Matchplay A New Adult Romance - By Dakota Madison Page 0,34

grabbed my Mary Cassatt biography. I hoped it wouldn’t be too obvious when he walked past me again this week that I was still in exactly the same place in the book. I hadn’t actually had time to read the biography yet, although I intended to, probably over winter break.

My nose was pressed firmly in the book when I heard snickering from the back of the class. When I

looked up from my book, Aaron was walking into class carrying a massive balloon bouquet. Every one of the balloons was a sunflower. I gulped. I quickly glanced over at Dr. Griffin and she was wide-eyed.

Yipes! This was going to be embarrassing. But I guess I asked for it when I said I didn’t want to be a secret girlfriend.

Aaron approached my desk and set the massive balloon bouquet in front of me. I noticed each balloon was being held down with a little weight attached to the bottom of it. Clever. Of course, I couldn’t see over the thing. Several of the balloons were in my line of sight.

Aaron took his seat behind me. I could hear the girls in the back of the room snickering. Then one of them said loud enough for the entire class to hear, “I heard Aaron never gives girls anything, not even his phone number.”

Then her friend said, “She must have a magic VaJayJay.”

The other girl followed up with, “The quiet ones are always the freaks in bed.”

“Either that or she gives killer BJs.”

Both girls laughed at their attempts at humor at my expense.

Dr. Griffin cleared her throat to bring the class to order. “Rainy,” I heard her say but I couldn’t see her.

“Yes, Dr. Griffin,” I managed to rely.

“Would you mind doing something with those balloons? I don’t want them to distract your learning.”

I was completely mortified. I grabbed all of the balloons and moved them so that the weights were all on the seat next to me. There were no other students seated in my row and no one else was now behind the balloons.

Dr. Griffin continued. “Based on your reading this week, I’d like you to think about who you believe to be the most influential artist of the Impressionist period?”

As Dr. Griffin prepared her PowerPoint presentation for the Impressionists, I heard my text notification buzz. I quickly looked at my phone.

The text from Aaron said: Sorry about the girls and Dr. Griffin.

I texted back: It’s not your fault. THX for the balloons.

Aaron texted: I just wanted to see you smile.

I turned back to Aaron and gave him a quick smile. His face immediately lit up the room. I turned back fast enough that Dr. Griffin was just getting her first slide ready.

***

After class, Aaron stood by my desk as I packed my backpack. “Need someone to carry your balloons?” he asked.

“Yeah, thanks.”

He reached over the desk next to mine and grabbed them.

As we exited the class, I thanked him again for the balloon bouquet.

“It was my pleasure.”

“I can’t take them into the library.”

“I know. Do you want to drop them off in your room then we can go somewhere to talk? I know just the place.”

I nodded.

We walked back to my room in silence. I wasn’t sure exactly what to say. Aaron seemed a bit off. I

wondered if he was nervous. That might be a first.

When we got to the front door of the dorms, it was a bit awkward. It wasn’t like there hadn’t been guys in my room, Well, one guy, anyway. He knew that Lucas had been there. I just didn’t feel comfortable inviting him up yet. We were still on shaky ground.

“I’ll be right back,” I promised.

Aaron’s face fell a bit but he recovered quickly. “Of course,” he said and handed me the balloons.

When I returned to Aaron a few minutes later, he was pacing. I had never seen him pace before. He was always super calm and collected. I expected to see him leaning somewhere with his arms crossed over his chest but he wasn’t. His hands were in his pocket and he had his head down. He seemed deep in thought.

“I’m ready,” I said as I approached. I seemed to have caught him off guard.

“Okay,” he said finally. He removed one of his hands from his pocket and placed it palm up in front of me. It was his way of asking me if he could hold my hand again. I stared at it for a split second. It was one of those moments in