Off Sides

stud."
    I hear Mike snort over that but I don't care.
    She goes around the table and gets everyone's order. After her smack down of Angeline, everyone is appropriately subdued and polite. I don't think anyone wants to go head to head with this girl.
    I watch her closely. Even though she was basically just called an ignoramus a few minutes ago, she seems confident and self-assured. She smiles at each of us when she takes our order, even Angeline, who is noticeably acquiescent when she orders a fruit cup and a glass of ice water. I'm impressed and find myself very curious about this girl.
    Why is someone so smart working in a diner? And what possesses someone to dye their hair purple or pierce their nose? I don't get it but I find myself wanting to know.
    After Danny puts our order in, conversation resumes although we're discussing hockey now instead of philosophy. I think we're starting to sober up. Mike, Carter and I discuss our season opener against Boston College. While we are talking, I watch as Danny moves around, talking to customers. She laughs a lot and has a killer smile with a dimple in each cheek. I also notice she has a killer ass but hey, I'm a guy.
    Apparently I'm not as covert as I think I am because Carter leans over and whispers to me, "She's pretty hot, huh? You thinkin' about hitting that?"
    I laugh him off. "Nah, man. She's not my type."
    "Well, with that body she's more than my type. I wonder if she's got any piercings we can't see."
    I can't say I didn't think the same thing. Still, there really is no way I am going to find out. I can tell by looking at her she is not the type of girl that does one-night stands. Oh, she may think she's tough with her dyed hair and piercings, but looking at her you can tell she's more angel than devil. Too bad for me. And for her, too.
    And a one-night stand would be the only way I could find out the answers to my questions. She definitely is not dating material because my parents would have a fit if I showed up in the media with her on my arm. This thought is disappointing to me. It's been a really long time since someone has interested me like this and now I'm all pissed off that I have to live my life by my parents' standards.
    I give a silent sigh and punch Carter playfully on the arm, "Go for it, dude. Your ugly mug might have a shot with her."

CHAPTER 2

    Danny

    I step out of my shower, shivering uncontrollably. It's the second day in a row our hot water heater has been broken and I'm getting ready to go off on the super's ass. If my roommate, Paula, and I weren't so damn poor, we'd move to a better apartment. But as it is, both of us are living hand to mouth and we just can't afford more than this squalid dump.
    "Was there any hot water, Danny?"
    I open the door to the bathroom and I can hear Paula in the kitchen banging pots around. I think she's making us some Ramen noodles for dinner.
    "Nope. Still cold as ice," I answer her.
    "Fuck. That no good fucker. Fuck."
    "Language! My ears are bleeding from your potty mouth. And you owe me three cigarettes."
    I hear Paula stomp down the hallway. She sticks her head in the door and hands me the cigarettes, shooting me a nasty glare. I promptly flush them down the toilet.
    "You're such a bitch, Danny."
    Blowing her a kiss, I reply, "I love you, too."
    And I do love Paula. She is like my best friend and mother all rolled into one. We have been living together for almost two years and she's fifteen years older than me. We met working together at Sally's but she's since moved on to better things...working in a vintage record store.
    Paula is a pro at cussing. I have been trying unsuccessfully since I first met her to get her to tone it down. It's not that I don't cuss, it's just that Paula does nothing but spout filthy words. So I made a bet with her that she couldn't stop using the "F" word to which she promptly sneered at me and said, "Easy Peasy". We agreed then that if she says the "F" word, she has to forfeit one of her precious cigarettes...which I happily destroy right in front of her. I figure I'll have her nicotine free before too long.
    Walking out of the bathroom, she follows me into my bedroom. I drop my towel to the floor and start getting dressed.
    "So, you got the late shift at Sally's?" she asks.
    "Yup. I get off at 7:00 a.m."
    I start getting dressed while she leans against my door jamb. "Girl, you got some crazy ass hours. Why don't you quit that fu—."
    One of my eyebrows raises high to her,