Broken (5 page)

“It's not a date.”

“Who are you kidding? This guy
doesn't want to be part of your project; it's just the only way you would be
seen in public with him.”

“It's not a date.” I think at
that point I was also trying to convince myself.

“It's a date in sheep’s clothing,
for sure. Like, think about it, you're going to have to see him at least once a
month, every month for the whole year. He totally conned you into regular
dates.”

I laughed, “No, trust me, this is
totally professional. I'm not interested in him at all.”

“I don't know, Natalie. I think
sooner rather than later you guys are going to be sweaty and tangled in the
sheets.”

“Oh for crying out loud, will you
stop?”

“Just warning you.”

“Gee, thanks.”

I headed to the bathroom with my
glass in hand to start getting ready for my “not date,” and realized that Julie
was following close behind. I checked my reflection in the mirror and started
applying makeup. Not a lot, just a little concealer, blush, eyeliner and
mascara. I didn't like to overdo things; too much makeup was a bad thing.

“So, how exactly is he going to
help you with your project?”

“I'm going to draw him.”

“Seriously?”
She started laughing. “Like in
the Titanic
? '
Draw me like one of your French girls,
Jack.'”

I couldn't help but bust out
laughing. Julie could be completely hilarious when she wanted to be. I laughed
so hard, I almost crumpled to the floor. When we were done cackling, she said,
“Please tell me it's not going to be like that.”

“God, I hope not.”

“Watch out, he will drop his
drawers for a nude drawing and the next thing you know the two of you will be
grinding in the sack.”

“I never said this was going to
be a nude drawing. What makes you think I want to see him nude?”

“Please, every girl on campus
wants to see him nude.”

“Maybe.”

“There is no maybe. If you didn't
have a male hate on right now, you would at least admit the guy is gorgeous, in
a movie star sort of way.”

“Julie, you're making me nervous
all over again. I was trying to get rid of the jitters, and you're not
helping.”

“Why are you jittery if it's not
a date?”

“Nice try. Jet just makes me
nervous, in a nonsexual way.”

“
Riiight
.”

She waddled off and I finished getting
ready, and made sure I wasn't dressed too sexy. After all, this wasn't a date.
I finished off my glass of wine with Julie in the living room, awaiting Jet's
arrival.

Chapter Six

Jet

I was feeling pretty good about
myself as I headed back to my apartment. The day couldn't have gone better. I
was finally starting to melt the chilly exterior that Natalie had. Although
Natalie had sold me what had to have been an overpriced picture, I would have
gladly paid any amount to see the shocked look on her face. She never believed
for a minute I was going to shell out $300 for her painting.

I could definitely see talent in
her work, but I was still pretty sure she had tried to rip me off. However, I
was also pretty sure it softened her up enough to ask to be part of her
project. In truth, I wasn't too sure how I felt about being a model, but if
that's what it took to be alone with Natalie, I would do it. I couldn't help
myself, I really liked the girl, but she was impossible to please. She didn't
roll over for me, which was rare. Maybe that was why I liked her so much. Most
of the girls on campus would bend over backwards for me if it meant getting a
date with me. Not even a date, but just to have me talk to them in the hallway.
Insecure girls were incredibly unattractive. If only they knew what it truly
meant to play hard to get. Natalie most definitely had the art down pat; she
may have even invented it.

I put the key into the lock of my
apartment door and I walked into home sweet home, and saw my roommate, Kyle, on
the couch watching TV. It was one thing that he liked to indulge in the most.
He wasn't just my roommate,
though,
he was also one of
my teammates. However, he was in a different weight class than I was. But he
was an all-around good guy, and a solid competitor.

“What's with the
perma
-grin, man?” Kyle asked.

I hadn't realized I was grinning
from ear to ear when I walked into the apartment. I probably looked like an
idiot. Not that I cared. I was popular, and it didn't really matter what anyone
else thought of me. But I wiped the grin off my face anyway; there was no need
to let on that I was gaga over a girl.
 

“Ah, nothing.”

“Did you just get laid, man?
Cause that definitely looks like sex grin,” he joked and winked at me as I made
a beeline for the couch.

I laughed, “Well I hope I don't
ever go to the supermarket with that grin, ‘cause I'm pretty sure it's my usual
grin.”

“Well where were you, then?”

“I was at that art walk on
campus.”

“Oh man, why would you go there?
We could have grabbed a ballgame or something. Do you want a beer?”

“No, I have a fight coming up,
man. What are you thinking? Anyway, I went because there was a girl there who I
wanted to see. I also bought us something for the apartment that is much nicer
than all the hockey posters you have hanging up here.”

“Oh yeah, sorry.
I have a while before my next
fight, so I'm cool.” I shook my head, sometimes Kyle didn’t think with both
sides of his brain.
 
“So yeah, cool, man.
So you did see a girl, and you really didn't have sex with her?”

I laughed. Wow, maybe I did have
quite the reputation. I wasn't sure whether to be proud or ashamed at that
moment. Ah, well, it'll pass; I'll go with proud for now.

“No, no sex. Like where would we
have done it?
In an art tent amongst her canvases?”

Kyle laughed, “You can have sex
anywhere,
it
doesn't matter. Canvas sex might be cool,
don't knock it till you've tried it.”

“Yeah, no doubt.
A little weird though, man. But
seriously, I went to see this girl, Natalie. She is in the art department at
our school.”

“Oh
yaaaaaa
,
I know her! She's kind of weird, isn't she? She's that girl who sits at the bar
and just drinks all the time. Like seriously, she will just sit there and not
talk to anyone but her friend, and get shit faced.”

I laughed nervously, as I hadn't
realized everyone saw her in that light. No wonder no one had approached her at
the bar to pick her up. They thought her behavior was a little weird for a bar
atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, it certainly was, but I had always figured
there was a reason behind why she acted that way. I guess I didn't need to
worry about anyone stealing my thunder, after all.

“Yup, that's the girl.”

“Why are you interested in her?
She's a little different for you, isn't she?”

“Meaning what? I only go after
bimbos?”

“Well partly, but mainly ‘cause
the girl is antisocial. She doesn't dance, she doesn't socialize, she probably
won't sleep with you either,” he said and started laughing, clearly enjoying
himself.

“No she's not. Well ... I mean,
the antisocial part, not the sex part. There is a lot more to her than that. I
think she has been through something bad recently, that's why she drinks at the
bar, and doesn't want people to bother her. But she's not doing it alone, she
always has her friend with her, so she isn't exactly antisocial.”

“Right, but isn't the point of
going out to a bar is, to meet new people, have some drinks and go dancing?
Those two girls don't do anything. It must be boring as fuck.”

“Well, like I said, I'm sure
there is more to that story than we realize. I've talked to her a few times,
and despite a certain amount of feistiness, she's no different socially than
anyone else I know.”

“Well, what makes her so
different, then?”

“How about this?
For someone who isn't interested
in meeting new people, or is antisocial, I have a date with her tonight?”

His mouth dropped open, and he
actually started focusing on me, rather than the TV. “Are you shitting me?”

“No, for real.
I asked her out at the art show,
and she said yes.
Pretty easy, actually.”

“Are you
gonna
bang her?”

“I hope so. It would be ideal.”

“She's easy ass, I bet. A girl
like that probably hasn't had it in a while. And she's drunk all the time, so
you should have an easy score, man. Nice job.”

I laughed along with him, more so
because it couldn't be further from the truth.
Easy ass?
No way, it's the hardest ass I have had to chase in a long time.

“Where are you guys going out?”

“I’m going to her place to help
with her art project.”

Kyle just shrugged and I decided
to leave it at that. If things went my way, then Kyle would eventually meet her
himself, and see exactly what I was talking about. I wouldn't turn down sex at
all, but it wasn't my main goal for the evening. I was just happy I finally got
the girl to want to spend some time with me, even if it was for a school
project. At least it was a step in the right direction.

Chapter Seven

Natalie

I sat at our small dining room
table, swirling the last remaining wine still in my glass. I was thinking at
that particular moment that maybe I had made a mistake in letting Jet into my
life. Sure, I was desperate to get a good grade on my project, but couldn't I
have asked anyone to model for me, male or female? Why did it have to be Jet?

I couldn't let this guy get close
to me.

Thankfully, Julie decided to make
herself
scarce before Jet arrived. There was no need
for unnecessary giggling and awkwardness. Julie didn't believe me for a minute
when I insisted that my meeting with Jet wasn't a date. I had no intention of
being part of a romance with Jet. To me the idea was preposterous. The guy was
certainly handsome, but his reputation was appalling, and I didn't want to end
up being another notch on his belt. Not only was he not my type, but I was
still living with the scars of my last relationship, scars that I imagined
would be there for quite some time. Jet was hardly the kind of guy to heal old
wounds. No, Jet was the kind of guy to make new wounds. I definitely had no
intention of being a victim to another wound. I would have to be crazy to put
myself in another situation like that. I couldn’t stop those thoughts from
running through my head over and over.

I poured another glass of wine
despite my better judgement. I could not deny the fact that I was terribly
nervous about Jet's arrival.
Being alone with him in my
apartment made my body shake.
I wasn't afraid that he would seduce me;
the likelihood of that happening was laughable, at best.

I checked my appearance in the
bathroom one last time before I settled back down on the couch. I sipped at my
wine, swirling it in my mouth as I considered how I wanted to handle my
project. How exactly was I going to draw Jet in order to show a changing
subject? It was an interesting idea using a human to show change, but I wanted
to do it in a way that was not only creative, but would spark interest in the
minds of the viewer. Suddenly, an idea came to me that brought a smile to my
face. I knew just what I was going to do with Jet to have the best project my
professor
has
seen all year. I would get an A+ for
sure. I was still smiling when there was a knock at my door.

I stood up, my nerves jangling in
my bones. I put my wine glass down and headed to the door, swinging it open
there stood Jet in all his glory.

“Hi, Natalie, you look
fantastic.”

“Thank you. How are you?”

“Better now.”

I laughed. “Cut the crap, Jet,
you don't need to impress me, it's just a school project.

“I like impressing you.”

I rolled my eyes and asked, “So
what did you end up doing with my drawing?”

He walked past me into the
apartment and took a look around. “Well, first I showed it to my roommate, and
then I hung it up in our living room. It's the best-looking thing in the whole
apartment.”

“Oh, you have a roommate?” I
watched him as he walked around my apartment, seemingly taking it all in. He started
walking down the hallway toward the bedrooms, when I stopped him.

“Not so fast, Jet. There's no way
you are checking out my bedroom. The living room is as far as you get here.”

He laughed as he came back down
the hall, and sat himself down on the couch.
“Can't blame a
guy for trying.
But to answer your question, yes, I do have a roommate,
one of my teammates. He's an all right guy.”
Teammates?
He noticed my wine glass before I could question him about it and he said, “Oh,
we're having wine? I'd love a glass.”