“So.”
“So.”
It was two of them awkward sos. They were making each other nervous and each felt like the geek.
She licked her lips and looked up at him again, her oversized eyes pooling with warmth.
He fought to keep from hyperventilating. “Am I sweating profusely?” he rapidly wondered.
She smiled–her last resort when feeling socially helpless. And also her first. In between she snorted and odd parts of her body got sticky.
He, on the other hand, when pressed, exerted a unique aroma which smelled like the result of an unholy congress between old Cheetos, young snails and yam. Also, he chortled.
“You, uh, got an extra box of staples?” he asked. He wiped his hands against his khakis. They left sweat marks you could take fingerprints from.
Her coming nite passed before her eyes: bus, Jane Eyre, boorishly-talkative roommates and ice cream and masturbation alone in her room. She looked him over hotly.
“Um, yea. Right here.” She fished them out of her top drawer, and while leaning over she faced his sloppily-laced sneakers. She wanted desperately to relace them for him.
She handed him the box and tried to brush fingers. Instead she jammed the box straight into his index finger’s hangnail and he let out a howl; she convulsed and the box went flying.
“Ow!” Jeannie in the back said. Apparently it had struck her in the throat. Jeannie would then go home sick. She had that thing going around anyway.
“Oops!” the girl cried, aghast.
He was glancing over at Jeannie, red moons emerging on his cheeks.
He looked back down at her.
“Oh well, I’ll see if the mailroom has any. Thanks anyway . . . “
“Sorry about that,” she said, smiling. Her mind flashed to ice cream.
“See you around,” he said, offended digit already placed into hot wet mouth.
“You too.” she said.
She watched him go and then turned back to her monitor. In a minute, Jeannie would trundle over and ask her in that accusing voice if she knew where the first aid kit was. But for now, just for the moment, she could look at that beautiful beach wallpaper and dream.
[originally published @ Gimmicky June 16, 2004]
