Wrong Impression

10. Stupid Tom is Stupid

Tom had no idea how he ended up spending his next two Thursday afternoons with Angie. He also had no idea what happened to her, but after his jab at her about dating, she'd loosened up considerably. Or at least was trying.

He hadn't expected to like her so much either, but when she wasn't focusing on reading every signal he was giving, she turned out to be pretty fun. And she could actually take his rude humor.

Like when he was incessantly bugging her while she was trying to write.

"Do you need help?" he asked.

"No, thanks," Angie mumbled.

"Do you need help? Need help? Are you sure you don't need help?"

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "Piss off already."

"Aw, trying not to swear, little girl?"

"Of course I don't swear." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and lifted her chin. "I'm a fucking lady."

Tom thought he'd run out of breath from laughter. Sure, they were getting less and less efficient with homework, but for once, he didn't care. He'd much rather lose and hour of sleep to catch up than not fool around.

"Hey, fucking lady, want more coffee?"

"I'm still very disappointed that you never come with flowers."

He grinned at her. His date joke had turned into an unspoken rule. As long as he didn't show up with flowers, it wasn't a date. No matter how much coffee he got her. And she was drinking that stuff like it was water. Good thing employees actually got a limited number of free drinks per week or they'd have to take their monkey business out on the sidewalk.

But as he got her another latte, Tom found himself staring at the basket of ornamental flowers on the bar. Sure, they were made of plastic, but what would happen if he showed up with flowers one day? It didn't have to be much. Just a lone rose or carnation or dandelion. Dandelions counted as flowers, right?

He shook his head. Stupid Tom is stupid. He'd promised Jimmy he was done with romance and girlfriends and other nonsense like that. He had to focus on school. But as he looked over his shoulder at Angie who was making faces at him, he couldn't suppress a smile. She was cute and harmless. At least for now. She wouldn't become powerful until he let her in. And he wasn't planning to.

The other way around? Hell yeah! So when he got back to the table and slid the drink across to her, he had a plan.

"Okay, mystery girl, twenty questions time."

Angie's smile disappeared and she frowned slightly. He could practically see her closing up again.

"Why? We were having fun. Let's not get all serious and deep, okay?"

He squinted at her and he was glad she couldn't see it. She was definitely hiding something and it only made him more curious. But he didn't want that suspicious, serious Angie back. So he had to be careful.

"Who says we're getting all serious and deep? There's not a serious and deep bone in my body. I just want to know inconsequential crap about you."

She raised her eyebrows, but her shoulders relaxed. "Like what?"

"What's your favorite color?"

She thought for a moment. "Green."

Okay, he hadn't expected that. It was his, too. And damn, how sad was it that he actually had a favorite color?

"What color are your eyes?"

He hadn't expected that either. It was something people never asked him. They usually stopped at why he wore sunglasses. Then again, they also bought his photosensitive epilepsy bullshit. Even the teachers bought that one.