Candi
“Ah! Did you see it? Did you see it?” Polly bursts into our dorm room with a red flyer in her hand. “It’s happening! I can’t believe it!” She’s squealing in delight and practically bouncing off the walls. I can even hear her through my headphones that are playing music while I work on my essay for my Creative Writing class. Our prompt is pretty basic, so it left a lot of room for creativity, and I was really getting into it before she interrupted.
Sliding my headphones off of my head, I pause my music and look at my overly excited roommate. “See what?”
She thrusts the flyer into my face. “They used my idea! SAC has started a new event for Valentine’s Day, and it’s the one I pitched! I mean, I knew that they actually checked their suggestion box in the mail room, but I never in a million years thought that they would pick mine. Oh my gosh, I’m so excited!” Her arms pump excitedly as she does a little dance.
Confused, I look down at the crumpled paper in my hand. “Cupid’s Shuffle?”
“Isn’t that a super cute name? I love a good play on words. My name suggestion had been more generic, but I like this one.”
“I’m super excited for you, Polly!” My smile is genuine as I hand her back the paper. She goes to the edge of her desk and drags it along the edge to work out the crinkles, thendramatically takes the tape and sticks it to the wall, making me laugh.
I really couldn’t have asked for a better roommate. Sometimes I wonder if we would have become friends if we hadn't roomed together since we’re so different. I would like to say that we would, but my social awkwardness makes me think otherwise.
She leans back on her heels, admiring her handiwork. “We aresoputting our names in for this.”
“What?” Unable to control my body, I stand up without even realizing I’ve done it. “No,weare not.” I motion between the two of us. “Youcan. But me? Nu-uh, no way.”
“Oh, come on, Candi.” Polly, the dramatic woman she is, gives me big puppy dog eyes, her pouty lips downturned and her hands clasped together under her chin. “Do it for your best friend Polly?” She blinks her big brown eyes slowly at me, begging me to give in.
“You know I can’t do it. You’ve seen me in action!” Polly had gotten an up close and personal look at just how horrible I am with people. The first time we went to the cafeteria together for dinner, she led us to a table full of people when the table I wanted was tucked in the corner without a soul sitting at it. She was her typical self, chatting with everyone, some she knew and some she didn’t. Me? I had clammed up entirely. I barely touched my food, and sat ramrod straight, my face no doubt a shade of beet red. The people were nice and tried to include me in the conversation, but it was like my tongue was made of lead. I sat there quietly panicking.
She scoffs at me and rolls her eyes, no longer giving me the puppy dog look. “You did fine! That was a table full of people, but this will just beoneperson. Ooh, what if it’s Jack? You’ve met Jack, right? The super-hot Scottish basketball player? He’s here on transfer. If you don’t know who he is, then I’ll be sure to point him out when I see him.”
Oh, I’ve seen him alright. He’s in my Creative Writing class and listening to him speak is pure heaven. Not that he’s speaking to me, but he’s had some great contributions to the class discussion. He’s all tall and lean with dark shaggy hair, but it’s his voice that has all the girls swooning.
No longer willing to put up with this conversation, I turn back to my desk and sit down in the uncomfortable standard-issue college dorm chair—the ones where if you lean back too far the angled legs will make you feel like you’re falling. “You’re kidding, right? Jack would be like a worst-case scenario for me. The flyer literally says ‘Rosewood Hunk’ and you know good and well that there is no way I can carry out any sort of conversation with anyone who fits that description.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, the image of Jaxon pops up.
I’d seen him from a distance around campus since the night he walked me home, but there is no way I’d approach him if I didn’t have to. This school is too small to go around without recognizing him or seeing him in passing. He never notices me though.
Story of my life.
That’s the problem with being average. Nothing about me stands out.
Whenever I see him, he’s carrying his backpack around, or in his baseball gear. I’ve seen him walking past the cafeteria building while I sat on the stairs outside reading. He had a large bag tossed over his shoulder and the tip of a metal bat sticking out of it. He never told me he played baseball, but even I can connect those dots.
Polly jumps on her bed bouncing slightly as she sits criss crossed while facing me. “No, I’m not kidding. I think this could be really good for you. It would get you out of your shell a bit. You’re such an amazing person that everyone should know who you are.”
Of course, leave it to Polly to pull on my emotions. Sucking in a breath, I sigh. “You really are the best, you know that?” I turn in my chair and Polly is beaming at me. “But,” I exhale, “I don’t want to do this‘Cupid’s Shuffle’date. It’s not my thing, but you should definitely go for it. Just imagine ifyouget Jack?”
Polly swoons dramatically, fanning her face. “Can’t you just see us now?”
And with that, I have artfully dodged a bullet. A dating bullet, but a bullet nonetheless, as Polly starts to imagine all the things that she and Jack would do on their Valentine’s date.
***
The whole campus is buzzing with excitement over this whole ‘Cupid’s Shuffle’date thing. I’ve taken to silently calling it the “Hunger Games of dating.” I find it hilarious, but Polly rolls her eyes at me whenever I bring it up. I’m starting to think she’s over her dramatics about my non-existent dating life. She’d been shocked to learn that I have never been on a date, haven’t had a boyfriend, or even—God forbid—kissed a boy. Her eyes had practically bugged out of her head in shock.
The week leading up to drawing night, cleverly titledShot by Cupid, has all the girls chatting about who they hope to be paired with. It’s all up to fate of course, with both names being drawn live in the Performing Arts Center.
“Wow, this place is packed!” Polly drags me by the arm into the PAC which is bustling with people. For a small campus, when we’re all shoved into one space it makes it look like there are thousands of us. “Come on, we’ve got to get seats close to the stage. There’s nothing worse than having to do that horrible run-walk thing when people are waiting on you.”
“Geez, woman, I’m coming,” I laugh.
People slowly start to sit around us when most of the seats in the back and middle are taken. Slouching down in my chair, Idiscreetly glance around the room looking for any familiar faces. Well, one face in particular, but that’s beside the point.
And there he is.
