“How many girlfriends have you had?”
“Three. What’s your major?”
“Marketing. What’s your major?”
“Penny you’re cheating. You’re not supposed to just repeat every question I ask.”
“Oh. Okay. Well, then. What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?”
“I don’t get embarrassed easily.”
“Well you’re the exact opposite of me then. But if you had to just choose one thing that a normal person would probably find embarrassing?”
He laughed. “Well, one time at camp I wet my pants while I was sleeping. And my sleeping bag got completely soaked. So after everyone woke up I switched it with my bunkmates so that everyone would think he did it.”
“Tyler! That’s not embarrassing for you. That’s embarrassing for the boy you played the prank on.”
“I don’t know… I mean, I just told you I used to wet my bed.”
I laughed. “Okay, fair enough. Next question.”
“What’s the most scandalous thing you’ve ever done?”
I thought about my back against the car and Professor Hunter pressing against me. “Pass!” I almost yelled. I knew my face was turning red.
“Ooohh,” Tyler laughed. “Jackpot. Penny you have to tell me, it’s part of the game.”
I was bad at thinking on my toes and even worse at lying. “Errr… one time I… Oh, please, Tyler…”
“Okay, fine. You don’t have to tell me now. But I will get it out of you eventually.” He was smiling.
“Do you have another question?” I asked.
“Which sounds better to you: sweatpants, popcorn, and a movie? Or a dress, great food, and dancing?”
“Sweatpants and a movie, hands down.”
“Okay, that’s going to be our next date then.”
I smiled. Why couldn’t I just forget about Professor Hunter? Tyler was sweet and funny. And he wasn’t my teacher. I studied his face. He was handsome. Actually, he was really handsome.
“What do you want to do after you graduate?” I asked him.
“Geez. I don’t know.” He rubbed his chin. “You’ll have to hold me to answering that later too.”
“Fair enough. We each only get one pass, though.”
He nodded in agreement.
Since he had already used his pass, I needed to think of something juicy to ask him. We were at the front of the line so I used the extra time to brood over different questions I could ask him. Once we both got our sandwiches, we sat down across from each other.
“Still your question,” he said.
A girl walked up to our table and touched Tyler on the shoulder. She had long, straight blonde hair and huge breasts. They were basically falling out of her shirt.
“Hi, Tyler,” she said.
“Hey, Claire,” he said quietly. She leaned down and whispered something in his ear. His face remained expressionless and then the girl walked away.
I couldn’t help myself, I was a little jealous. I guess I liked Tyler more than I had realized. But it no longer seemed like I was his type.
“Are you dating anyone else right now?” I asked.
“Anyone else? Are you saying that we’re dating?”
My face flushed. “Just answer my question. Are you dating anyone?”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“What would you say, then?”
“That I’ve gone on a few dates this semester.”
I took a huge bite of my steak sandwich. It was good, but not good enough to make me forget about the blonde bimbo. I had gone on a date with Tyler. One date. And he’d tried to go all the way with me. Had he had sex with her?
“Is she one of the girls that you’ve been seeing?”
“Yes. Okay, you’ve asked a bunch of questions in a row. I believe it’s my turn. In your words, have you been dating anyone else?”
“I thought we weren’t supposed to repeat questions.”
He shrugged. I knew that he was trying to make a point. He already knew that I had a date last weekend. And despite that, I wouldn’t say that I was dating anyone else. But I began to wonder if Professor Hunter counted too. I certainly wanted to be dating him. And I had kissed him.
“I haven’t really been seeing anyone, no,” I replied slowly.
“But you’ve gone on a date. So… I don’t really understand why you’re upset. We’re on the same page here.”
I leaned forward. “Exactly how many girls have you slept with, Tyler?”
He leaned forward. “I’m going to pass.”
“You’re not allowed to pass.”
He stared at me.
“That many, huh?”
“Look, I know why you’re asking. You want to know if I’ve been with anyone since I started talking to you.”
“So…?”
“Penny…”
“Oh my God, Tyler. You’re such a slut,” I whispered.
He gave me a mischievous smile. “I’m just messing with you, Penny. No, I haven’t slept with anyone this semester. And only three girls total. There, that’s not so bad, right?”
“What is wrong with you?” I leaned across the table and lightly shoved his shoulder.
“You’re fun to mess with. You’re so gullible.”
“Very funny.” I shook my head at him.
“Besides, now I got a question answered without even having to ask it,” he said.
“Oh, yeah? And what is that?”
“You like me.”
I kept my mouth shut.
“You got so jealous. You should have seen your face, Penny.”
I put a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Look, Tyler, I just broke it off with this jerk, and I feel like I’m not really in a place to date anyone right now. I’d love it if we could be friends, though.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Wait, what?”
“Josh told me. I guess Melissa told him about it or something.”
Damn it, Melissa! She had such a big mouth.
“I like you, though. So I hope you can forgive me, because I’m just going to keep trying. Besides, I’ve heard that you think my persistence is charming.”
“Okay, Tyler.”
“So what is your speech going to be about?” I asked him.
“Well that asshole stole my idea. But I think I have something else planned. You’ll have to wait and see. What about you?”
“I have no idea.”