In hindsight, I should have known something was amiss. My day started out pretty standard. I had statistics in the morning, an elective I'd chosen to finish my credits for the semester. As usual, I left the hall and made for the dining hall. That's where my day began to deviate.
"Yo, Luke!" A husky male voice called from across the Quad. I looked over and saw several of the school's football players walking my way. I was a team manager, so I was around the team frequently. They just rarely acknowledged me.
"Uh, hi?" I nodded towards the shorter of the group, Jaden, the team's third-string halfback and the one who had called my name. Jaden beckoned me over.
"What's up, Luke. Tiffany was looking for you." Jaden continued, "Think she's in the library."
"Oh. Thanks," I answered, curious as to why the cheer captain would be looking for me. Jaden nodded his farewell and went on with his day.
Tiffany was a senior on the cheer team, as well as its captain. She rarely spoke with any of the team managers. Frankly, I was shocked that she knew my name. Several scenarios flashed through my head as I headed to the library. Was she mad at me for some reason? I don't think I did anything to upset the cheer team. She didn't seem like the type to bother with the team's stats, so that was out of the question. Brief thoughts of a steamy library hook-up crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed them.
The doors slid open, and I entered the library with my head on a swivel. The kid at the desk, a freshman by the looks of him, greeted me.
"Can I help you?" He raised his eyebrows at me, setting down a book he was reading.
"Sure. I'm looking for Tiffany Davis." I looked around the lobby and didn't see her. The desk monitor laughed.
"Cheer Queen? Yeah, okay." He dismissed me and went back to his book. I rolled my eyes and headed over towards the study rooms. Through the glass paneled rooms, I saw her.
Tiffany's golden blonde hair fell to curls over her toned shoulders. A smattering of freckles dotted her otherwise spotless complexion. Bright blue eyes lifted from her studying and found mine. She met me with a bright smile, beaconing me into the room.
"Hey there, Luke," Tiffany greeted, rising from her chair. She was slightly taller than me, but it may have been her sneakers.
"Hi, Tiffany," I managed, struggling to form any more words. A tight crop top revealed her fit physique, and the low cut of the v-neck pulled my eyes south. She was spectacular.
"So, I was looking for you earlier after class but you must have left right away." Her tone seemed accusatory, for some reason, as if I should have hung around expecting to talk to her.
"Oh, yeah, sorry." Although I had nothing to apologize for, I did anyway. I managed to drag my eyes back to hers, palms sweating with the realization that there was no way Tiffany didn't know I was admiring her ample chest.
"Don't you want to know why I was looking for you, Luke," Tiffany prodded.
"Yeah, I guess," I stumbled. Tiffany gave a warm giggle and motioned towards one of the seats. She sat across from me, chin propped up on her clasped hands.
"I was looking for you because I want to know if you're free tomorrow," she went on. "You know, around dinner time?"
My jaw hinged open and I couldn't form words.
"Aww, you're so cute," Tiffany teased, flashing me a smile that melted my insides. "A date, Luke. Take me out to dinner."
"Yes. Please. Okay," I stammered. "7:00? Main Street Diner?"
"The Diner?" Tiffany laughed, stopping herself when she saw my face.
"Or we could go somewhere else," I started. Tiffany cut me off.
"Main Street Diner is perfect," she conceded. "Stick up for yourself, Luke. Confidence is sexy."
All I could do was nod.
"So, the diner at 7:00 tomorrow," Tiffany asked.
"Yes," I confirmed, my face heating.
"Great, see you then." Tiffany gave me a wink that caused my stomach to do flips, and returned to her studies. I guess I was dismissed. I hurried out of the library before Tiffany changed her mind.
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The Main Street Diner was packed, but I had made a reservation. I waited out front for five minutes that dragged on like hours. I fretted over my outfit. The diner wasn't an upscale place, but this WAS a date. My khakis and red polo began to crease from my wringing hands.
"Luke!" A friendly voice chimed from down the street. Stunned, I watched Tiffany strut towards me. Stunned partially because she actually showed up, but mostly by the sight of her coming to me. Her hair was down, curling over her shoulders. She wore a cropped denim jacket over what looked like a yellow sun dress. White boots covered her calves, clicking on the sidewalk as she approached.
"Aren't you cold?" I pondered. Tiffany rolled her eyes, as if that was answer enough. It was 50 degrees, remarkably warm for an April evening around here.
"If I get cold," Tiffany explained, "You'll just have to warm me up."
With that remark, she headed inside leaving me wondering how exactly she thought I would do that. I certainly had ideas.
Throughout dinner I settled my nerves. Tiffany was surprisingly easy to talk to. We talked about the football team briefly, since it was a common interest, but somehow we ended up on board games, of all things. She had switched sides of the booth, and was leaning closer to me so she could see the picture I had pulled up on my phone.
"Those are all yours?" She asked as I pulled up a picture of the shelves full of games that I owned.
"Yeah," I laughed. "I know, board games, not the most exciting thing."
She cut me off. "Sure they are! You just need exciting people to play them with."
Tiffany's hand came to rest on my leg, sending signals up and down my body. When had she gotten that close? Her hand crept higher, coming to a rest next to a growing bulge in my pants. She leaned over to whisper in my ear.
"Maybe you could show them to me." Tiffany's voice was sensual. She lifted her hand from my leg. "I bet you have all kinds of games we could play."
My face flushed, and I adjusted in my seat to attempt to hide my excitement. "Yeah, I have a lot..."
"I think we should go," Tiffany prodded and I did not hesitate. I paid for our meal and led her to my car. Luckily, I had the foresight to clean it up before dinner. The sedan, usually a mess of papers, coffee cups, and receipts, was immaculate. Tiffany slid in gracefully, her hand coming to rest on my thigh again. She leaned over and kissed my cheek. "Thank you for dinner."
"You're welcome," I managed. Her hand slid to my lap causing me to jump. She giggled.
"You're cute." She flashed a smile. I melted. "I wonder how much redder your face will be when my lips are around you."
Woah. Talk about a leap. She saw my flustered state and trailed her fingertips along the tent in my pants. Slowly.
"I hope it's not too far away," Tiffany teased. "I have a surprise for you."