Chapter 6: Fleeting Moments
Another month had passed and I was ecstatic that after class tomorrow I was heading home for Thanksgiving break. I had declined Matt's many attempts at getting me to join the water polo team, but I still saw him twice a week in class. He was always friendly, and fortunately had stuck to his word and hadn't made anymore advances towards me. Matt and I paired up for another project that we presented in class today. The presentation went off without a hitch and I was happy with the result as I headed off to my next class.
"Hold up Bobby." Matt said as he tailed me out of the building. "Thanks for working with me again."
"No problem." I answered as I continued walking.
"I was wondering if you'd grab a cup of coffee with me Bobby?"
"I have class." I answered as I stopped to look at him.
"What about tonight, after you meet your roommate for dinner?" Matt continued.
I thought about it, there was a warning in the back of my mind, but I suppressed it. "Yeah I guess."
"Cool." Matt said. "The coffee shop across from campus, say 8:00?" He smiled as he waited for my reply.
"Yeah, okay." I answered as I headed off to class. I couldn't help but wonder what had I just agreed to? At least I was meeting him in a public place, where he wouldn't try to kiss me again. I barely heard a word the professor said as my mind ran through the various scenarios that could arise tonight.
Billy noticed my distraction when we met for dinner. "What's got you wound so tight?" Billy asked, noticing my hands fidgeting on the table.
"Matt said he wanted to meet me tonight. I agreed to meet him for coffee." I answered
"Matt, as in the guy who tried to make out with you?" Billy's eyes widened at the thought.
"Yeah, that Matt." I answered. "Meeting him at the coffee shop, I think I'll be safe in public."
"Do you like him?" Billy asked.
"Like him?" I repeated the question. "No!" I answered firmly. Maybe in another world, if I wasn't with Rob, I could like him, but compared to Rob, it was no contest, Rob won in a landslide.
"Let him down gently." Billy smiled at his joke and I shook my head, but smiled back at him.
*
Matt was waiting at a small table for two when I walked into the quiet coffee shop. I would be lying if I said he wasn't handsome. He had shaved off his beard, but his face showed the traces of stubble. His engaging green eyes locked onto me, they were stunning, lighter in color than Rob's, but just as striking. He waved me over and held up a cup of coffee. I had never developed a taste for the hot beverage, but took it from him.
"Thanks." I said as I sat down and took a sip. I couldn't disguise the look that crossed my face as the bitter liquid hit my tongue.
"You don't like it?" Matt asked as his nose wrinkled in recognition.
"Not much of a coffee drinker." I admitted with a smile.
"Damn, sorry." Matt said as he took the cup from me and headed to the counter. He returned with a new cup. "Try this." I took a hesitant sip, but smiled when the hot chocolate hit my lips.
"Mmm, better, thanks." I said, he smiled and sat down. "So what'd you want to talk about?"
"I really like you Bobby." He said. "You're all I can think about."
"Matt." I started, but was interrupted.
"I know you have a boyfriend, but if there is any way, any shot, I have to take it." Matt reached for my hand, but I pulled it away before he could touch it.
"I'm sorry Matt, there's not a chance." I felt bad as his smile faded from his face. "You're a good looking guy Matt, I'm sure you'll have no problem finding someone else."
Matt shrugged before speaking. "I guess, but you're so damned cute Bobby." I felt heat rush into my cheeks and immediately wanted this conversation to be over. "Your boyfriend is a lucky guy."
"He knows." I smiled as I thought about how lucky I was to have Rob.
"Well if anything changes-."
"It won't." I cut Matt off before he could finish that statement. "Thanks for the hot chocolate." I said as I stood up from the table. "I'm sorry Matt." I was turning around to walk out the door when I felt his hand on my shoulder. I braced myself to retreat, expecting him to try to kiss me again, when I turned around he was holding out his hand for me to shake.
"Friends?" He suggested, his mouth curled up in a slight smile.
"Friends." I answered shaking his hand before heading to my dorm.
**
"Hey dad." I said into my phone as I headed back to my dorm after my final class before Thanksgiving break.
"Hey Bobby, we'll be there in about thirty minutes." My dad spoke into the phone.
"Good I'll be ready, I packed this morning. We're still picking Rob up on the way home right?" I asked, feeling slightly guilty for missing Rob more than my parents and sister.
"Actually..." He hesitated a moment before continuing. "Rob's uncle is picking him up; he'll be at home when we get back.
"Oh." I tried to hide the disappointment at having to wait longer before seeing Rob. "Alright, well just call me when you're here and we'll head down." I ended the call as I headed into my room.
"Hey Billy, my parents will be here in thirty."
"Cool, I'm ready now." He answered; his last class had been cancelled so he was going to ride home with us.
"You gonna see Katie when we get back?" I asked Billy, making conversation before my parents arrived.
"I dunno." He shrugged. "I only talked to her a couple of times since we've been gone. We'll see how it goes."
"Fair enough." I answered as I double checked to make sure I had everything I needed. "I don't think she's seen anyone else." I shared, seeing if Billy wanted to keep seeing Katie.
"Oh yeah?" He nonchalantly asked, but I think I saw a hint of a smirk on his face at the thought. My phone started ringing and I pulled it out and saw a picture of my dad.
"We're heading down now." I said into the phone as Billy and I grabbed our bags and headed down to catch a ride home. My dad's car was sitting out front and noticed that instead of my mom riding shotgun, it was Rob. He jumped out of the car and ran up to me. I dropped my bag on the ground as he picked me up into a suffocating embrace.
"I thought your Uncle Charlie was picking you up." I smiled happily when he placed me back on solid ground and stole a quick kiss.
"Not happy to see me?" He teased with a smirk on his face. My dad got out of the car and opened the trunk, he picked up my bag and took Billy's and placed them in the trunk.
"I guess you're up front with me." Dad told Billy before he pulled me into a hug.
"Glad to see you kiddo." Dad said as he tousled my hair.
"Thanks dad." I said as we all got situated in the car. I would have been sitting in Rob's lap if my dad and Billy hadn't been in the car. I settled for just leaning against his shoulder as we all caught up on our months apart. Billy and my dad settled into a comfortable conversation about football and school. I looked over at Rob and his green eyes were twinkling fondly at me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I just melted in to Rob, cuddling against his side.
The combination of Rob's comforting embrace and the movement of the car must have lulled me to sleep. When I came to Rob was lightly rubbing the hair on my head, which was in his lap. Rob smiled at me when I yawned and sat up. Dad had just dropped Billy off at his house and within a few minutes we were back at home.
"Thanks Mr. Thompson." Rob said as we headed to the trunk to unload our bags.
"Yeah thanks dad." I said as I grabbed my bag and headed into the house.
"No problem boys." Dad answered following us inside. My mom and my sister, Emily, were waiting in the den for us. We set our bags down and exchanged hugs and pleasantries for a while before we headed to our room.
"He didn't." I murmured as I opened the door to my bedroom. My old full bed was back and the bunk beds were gone. I looked at Rob who had a Cheshire grin on his face as he wrapped me in a hug.
**
Rob wanted to go for a run so I joined him and we jogged around town. "You care if I stop? I wanna make sure I can work over Christmas break?" Rob asked as we approached the deli.
"Sure." I slowed to walk and followed him into the shop.
"Thought I'd never see you again." Shirley, one of the waitresses said as we entered the restaurant. Rob went over to chat with her.
"Bobby." I heard my name and saw the smiling faces as I walked over to join Katie and Becky at a booth in the back corner.