Page 28 of Already Falling

Reid

Hey…I grew up as an only child with a single dad, Mean Girls wasn’t a typical Friday night movie pick for us.

Annika

I’d be honored to escort you to your first viewing of Mean Girls.

Reid

:] awesome, pick you up at your dorm? 7pm Friday?

Annika

I’ll be there

I’ll be there? Of course I will, it’s my dorm!

And just like that, all my doubt washes away because I’ve agreed to another date with Reid without second guessing. It’s just one more date, and we’ll be watching a movie most of the time. Casual Annika, don’t fall in love with him.

TWELVE

REID

The past week has been the hardest I’ve experienced in college yet. Two classes had projects due. One told us we’d have a quiz at the end of the week, and I can’t concentrate on my lecture because I keep doodling “Annika” over and over again on my note sheet. I’ve done it so many times that the double n’s turn into a long squiggle. I feel terrible that I’ve texted her so few times since our date. And I feel worse that she isn’t on the top of my mind. Anatomy II is.

I’ve been thinking a lot about balance. I want to do this right with Annika. I don’t want to treat it like it’s some college fling. I never thought in middle school that I’d actually get to date her, let alone kiss her. Holding her up so we don’t collapse on the beach. I’ve been comforting my stressed brain by thinking about that date. It was perfect, which is why I want things to only improve. I want to take it slow and make sure she knows how much I care about her. But balance. I can’t let my feelings for her cloud my studying. I am on track to finish the year with honors, and I intend to make sure that happens. So if I can’t text her right away in order to study, I’ll have to wait.

I was nervous to finally message her two days ago, but we fell into conversation with ease. She is effortless to me. Her banter, her expressions. It’s a breath of fresh air. I can’t mess this up with her. Hopefully, she understands, and we can take things slow. If I’m capable of slow.

The sound of my professor closing his textbook means the lecture is finally over, and I’ve successfully written “Annika” probably a hundred times and taken zero notes. So much for balance.

My last class of the day is over, which means in two hours, I get to pick up Annika and take her to a movie. I am walking light on air back to my dorm. I’m so giddy I start skipping. I feel like I’m in a romantic comedy, but I’m not going to let the puzzled looks of my peers stop me from enjoying this high I am on. I see Isaac, and he starts laughing hysterically at the sight of me skipping toward him.

“Dude! What the hell are you on right now, and can I get some of it?” I meet Isaac’s hand and pat his back to greet him.

“I’m on a silly thing called love, my dude.” Except I’m not in love, not yet, at least.

“Yo…love? Don’t be throwing the ‘L’ word around like that. Who’s the lucky girl?”

“You know Annika? We went to middle school with her. She was at your birthday party.”

I think I notice an expression change in Isaac’s eyes when I mention her name. Interesting. Maybe there’s something he isn’t telling me.

“Ya, of course, I know Anni…I invited her to my birthday party. You should be thanking me. Shit, call me Cupid!”

Any worry I have melts away as Isaac’s big smile spreads across his face, and he pats my shoulder.

“I’m really happy I decided to come to your party. I’m about to pick her up again tonight for another date. It feels like the real thing.”

“Well, that’s dope, bro. Tell her I said hi, and have fun tonight. Go get some!” Isaac forces a smile and strides off.

Is he into Annika too? Isaac is one of my closest friends here, and it would majorly suck if a girl came between us. I shake it off and finish my walk back to my door. I need to freshen up and change out of these school clothes before I pick up Annika.

I stand at her dorm door and take a deep breath, then lift my arms to double check I put deodorant on. How should I knock? Now I’m questioning my knock style? I do two quick knocks and immediately wish I did three. I hear muffled talking from inside and then the door opens.

This is the third moment I’d like to bottle and remember forever. Seeing Anni’s eyes light up as she looks up at me. She’s done something again to her hair, so it flips out at her shoulders and sways when she turns her head, just like the first night I saw her. Her perfume wafts over to me, and I am instantly transported to our kiss on the beach. I smile and look down at her outfit. She’s wearing a black crop top with a big rose on the chest and a black flared skirt. She’s not wearing her Chucks today. Instead, she’s got on a pair of sexy black platform boots. Damn. I shove my hands into my pockets to prevent myself from pushing her back into her dorm and kissing her all night instead of watching the movie.

I look up and see she is also looking at my outfit. “So, do you approve of my movie night outfit?” I say, putting one hand on my head and one on my hip, posing for her.