maiden name and now it is a source of constant explanation for me.” He was leaning up with his elbows on his knees and looking around the campus as he spoke, finally resting his eyes on me after he finished. “And you are?”
“Avery,” I answered. He had a charm about him that was refreshing. It wasn’t the intense attraction I had with Jake, where I wanted to crawl inside of him and get lost there, but I felt at ease with Parker, and it was nice. “It was not my mother’s maiden name,” I teased.
He gave me another smile and stood up. “Can I walk you somewhere? It’s starting to get dark, and I’d hate to think something might happen to you.”
“You don’t need to. I’m just going to University Apartments; they aren’t that far.”
“I don’t mind…if you don’t?”
“Um, ok.” I got up, and we started to head towards my apartment. He was taller than me, but not by a huge amount. He was certainly shorter than Jake, but stockier, and I could see that his t-shirt pulled a little against his large biceps. Comparing Parker to Jake made me sad again. I hated that Jake was now my standard for all guys. Hated how he had made me believe I was important to him when the whole time I was just like everyone else.
“Are you always this quiet when you walk with someone?” Parker asked. I hadn’t realized that my mind had wandered for so long.
“I’m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now,” I said sighing, feeling like a complete jerk. “Do you live on campus too?” I asked trying to make conversation.
“No, I was not so lucky. I have a place in Asheville that I rent with another guy. He’s pretty cool, so it works well. Do you have roommates?”
“Yes, I do. One of them I’ve never met. She’s in Portugal on exchange. The other is amazing. Her name is Issy, and she is fun and exciting, but not around much lately. I kind of miss her.” The words came out before I could stop them. What was I thinking telling a perfect stranger how I was feeling?
“Yeah, I can see that. I’m not much for being alone either; I’m kind of a people person, you know.”
“Really? I couldn’t tell,” I teased. “Have you been at Winsor long?”
“I’m a junior. Working on pre-med. I really thought this semester would be easier for some reason, but I think that was wishful thinking. The ladies in the library are starting to ask me how my parents are doing…using their first names.” He saw my confusion and explained. “I get bored easily so I tend to find people to talk to. Sheila works nights in the medical section. She is a single mom with two kids. I find her inspiring, though. Did you know she is the only person in her family to graduate high school and here she is with two kids working on her English degree? She wants to be a teacher. Isn’t that cool?”
He was unlike anyone I had ever met. Just cheerful and honest, like we had been best friends for decades. I didn’t know who Sheila was. In fact, I had never once stopped to notice any of the people who worked at the library, despite the hundreds of hours I had spent there. I studied him, my eyes questioning if it was possible for someone to be this nice.
“So which one is yours?” he asked, his chin moving up as if to point to the buildings. I hadn’t even registered that we were here.
“Building 1, my stairs are right there.”
“Great! Well Avery, it was so nice to finally meet you. And now that I know you are safe, I’m going to drag myself back to my car with much less enjoyment than I had walking you home.” His face lit up with animation when he spoke, and his genuine smile nudged a little at my hardened heart.
“Thanks again…and it was really nice to meet you too,” I replied, deciding that it really was.
“You sound surprised,” he noted, acting as if he was hurt.
I laughed and then admitted, “Ok, maybe a little, but pleasantly.”
“I can live with that! You have a great weekend, Avery. Oh, and keep smiling like that. Your eyes light up when you do.” He winked at me and turned to leave. I realized as he walked away that his car was in commuter parking, the other way across