hmm. But we're not serious or anything. I like his hair too."
"And his, um--" You rub an eye with your finger.
"Yeah," she laughs. "But it suits him. Wouldn't suit you." She cocks her head. "I wouldn't mind getting my hands on you, see what I could do with you."
"Well, any time you want to--"
"Would Lisa have a problem with it?"
Your heart sinks hard and fast. So she's seen you with Lisa. "No," you say quietly. "She says we're not dating."
"And what do you say?"
You sigh. "I guess we're not dating."
"That's too bad," she says, the light seems to die in her eye. She looks back over her shoulder. "I should go rescue those guys from my hubby."
"What do you mean?"
"Braydon likes making trouble. Likes using other people to make trouble."
"What do you--? Hubby? I thought you said you weren't serious."
"We're not. But I guess we're together." She allows you a brief backwards glance as she goes. "See you around, Will."
You have to clutch the edge of the table as your knees weaken. She was just fucking around with you? A flash of anger--wounded humiliation, you have to recognize--ripples through you. This is why you have trouble talking to girls. Because you can never figure out what the fuck it is with them.
You give yourself a minute to recover before going back into the café. "I'm taking off, Dane," you tell him brusquely. He just looks back glassily at you.
"Sell you something before you go?" Eric asks hopefully.
"I didn't see anything I want," you reply.
Except you did. And she's totally ignoring you now.
* * * * *
Your disappointment in yourself, in Gillian, in Lisa, in a universe that contains such people, is deep and bitter. You have to talk about it, and the only person who might conceivably give a rat's ass is your best friend, Caleb Johansson.
"What the fuck is it with girls?" you say as you throw yourself backwards onto his bed.
He puts his hand back on the door handle and opens it. "Out," he says. "I'm not listening to another death metal solo about you and Lisa."
"It's not Lisa this time," you retort.
"Second verse, worse than the first," he sighs.
"Get this," you press. "I go back up to the school this afternoon, and I run into Dane Matthias. I'm back up there, you know, because I'm taking in this thing for Walberg--"
You don't spare him any of the tedious and pointless backstory. "And you know Gillian? Gillian Kiefer?"
"Yeah?" he sighs. "Goth girl?"
"I wouldn't call her 'Goth'," you say. "More like, you know, leather wristbands and-- Well, she comes in with Braydon Herp-a-Derp-- Are you even listening to me?"
"No."
"Well, pay attention, because this is where it gets interesting."
"No it isn't."
"Shut up. So, they come in, and he sits down with Christian and them and starts making trouble about whether they were playing his character or not while he wasn't around--"
"I'm having a hard time playing a character who gives a fuck, Will."
"Well, she goes out into the main shop, and I go out there with her, 'cos I'm all scoping her out."
"And she slaps you."
"She doesn't slap me! She starts flirting with me!"
"Oh, and who's fantasy role-playing now? You're full of shit."
You leap off the bed and put your hand on your hip and grin flirtatiously at him. "Do you have a hard time talking to girls, Will?" you pipe in a croaking falsetto. "What do you like, Will? I like your hair. You should let me give you a makeover." You swing your hips hard as you walk up to Caleb; he blanches. "I'm not serious about Braydon, Will. Are you serious about Lisa?"
"Oh God, I knew you were--"
"So I say I'm not, and then she gets all cold. 'Well, I'm serious about Braydon. He's my hubby, and we were just out at the river.' You know, man, the river! And then she just walks off and totally ignores me!" You fall back onto the bed. "What the fuck is it with girls?"
"I don't know, man, none of what you said makes a lick of sense."
"Well, maybe you had to be there."
"I wouldn't have been there if you'd paid me."
"At least I got some money out of Christian for that book."
He sighs. "Maybe you should go talk to Tilley about it."
"Pfft. Dumbass. Who do you think I should be interested in?"
"Anyone who'd have you."
"Gimme a name."
He blinks. "You want me to set you a challenge?"
"Sure. I'm pissed."
"You're high. Okay, how about Jenny?"
"Jenny Ashton? Her and Lamont--"
"No they're not, which is how come he's always--" But you just wave your hand dismissively. "Lisa. That's where your heart's been--"
"I dunno. After talking with Gillian I think--"
"Well, thank heavens for that. If she's cured you of--" He frowns as you flip him off. "Chelsea Cooper."
That at least gets a laugh out of you, which turns into a grunt as you fall back onto the bed. "Chelsea Cooper. Did you see what she was wearing today? Or not wearing?"
"I know." He sinks onto the bed next to you. "Can you imagine being the captain of the basketball team and having that wrapped around your cock?"
"Just imagine her. Forget Gordon." You shudder.
"Yeah," he says dully. "Except that has to be part of the fantasy, doesn't it?" He blinks hard. "Me with my cock up Chelsea? Does not compute."
"No it doesn't," you agree, and he shoots you a dirty look. "But me with my cock?"
"Computes even less. Now, Tilley with his cock--"
You gag, and he joins you.
* * * * *
Still, it doesn't prevent the two of you from getting together with Keith on Saturday. "Movie?" Caleb suggests.
"I wanna hit the comic shops," Keith says. "There's a new title I wanna check out."
"You had all week for that," Caleb protests. Keith just shrugs.
You're still carrying the bruise from your encounter with Gillian. Mostly you just want to put it behind you, but part of you would like to see her again, to see what (if any) more mischief she has in store for you.   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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