I visited Quigley on days when I felt sad or lonely. My brother attended high school there, and I was involved in their musicals my freshman and sophomore year. I had become rather close with many of the students. It was a school for boys; and they were infatuated with me. I actually didn’t meet Joe through the plays, though he did work with stage crew his sophomore year. I knew of him through his brother John, of whom I was relatively close with. John is my brother’s name too.
“I’ll have the chicken alfredo and a root beer.”
“You like root beer? I hate it. I’ll have the barbecue chicken pizza. So tell me about Liset.”
I was trying to set up my best friend Liset with Joe. She wanted a boyfriend, or a boy toy, and she loved Mexican men; of course, she is Mexican herself. The notion just came into my mind one day as I was chatting with John online. I just thought it seemed like a good idea; I think I was just bored.
“Well, what do you want to know?”
I didn’t exactly know what to say. I kept thinking to myself how awkward this was, that I was on a “date” with him while I was trying to set him up with my best friend. But I figured, if I was doing this in Liset’s best interest, I had a right to go and scope things out. I was also very attracted to him. We had actually conversed a few times prior to this, online, simple conversations.
“Why do you keep staring into your plate?”
He could tell I was flustered, though that only made it worse. I blushed and spun the pasta around my fork. I was a complete wreck. I couldn’t stop thinking about how I was completely underdressed – torn jeans and a sweater, with “Quigley” printed on it. He was wearing a black DKNY sweater and khakis. There was a white speck on his sweater. It was the end of the straw wrapper.
“There’s something on your shirt,” I mumbled.
He looked at my eyes as I stared into my plate, my face glowing. He smirked and looked to see what it was I pointed at, and then looked back at me while he picked it off. I felt his eyes sear through my clothes and past my skin. I felt as if he was peering deep into my soul, reading about my life, digging through my weaknesses. Despite the awkward pauses, it was a pleasant meal. I could tell that we would become good friends, and I was happy for Liset. I really thought she would like him.
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