Chapter 53: A Casual Sunday Morning With A Not So Casual Aquintance
The navigation said eight minutes to Northgate University. Drew had spent most of those eight minutes explaining why needed them to come along.
"She’s actually really cool, man. I’m not overselling it. My brother met her at a party and said, ’Drew, this girl is perfect for you.’"
Adrian turned the radio up.
Drew turned it back down. "Dude... I’m giving you info here."
"All you’ve done is drag us into a blind date." Jenna cut in. "One we never agreed to care about."
"Hey..." Drew glanced at Adrian. "Adrian gives a shit."
"To be honest, I don’t."
Jenna looked at Drew. "See. Neither of wants to be here."
"Well, too bad." Drew twisted around to look at her. "You guys are gonna stay so I don’t show up alone."
"You wanna show up to a blind date with two friends?" She raised a brow. "Adrian could have been enough. Now it’s just sus."
"Adrian doesn’t count."
Adrian kept his eyes on the road. "Thanks."
"You know what I mean. It’s different with a girl there..." Drew gestured vaguely. "Makes me look less desperate."
Jenna stared at him. "Really? I make you look less desperate?"
"More like, you make me seem normal."
More like an idiot.
Adrian followed the navigation left, and the campus gate appeared ahead.
A guard booth sat beside the entrance, the barrier lifting for one car after another.
The campus looked quiet, but not deserted. A few students crossed the paths with bags over their shoulders, while a jogger disappeared behind the fence.
He’d driven past Northgate before but never actually through it. The buildings were older than he’d expected, stone-faced and spread out between trees that had probably been there longer than the university itself.
Signs pointed toward administration, dormitories, the science wing. Everything slightly too clean; better than he’d expected.
Drew directed him toward a parking lot near the main building. Adrian found a space, killed the engine, and they got out.
The fountain was immediately visible, centered in the paved area in front of the administration building, water catching the afternoon light.
Drew headed toward it like he’d been rehearsing this part. Jenna fell into step beside Adrian.
"She’s probably nice," she said, not unkindly.
"I’m sure she is."
"He seems nervous."
Adrian watched Drew straighten his collar for the third time since getting out of the car. "Yeah."
Jenna smiled. "This is gonna be hilarious.
Adrian raised a brow. "What is?"
"Watching our Drew try and flirt." She replied, stepping forward.
They stopped at the fountain’s edge. Drew crossed his arms and tried very hard to look like he wasn’t waiting.
"She said she’d meet us here."
A minute passed. Then another.
Jenna tilted her head. "You sure you gave her the right place?"
"Yes."
"The right time?"
"Yes."
Jenna opened her mouth again.
"Jenna."
She looked at the fountain. "Just making sure."
Drew pulled out his phone and stared at the screen. Nothing had come through. He checked it again a few seconds later, then pretended he hadn’t.
Another minute went by. Jenna glanced at Adrian, and then at Drew.
"You know what this feels like?"
"Don’t."
"It feels an awful lot like you got stood up."
"She’s coming."
"She might not be."
Drew put his phone away. "She’s coming."
Adrian looked at Drew. "Just call her."
Drew hesitated, then he called. It rang through to voicemail.
"Admit it, Drew." Jenna said, her voice flat. "She ghosted you."
"Shut up."
He called again. It rang seven times before connecting. Drew immediately straightened, his lips curving.
"Hey... yeah. I’m here. By the fountain." He turned slowly, searching the paths. "What about..." He stopped.
"You can see us?"
Adrian scanned the paths. A few students were nearby, but none looked like they were waiting for someone.
Then a voice came through the phone, faint enough that Adrian couldn’t make out the words, and Drew turned around.
Jenna turned first.
Adrian turned a moment later and caught Jenna’s expression changing; a flicker of recognition, followed by a smile that immediately looked dangerous.
"Holy shit..." Jenna’s amuse grin widened.
"What?"
His eyes followed hers.
First, he saw a girl waving enthusiastically at them; dark hair, glasses, and a charming easy smile. A step behind her, was another girl.
Blonde, put-together, and...
Oh, fuck.
He knew that face. The clothing store. The dressing room hallway. The System’s ridiculous $100,000 offer.
Of all people.
Dina.
He studied the fountain with sudden interest. The stonework was surprisingly decent. Jenna was very still beside him, lips pressed together, shoulders giving away her amusement.
The footsteps got closer.
The girl on glasses arrived with her companion faster than Adrian could have wanted. Everything was fine. There was nothing wrong.
Adrian glanced at Dina. She was already looking at him, her eyes widening.
Shit. Shit. I’m so fucked.
She opened her mouth. Drew, completely unaware, stepped forward with a grin and started making introductions before either of them could say anything.
Adrian barely registered any of it, until...
"Hi. I’m Dina."
Damn it. What the heck did he do to deserve any of this? Well... a lot. Kinda.
"Adrian..." Dina added. "Didn’t think I’d see you again."
Drew looked between them, slightly puzzled. "Wait, you two know each other?"
Adrian opened his mouth. Nothing came out.
"Yeah, we’ve met." Dina said, pleasantly. "When he was shopping."
Adrian hesitated.
"Clothing store," Adrian straightened his collar . "That’s it."
"Huh." Drew nodded once. "Small world."
"Very," Adrian said.
Jenna was still beside him, lips pressed together, doing an impressively bad job of hiding her amusement.
Now what?
Dina glanced at him once, it wasn’t a long look, but it wasn’t friendly either. Adrian looked down at his hands then.
Drew was already suggesting they find somewhere to sit, clearly pleased with himself. The girl on glasses agreed.
Adrian followed immediately. So did Dina. Apparently, his embarrassment was coming with him.
***
The café was quiet enough that Adrian could hear the music playing over the speakers.
Drew found a table near the back without difficulty and immediately took the seat beside Marianne.
Jenna sat across from Drew. Adrian took the seat beside her.
Three seats were left. All three were perfectly reasonable options.
Dina reached the table and looked over the remaining chairs, her expression still unreadable.
She sat beside him.
Huh. He paused. She chose... beside me.
He looked sideways. She looked back at him like nothing unusual had happened. "What? Is something wrong?"
Adrian looked at the chair she was already sitting on. "Um. No" He glanced at the chair. "Apparently not."
The corner of her mouth lifted, barely.
She turned to look at the menu on the table like nothing had happened. Adrian did the same.
The prices were fine. The selection was normal. Everything was completely under control.