The Perfect Game

I strolled through the tree-lined campus, following the cement pathway that would eventually lead me to the Trunk offices. I’d joined the award-winning student-run magazine at the insistence of my visual communications professor. Even though I was required to take writing classes with my major, my focus was on the visual reporting side of things. I yearned to improve my craft, bringing life-changing visuals to accompanying articles.

I spotted the one-story brick building up ahead. All the newer buildings on campus were constructed with red and white brick, while the original buildings were large white stucco structures. It never made sense to me why they wouldn’t at least attempt to match the newer buildings with the older ones.

I pulled the tinted glass door open and a gush of air conditioning greeted my face. I moved my sunglasses on top of my head, pulling my long hair back with them as I rounded the corner.

“Hey, Dani,” I said as I entered, not wanting to startle Danielle, who squinted at the computer before she looked up.

“Hey, Cassie, come look at this.” She waved me over, her expression still tight. I peered around her puffy brown ponytail and over her shoulder at the photograph on the screen. “I need this picture to have more expression. It’s not giving me what I want. What am I missing?”

I looked at the eight-year-old boy standing in front of spilled water buckets, his expression sorrowful. “First of all, I don’t think it should be in black and white. The details get lost in this photo. May I?” I pointed at the seat she occupied.

“Please.” She jumped up from the seat as we switched positions.

I reopened the original picture in the photo editing software and manipulated the colors before pointing to the screen. “Look at the dirty rug hanging behind him. I barely noticed it in black and white. The cracks in the buckets, and the rubble at his feet,” I paused, “were all lost before. This picture needs to be in color. This picture deserves to be in color.”

Her hands clapped together behind my head before she squeezed my shoulders. “You’re such a fucking genius. I love you.”

I smiled, my eyes glued to the screen. “Thanks.”

“So what’s up?” Dani smiled, the tension creases between her eyes easing up as she relaxed.

“I just stopped by to work on some photos I took of last night’s game. I thought you might want to use them for the feature you’re running on Jack Carter.”

“Tell me you’re not one of…” she hesitated, “them.”

“One of…what?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowing.

“One of the hundreds of girls on campus in love with all things Jack Carter.” She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh.

I guffawed. “Uh, no. I can’t stand the guy.”

“Well that’s a first,” she admitted with a laugh. “We have a million pictures of Jack, but in all honesty, I’d love to see anything you shot.”

“Thanks, Dani.” I sat up a little straighter and smiled, unable to quell the little rise of pride welling up inside me.

“Now that you saved me from killing myself over this photo, I need to eat. See you later and thanks again.” She tossed her purse strap over her shoulder, catching the ends of her ponytail in it before cursing and tugging the strands free.

It took longer than I expected to edit the photos from last night, but I had to admit they were good. They were better than good, actually. My stomach rumbled and I wondered if Melissa was still on campus. I sent her a quick text to which she responded, “Still here. In the SU.”

I wrote back, “I have class in a few, but I’m on my way,” before inserting the memory card into my camera and shoving it into my backpack. I passed some girls and pretended not to notice when they pointed and whispered Jack’s name.

Irritated, I took a detour through campus, pleased when I noticed the pathway was virtually vacant. I shook my head while I walked, annoyed that Jack’s antics had made me the focus of attention I didn’t want.

I threw open the heavy glass door and heard the sound of bowling pins crashing. Craning my neck to see the bowler, I smiled when I recognized the guy from my digital foundations class. Quick bursts of light alerted me that he wasn’t bowling for fun and I watched another kid from class taking pictures of him.

I diverted my attention and looked around the sparse crowd for Melissa’s face. She tilted her head and stuck out her tongue, catching my eye, before I strolled over to where she and Dean were sitting. I flung my pack on the table before plopping down.

“Thought you weren’t coming to my game?” Jack slid his body into the seat next to mine, his tone sounding a bit arrogant.

“My roommate threatened to set me on fire if I didn’t.” I kept my voice cool and avoided his eyes, scooting my body away from his.

“Well, at least now I know how to get you to go out with me.”

“I’m not going out with you,” I said, turning my head away from him.

“At least give me your number then?”

“No thanks.”

“Why not?”

“’Cause I don’t want to.” I breathed out, still irritated about the way other girls acted around him. It just kept eating at me, which was a good thing, because it helped me resist Jack. God help me.

“Aw, come on, Kitten.”

“Stop calling me that!” I rose from the table, grabbing my things. “I’ll see you later,” I announced, my attention solely focused on Melissa.

I flung my pack across my shoulder and slipped hastily out a side door. Dropping my sunglasses over my eyes, I headed toward the tall Communications & Arts Building.

“Kitten! Kitten, wait up!”

I looked back to see Jack racing to catch me, and everyone’s attention drawn toward us.

“For the last time, my name isn’t Kitten.” Hiking my bag strap a little higher on my shoulder, I sped up my pace.

“I know! But you’ve never told me your real name,” he said, slightly out of breath.

I let out a quick sigh. “Cassie.”

“It’s really nice to meet you, Cassie.” He said my name all syrupy sweet and his brown eyes danced. It was easy to see why girls threw themselves at him.

“I’d say it’s nice to meet you too, but I haven’t decided yet.”

He laughed. A real, hearty laugh and I had to stop myself from doing the same. “Anything I can do to help sway your decision?” He scratched his hair, his bicep flexing.

“I highly doubt that.”

“Let me take you out, Cass.” He said it so honestly, I almost believed he genuinely wanted to.

“No.” I stood firm, my tone flat.

“Why not?”

“I enjoy my dates to be disease-free.”

Score one for Cassie.

Take that, Jack Carter.

“As do I,” he quipped confidently before giving a head nod to a passing teammate.

Now it was my turn to laugh. “Right. I’ve heard you’re not really particular about who you date.”

“Well you heard wrong, then.”

“Oh, that’s right. Actually, I heard you don’t date at all. You just sleep with any girl who bats her fake eyelashes in your direction.”

“I really need to meet your sources.”

He followed me into the white stucco building. When I reached my classroom door, I turned to him and said, “See ya, Carter,” as I headed down the stairs to my regular seat.

“Are you going to be this hostile on our date?” he shouted into the packed room.

All heads turned my direction, curiosity overwhelming them. I swallowed the lump in my throat and willed my cheeks to not turn red. Yeah, like that’s going to work.

Pausing on the stairs, I pivoted and glared at Jack. “Who said I was going on a date with you?”

“Don’t make me beg, Kitten.” I shot him an irritated glare as the classroom filled with whispers and sounds of shock. “Don’t make me beg in front of all these people. It’s embarrassing.”

“I’ll go out with you, Jack,” a busty blonde shouted, poking her shellacked face out from behind her seat.

“Perfect! I’m sure you two will have a great time together.” I dropped into my seat and slinked lower, wishing for the power to become invisible.

My eyes closed and I took a few deep breaths before warm whispers interrupted my attempt to relax. “I don’t want to go out with her, Kitten. I want to go out with you.” His breath tingled against my neck, causing the small hairs to prickle with excitement and sending goose bumps shooting down my arm.

“What are you doing? Get out of here,” I whispered, my tough facade cracking.

Honestly, I’m surprised it lasted this long.

“Promise me you’ll think about it.” His voice lowered with insistence, then he gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“Promise you I’ll think about going out with the school’s biggest player? Oh sure, I’ll think about it.” Seriously?

“Promise me,” he insisted.

Either he was actually sincere, or he was a really good bullshit artist and I was completely buying into it. I took one deep breath. I turned my head to the left and looked him dead in the eyes. “Fine. I promise I’ll think about it. Will you go away now?”

A wide grin emerged and his gorgeous dimples appeared, torturing me with their adorable sex appeal. He stood up without another word and walked out of the classroom. I sat in silence, trying to hear anything other than the sound of my heart banging like wild bongo drums in my ears.

I’m pathetic.

When class ended, I walked outside to find Jack surrounded by a group of giggling girls. His eyes met mine and he broke from the circle, running to catch up. “Stalk much?” I said between breaths.

“It’s not stalking when you enjoy it,” he teased, overconfidence oozing from every perfect pore.

Half of me wanted to punch his gorgeous face, and the other half wanted to make out with it. “I bet you say that to all the girls.” I rolled my eyes.

“I don’t have to say that to all the girls. You’re the only one who gives me crap for things like…breathing.”

I rolled my eyes.

Again.

“Well, you’re an annoying breather.”

“You’re an annoying eye-roller,” he fired back.

“What?” I stopped walking and turned toward his smug face, causing the pack of girls following us to stop as well.

“You shouldn’t roll your eyes like that. Didn’t your parents ever tell you it wasn’t good for you?” He shoved a hand into his front pocket as girls walked by, begging for his attention. I had his complete interest, whether I wanted it or not.

“My parents said a lot of things,” I responded defensively.

“Oh, I get it now.” His voice was as sweet as Southern iced tea. “Daddy issues.”

“How does any girl stand you?” He made me so mad I wanted to smack his smarmy face, but I just stood there frozen as the wind breezed through my hair.

“It’s the dimples.” Jack actually delivered the line seriously, pointing at the indent on his cheek before breaking into a big smile.

I couldn’t take the banter any more. “At least you’re humble,” I said, before willing my legs to move.

“Just let me take you out. One date,” he shouted at my retreating frame. “And if you hate it and we have a horrible time, you never have to go out with me again.”

I stopped walking and turned to face him. “So that’s it? Just one date and you’ll go away forever?” I laughed, actually considering the idea.

We were making a scene again as girls whispered and guys waited to observe if Jack Carter would actually get shot down.

“Just one date.” He held up one finger in front of my face before involving the crowd. “Help me out here, guys.” He turned to face the gawkers. “Tell her to go out with me one time. What can it hurt?”

The crowd roared with encouragement, and I heard shouts like, “Awwww, go out with him!” and “It’s just one date! Do it!”

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Fine. Just one.” Loud cheers erupted at my response. You’d think I’d just accepted a marriage proposal the way those idiots were carrying on.

What had I just gotten myself into?