Existence 03 - Ceaseless

stalked off angrily. She wasn’t used to being turned down.
    “What is it with her? Every guy I date she goes after.”
    Pagan’s response caused me to tense up. What other guys had she been dating? I wasn’t aware she’d been out with anyone other than Jay. Had Gee been keeping something from me?
    “Really?” I managed to ask in a normal voice. The anger and jealousy rolling through me was ta m ped down. Pagan couldn’t see that.
    “Yeah, really. But at least you didn’t set up a date with her rig ht in front of me. Jay made plans with her while on a date with me. I didn’t care exactly but it was a little embarrassing. Did nothing for my ego.”
    He was an ass. How could he be her soul’s mate? They didn’t match up. He was far from worthy. “The guy is an idiot. There is no comparison between the two of you. She can’t compete.”
    Pagan inhaled sharply then turned her face up to look at me, “Okay, yeah, you’re real good at this , Dank Walker. Real good.”
    “ I’m glad you like your laptop. Feel free to use the bag it’s in to carry your other books. Does this mean you’ll ride with me to our next class? ” I asked pulling out her helmet.
    The corner of her mouth turned up and she reached for the helmet. “ Thank you. I’ll do that and , yeah, I think I will take that lift. ”

Chapter Fifteen

    Pagan
    I had a date with Dank. A real date, n ot an impromptu breakfast — a real date. Just us. I was as excited as I was nervous. However, I wasn’t sure what to wear. This must have been the way Miranda felt when she was getting ready to go out with Nathan.
    “You can pull off the boy shorts and bra well , but I’m thinking clothing may be required for where you’re going tonight,” Gee said as she walked into the room through our adjoining bathroom without knocking.
    “Funny,” I replied frowning at her. “I can’t decide what to wear. He said I could dress however I wanted to dress but that isn’t very helpful.”
    “I’m thinking he didn’t mean clothing optional,” Gee drawled as she plopped down on my bed.
    “You think? Thanks for clu e ing me in. I was thinking I might just parade around in my undies all night.”
    Gee laughed, “On second though t, he’d probably like that. I still vote for the clothes though.”
    “Should I wear casual or dressy? Which would he prefer?” I asked Gee as I scanned my limited wardrobe.
    “You want my honest opinion?”
    I glanced back at her over my shoulder, “Yes. I do. You know him better than I do.”
    Gee nodded in agreement. “Okay, wear that pink dress with those pink heels. He’ll be a puddle at your feet.”
    The pink dress? Really? I wasn’t even sure why I owned that dress. I had never worn it before. I reached for the hanger and pulled it out. It was sexy in an innocent kind of way. Might be a little dressy but then he hadn’t said not to be dressy. I remembered how he’d picked up those heels and held them like they were precious. Maybe he had a thing for pink heels.
    “You wear that and he won’t be able to concentrate. I can swear to you about that.”
    Gee knew him well. I’d go with her opinion. “Okay. If you say so.”

    Two hours later I was shaved, plucked, dressed and ready when someone knocked on my door. Who was that? I needed to go meet Dank in the great hall in five minutes. Miranda was still out with Nathan. They’d had a lunch date that was still going strong according to her many text messages. Gee had bailed on me after I started painting my toenails. She had lived through all the primping she could handle.
    I opened the door and Dank stood there in a pair of khaki slacks, a dark blue dress shirt that was left open at the collar and , of course , his boots , holding a dozen red roses . He looked mouthwatering . His surprised expression as he took in what I was wearing didn’t go unnoticed. What was he surprised about? That I could clean up nicely?
    “Pagan, you, uh, wow, I… I really like you in pink.”
    I really liked this side of him. The not so cool and confident side. The one that was vulnerable. I pointed to the roses, “Are those for me?”
    He glanced down at the forgotten flowers in his hand and chuckled, “Yeah, they are.” He held them out for me to take and I realized this was a first. No guy had ever brought me roses.
    “Thank you,” I replied stepping back to let him in. If he’d been spotted in the hall then someone would have said something by now. I wanted to put my