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As soon as Noah headed down the stairs, Rachel rounded on her and grinned. “I told you he’s interested.”
Charlotte groaned. “Well, you heard me tell him I’m not up for dating right now.”
“Never say never.”
“Why aren’t you mad?”
“Huh? Why would I be mad?”
She set the empty water bottle on the table to throw in the recycling bin on her way out. “Because you like him?” She exhaled a soft laugh.
“Oh. Well, yeah, but I’m not going to be pissy if you two hook up. There’s plenty of options in this town.”
“You really don’t care?”
“When the summer session is over, this place is going to be packed with all kinds of fresh meat. If you want Noah, go for him. Won’t bother me none.”
Charlotte’s nose wrinkled in distaste at the terminology. “You’re impossible.”
“Just telling it like it is.” Rachel stood and leaned on the edge of the desk. “Though I’ll warn you.” She glanced down the steps to where Noah lingered near the door, talking to the TA.
“Warn me?”
“Yeah,” she said, looking back at Charlotte. “We joke around and talk a lot, but there’s a reason I haven’t taken an honest crack at him.”
Charlotte rose from her seat and looked at Rachel, a chill going down her spine at the sudden serious look on the other girl’s face. Something seemed off.
Rachel leaned in, talking in a hushed tone. “See, Noah’s a new transfer. He missed the first batch of classes from fall to winter. Most of the students taking the extended summer courses are going for extra credits to speed up their degrees, but he’s having to make up for lost time.”
“So? That’s kinda what I’m doing. I came in late, but I’m doing it to get it over with faster.”
“Yeah, but you’re different.”
Charlotte’s brows lowered, and her nose scrunched. “Different?”
“Yeah. You talk to people and participate.”
“Noah does too.” She didn’t get where Rachel was going with this line of thinking.
“Yeah, no. He doesn’t. At least, he doesn’t when you’re not around.” She glanced over her shoulder again. Noah stood in the empty doorway looking up at them. She lowered her voice further. “He’s only sociable and easy-going when you’re around. At first, I thought he was shy and had taken a liking to you, but I see the way he touches you, and I don’t know… he kinda gives me the creeps now.”
Charlotte didn’t know what to make of that. Rachel liked Noah. She flirted with him. Was she saying this to scare her off so she could have him to herself?
“The creeps,” Charlotte deadpanned. “Yet you flirt with him and like him. I don’t get that.”
Rachel’s lips flattened, and she drew a deep breath through her nose. Exhaling, she said, “I dunno. I guess I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. I’m attracted to him, and the personality he shows when you’re around or we’re in group meetings is appealing to me. That’s what I like. But sometimes he gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
Charlotte considered that. Maybe Noah didn’t feel comfortable around people he didn’t know or hadn’t talked to much. Maybe that’s why he opened up in their group, and by default, he would be open around her because she was in the group with him. They also could relate to one another, both being new transfers. Rachel was probably overthinking it, but Charlotte wasn’t sure.
She didn’t know Rachel all that well. The only reason they became familiar at all was because they briefly shared a hallway and took the same classes. It wasn’t easy to know Rachel’s thought process when their conversations never carried much depth. Not that she didn’t think Rachel capable of it. It wasn’t her fault.
It came down to keeping people at a distance. Not wanting to get too close when things started getting strange. Charlotte was afraid to set down roots in an area that wasn’t her home, another reason she hadn’t explored Athens.
Another reason to avoid dating the locals too.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said after giving it some thought. She couldn’t dismiss Rachel’s words any more than she could accept them without prejudice—she could only go on her own impression and experience with the guy. She looked down at where Noah had stood earlier, but he was already gone. “But I don’t think he’s a bad guy.”
“Just be careful if you decide to go off with him on your own. You can call me if you need to.”
