Chapter 3
THEO
It’s been roughly two weeks since my talk with Roman, and I still haven’t found a woman who's willing to be my fake girlfriend. It’s not exactly the easiest thing to ask a woman, even one who I have a history with. I’m not sure I can even remember the last time I had a serious girlfriend, if ever.
Sitting at the dining table, the words in the textbook in front of me start to blur as my mind begins to wander.
I take a bite of the sandwich I’ve made for lunch as I contemplate how to spend the next hour.
I should probably focus on my finals, but it’s hard to do when I’m running out of time to find a fake girlfriend.
I still have a little over a month before the lake house, but I have a feeling I’ll go through a few rejections before I find a woman who will agree to my proposal.
Deciding to take a break from studying, I open the dating app on my phone.
I swipe left on any woman whose profile photo is of them at a party.
While I have nothing against those women, that isn’t exactly what I’m looking for.
Knowing Roman, he’d see right through me if I picked a party girl to be my girlfriend.
“Why’d you swipe on her? She was hot,” Matt says out of nowhere, standing next to me.
He’s eyeing my sandwich as I take a few chips off my plate and bite into them.
A toasted turkey with Swiss cheese and every vegetable I could fit on it.
I may not know how to cook as well as my brother Leo, but I know how to make a mean sandwich.
I wave Matt off as he takes a seat next to me. “I agree, but she didn’t look like the type of woman who’d agree to a fake-dating scheme.”
He chuckles. “I still can’t believe you told Roman you have a girlfriend.
What were you thinking?” He grabs half my sandwich and takes a bite, following up with a handful of chips that he also takes from my plate.
Looking at him, I can tell by the sweat stains on his gray T-shirt that he just got back from the gym.
Having food around Matt after a gym session, you really can’t expect to keep more than half for yourself.
Grabbing my plate, I slide it away from Matt, explaining, “The only reason I said anything was because your dumbass decided to get in my face and yell ‘TOGA PARTY’ when I was on the phone with Roman.” I make a show of looking like I’m contemplating my next words.
“So really, this is all your fault if you think about it.”
Jessie comes through the back door, making his entrance by exclaiming, “You find a girlfriend yet, Theodore?” His favorite way of fucking with me has always been to call me by my full name. He learned that little habit from my brothers.
Ignoring him, I move from my seat to help him with the grocery bags he’s just brought in.
Matt follows shortly after he sees me pull out his favorite protein bars from one of the bags.
Jessie has been out since this morning getting the supplies we need for the party next weekend.
With graduation in a couple of weeks, it’s the last weekend we have before we’re all thrown out into the “real world.”
As I’m unpacking the party supplies, I realize something. “Jessie. You only got seltzers, beers, vodka, and Jell-O mix. What exactly is everyone supposed to eat at this party?”
“Relax, man, there’s a bag of chips somewhere.” He frantically dumps out all the reusable bags sitting on the small kitchen island, and a few apples fall to the tiled floor. Realizing there are, in fact, no chips, we stand there for a few seconds staring at the pile of non-party food and alcohol.
“Shit, man, I thought I had some chips here. They must’ve gotten left at the store or something. But I have a date in a couple of hours that I have to get ready for, so I can’t go back.” Jessie rubs his forehead, a nervous tic he’s had since we were kids.
Matt, trying to find a solution, says, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll go get the chips from the store while you—”
“Yeah fucking right. There’s no way in hell you’re driving my car again after you wrecked it the last time,” Jessie explains, shaking his head at Matt. He turns to me. “Theo, can you go?” Reaching into his pocket, he grabs his keys and holds them out to me.
“Yeah, that’s fine, but I’m not making the Jell-O shots.” I grab the keys from him.
“For sure. Matt will do it.” He motions his thumb to Matt standing beside him.
“The fuck? I get one tiny scratch on your car, and I somehow end up having to make all the Jell-O shots?” Matt exclaims.
Jessie responds, but I don’t hear it as I’m already heading out the door. Better to leave now before I get roped into their fight of the day.
I would’ve taken my car, but since I don’t have tags yet, I’d rather not get a ticket. Pulling out of the driveway, I can’t help but think about Sienna. Part of me hopes I’ll run into her again. If for nothing but closure, at least, so I can move on with my life.
I’ve just finished loading up the cart with every variety of chip in the chip aisle when I remembered I also didn’t see any chasers when unloading the bags with Jessie.
With my extensive experience in attending and throwing college parties these last four years, I’ve found there to be three types of drinkers: the type who want chasers, the type who don’t want them, and the type who only drink chasers.
Without soda, we’ll disappoint over half of the party population.
Rounding the corner to the soda aisle, I pull out my phone to text the group chat.
Theo
Any requests? I’m not making a second trip.
Matt
No thx.
Maybe you’ll run into your “girlfriend” while you’re there.
I’m looking at the three dots on my phone screen, waiting for Jessie to reply, when I accidentally ram my cart right into one of the shelves in front of me.
“Ow, son of a bitch.” Wait, not a shelf. A person. Shit, did I just hit a person with my cart?
Looking up from my phone, I confirm my suspicions.
Such an asshole move, Theo.
“Oh shit, I’m so sorry.” I throw my phone in the pocket of my hoodie as I move to the front of the cart to check on my victim and…it’s her.
Her face, the one I haven’t been able to get off my mind for weeks, is twisted up into an expression of pain as she holds her ankle.
My feelings are at war with themselves. On the one hand, I feel awful that I’ve just attacked the one woman I haven’t stopped thinking about with my cart.
On the other hand, I’m just happy Sienna is actually standing in front of me.
I thought seeing her again would provide me with some closure to finally get her off my mind.
But I fear it will do the opposite. Her curly dark hair is thrown up into a bun.
The sweatshirt she’s swimming in makes her look tiny, but I can tell from her leggings that she’s fairly toned, and the exposed light brown skin on her neck is complemented by the tiny gold chain that disappears beneath the sweatshirt.
I spend way too much time looking at that particular spot on her neck. Thoughts of what it would be like to kiss her there, to taste her, to touch her…
I shake my head, trying to free those thoughts from my mind. Matt was definitely right. I need to get laid.
Before I can apologize again, I’m hit on my right arm with a cereal box. By someone half my height and who I think I recognize.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Slap. “You just hit my friend!” Slap. “You need to watch where you’re fucking going.” Slap. Are those Froot Loops?
Officially placing a name to the face I recognize, I confront the cereal abuser. “Beth? I think we had a marketing class together last semester. You go to Portland State, right?” I point at myself, still hoping I can save this interaction. “Theo.”
“Oh, hey Theo. I didn’t recognize you. You look different in class than when you’re trying to run my friend over with your cart.” She punctuates her sentence with a sarcastic smile. It hurts, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t deserving.
Looking toward the woman who has been plaguing my mind for weeks, I say, “Sienna, right? Theo, from the diner a few weeks back. Is your ankle okay?” I look down at her ankle and let out a relieved sigh when I realize she’s standing on it. At least it’s not broken.
“Mm-hmm. You just caught me by surprise is all.” She waves me off with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her golden-brown eyes. I notice she’s still avoiding eye contact with me in a very similar fashion as in the diner. Interesting.
I take note of Beth still half-cocked with the cereal box, ready to unleash it on me any second, so I take a slight step away from her and closer to Sienna.
“Between my friends in the diner and the mark I’ve definitely left on your ankle, I’ve been a real asshole. Is there any way I can make it up to you?” I’m not sure why the question leaves my mouth, given the fact that I was looking for closure, not…whatever this is.
“You don’t have to make it up to me. I’m fine.” Turning to Beth, she gestures for them to go.
It’s strange, but watching them walk away feels wrong. I feel an involuntary pull toward Sienna as her distance from me grows. I don’t understand the feeling, but it’s uncomfortable. I hate being uncomfortable.
That’s when it hits me. From the very little I’ve gathered about Sienna, I can tell she’s calm and polite, yet there’s a quiet strength to her as well.
She’s exactly the type of woman I’ve been looking for.
Having Sienna by my side would surely convince Roman I’ve become more responsible.
After all, in my experience, women like her never date men like me.
Not unless we’re willing to settle down. She’s perfect.
Leaving my cart behind, I catch up to them in only a few strides. As I cut in front of them and block their path, I wince at my mistake. By Sienna’s startled look and Beth’s protective stance, I realize I could’ve gone about this in a less aggressive way.
“I share a place with two of my friends, and we’re throwing one last party before graduation as a big farewell.
You should come.” I realize I’m staring at Sienna when I remember that her armed-and-dangerous friend is with her.
“Both of you. We’ll have plenty of snacks and drinks.
” Smiling, I motion to my cart that was left at the scene of the crime.
Neither of them says anything, so I continue to ramble, “No pressure to be there, I just wanted to offer my apologies and was hoping an invite to my party would be the start of that.” I hold up my hands as a show of innocence so I don’t get whacked with the cereal box again.
Alex put me through an intensive arm workout the other day. My biceps have had enough abuse.
Sienna hesitates. “I don’t know. We have finals to study for before graduation.”
I can feel her slipping through my hands. Along with her goes my chance of working with my brother.
“Let me grab your number, and I’ll text you the details. The party is next weekend, so you’ll have plenty of time to think about it.” I grab my phone from my sweatshirt pocket and open a new contact page. Handing it over to Sienna, I’m surprised when she types her number on the screen.
“Great. I’ll text you the details,” I say, stepping aside so I’m no longer blocking their path to the exit.
Sienna gives a silent nod before they take off. I don’t usually text a woman this quickly, but I can’t stop myself from texting her as I head back toward my cart.
Theo
Sorry again for the cart incident.
This is Theo btw.
I’m making my way down the soda aisle when my phone vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see a notification from Sienna.
Sienna
All good. Nothing a little ice can’t fix.
I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. At least she texted me back. Now I just have to figure out how to ask her to be my fake girlfriend for the summer.