Page 43 of Picking Daisies on Sundays

the spilling tears from my eyes, and moved into one of the empty classrooms.

Despite the air outside being that ideal temperature that only occurred when the sun was halfway set, I waited. I also didn’t feel like crying in public or being kidnapped; this night was bad enough already.

Only ten minutes had passed since the meeting, and I spent half of them trying to suck the tears back in and the other half trying to figure out what I was going to do about this paper.

When the door clicked behind me, I expected to see a student, but instead Ethan walked in, making me jump. I rushed to blot my eyes, praying that they didn’t look as puffy as they felt.

He shut the door behind him and walked towards my table. The tension in his forehead consisted of three lines, while his eyebrows were directed in a sad gaze; completely different from the emotionless stare I received ten minutes ago. My body was riddled with anxiety as he walked into the room and perched onto the table I was seated behind. Was he going to tell me to give up on Lazaro? To not even apply? It was the only the guess I could come up with as he continued to look at me with pity.

“I apologize for what I said in terms of your paper, that was harsh,” he said.

“It’s okay, you were just being honest, it’s your job.” It wasn’t a difficult response because it was true. He didn’t come to apologize because he was wrong, but because he didn’t dish it out nicer.

“No, it was harsh, and unnecessary. I want to make it up to you.”Make it up to me?

“Oh, no, don’t worry.” I tilted my head up because of the way he was seated on the table.

“What are you doing tonight?” The orderly whiteness of his teeth was intimidating. Everything about his appearance was neat and clean and professional. If he had a suit on rather than a T-shirt and thousand-dollar cargo pants, maybe I wouldn’t be as intimidated. But something about him appearing like he didn’t care, made me really care in a really stressed way. Even his cologne emanated luxury.

The longer I sat here with him perched a foot above me, the more it felt like I was leaning into him. Or maybe he was leaning towards me? I swore I could smell what brand of cologne he was wearing.

“Um—I—well not much but—”

“Perfect. Why don’t you come over for dinner and we can go over how to work on your paper.”

I sat there mortified. The paper was bad enough that he wanted to spend the rest of the night going over how to fix it? I took a quick glimpse at the vintage watch on my wrist—similar to the one on Levi’s because we bought them together junior year—and found that the time was 7:49. The last thing I had left in my social battery for was dinner and a paper review.

“Yeah, I, I’m not sure—" The sound of the door swinging open cut me short and caused us both to turn. But Ethan didn’t move from his spot above me. Turning to look at the door, I saw—

“Levi,” I said in surprise, a familiar pang hitting my heart that only happened with him in the room. His entering presence mimicked the nostalgia of coming home for Christmas; his name like mulled wine on my lips as I watched him enter. He smiled at me in response, the precise sweetness of his face and joy in his eyes warmed my chest. It felt like it was made for me. But he quickly darted his eyes to the figure above me, and any look of peace or happiness was wiped from his eyes.

Levi’s words about Ethan and I being interested in one another rang in my ears. I moved out of my seat abruptly, trying to create distance between us. Maybe I could diminish this before anything could get awkward? But Ethan began speaking before I could move any further.

“Who are you?” he asked with slight annoyance.

It only took a few strides for Levi to reach me, placing his front behind mine, his hands latching onto my waist like he was about to pick me up at any moment and run. I swear stars blurred in the corners of my eyes at the feeling of his thumbs pressing into my hips. Similar to the way ex-boyfriends had held onto them when—

“Levi, Daniella’s boyfriend.” I could hear the tight smile in his tone. The sound of my name, his warm breath on the back of my head, and his hips against mine made me dizzy. Almost making me miss the fact that he referred to himself asmy boyfriend.

We were pretending. This was pretending. He was pretending.

Ethan glanced at me with raised eyebrows, finally pushing himself off the desk to shake Levi’s hand. I didn’t miss how his hand made Ethan’s look small in their combined grip.

Ethan smiled his casual smile when returning his hand to his pockets, standing like the cool jock rather than the esteemed advisor. “Boyfriend?” he asked, looking at me, “You never mentioned a boyfriend, Dani.”

Levi’s grip on my hips flinched for a moment. “I didn’t think it was appropriate,” I said with my best attempt to be casual. But honestly, I was shaking with anticipation, nervous that Ethan was going to bring up the dinner conversation again. If he did, Levi was going to say something—I’d bet every vintage purse in my closet on it.

When the silence lingered, I spoke up. “Okay, well, we’ve got to go now…” I scrambled to come up with an excuse, “and let Levi’s cat out…”

I began moving backwards towards the door, forcing Levi with me. I tried to ignore the feeling of my body against his front as I pushed him. “She’s on this really weird medication right now, so if we don’t hurry, his apartment will be a total wreck.” When my foot hit the threshold, I threw up my hand to wave. “Bye Ethan, see you tomorrow!”

Wooo. I exhaled, rushing us down the stairs and out of the building.

“Do I have a Schizophrenic cat?” Levi asked.

“I panicked!” Throwing my hands in the air.

“Why were you panicked though?” God, I hated this man for knowing me so well. He knew something was going on before he walked in but he wanted to hear me say it.