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Jenna McLeary was nervous. The college sophomore was about to be paired with a random classmate from her Advanced Business Dynamics class for their main project, but she dreaded it. Oh, not the project itself, but rather the idea of being paired with a stranger. Someone she would have to 'talk to.'
Jenna knew her social shortcomings. She was much more comfortable sitting alone and reading a book than at a party trying to make small talk. She just didn't know how to do it no matter how hard she tried. She felt like she was the place where conversations went to die awkward deaths. She just never knew what to say, ever. It was hell.
And soon, she would be forced into yet another awkward social interaction, but this time her grade, and possibly future depended on it. Jenna was a curvy, apple-cheeked girl with light brown hair. She kept herself fit and toned, more for her own mental health than anything else. She knew her pretty face and large chest got the attention of lots of guys, but she hadn't dated anyone since she was a junior in high school. Back then, she dated her 'safe' nerdy next-door neighbor, someone she had basically grown up with. They had eventually lost their virginity to one another in an uninspired and unfulfilling "let's just get this over with" encounter the summer after their Senior year. But no one since then. Not that Jenna felt lonely exactly, but it would be nice to have a few more friends, maybe even a boyfriend.
Jenna glanced around the classroom at the other 20 students/strangers, trying to figure out who would be least put off by her social awkwardness. She spied a group of guys in the back corner of the lecture hall. God forbid she would get partnered with one of them. At least with a girl, she wouldn't have the added pressure of having to decipher any sexual undertones. She sighed.
Jenna didn't have any friends in the class. Or really any friends at the school at all for that matter, outside of her roommates. She had met roommates Sarah and Brittany the previous year in the Freshman dorms. Whether because of pity or some other charitable impulse, the life-long friends had befriended her and dragged her with them to countless parties, and then invited Jenna to get an apartment with them. Jenna knew she was high-strung and socially inept, but her roommates seemed to take it in stride. Jenna had a habit of making a loud "YIP" sound whenever she was startled. Her roommates found it hilarious and took great pleasure in getting her to 'yip' a few times a week.
Sometimes Jenna felt her roommates looked at her as a "project," someone they could help come out of her shell and "blossom" in front of their eyes. She loved them for trying, but so far, their efforts had been in vain.
The class professor walked in and started class immediately, as was his habit. "The first order of business is to assign each of you a partner for the final project. I've tried to stress the importance of this project throughout the semester, and hopefully, you've been listening. I suggest you begin working on this immediately. Do NOT leave it to the last week of the semester. As you know, students from previous classes have used this project to springboard themselves into internships at prestigious companies. I implore you to take this project seriously. Now then, when I call your name, raise your hand, so your partner will know who you are."
Jenna waited nervously for her name to be called. Finally, the professor called, "Jenna McLeary. Your partner is Matthew Sullivan." Jenna's heart sank. It was a guy. She looked around the room with her hand raised. In the back row sat her new partner. He was smiling in her direction and waving.
"Oh my god, he's CUTE,"
Jenna thought to herself.
"I just hope he isn't a complete idiot or complete douchebag. And I pray that I won't make a complete fool of myself, at least not on day one."
When class ended, Jenna slowly packed up and looked around for her new partner. "Hi, I'm Matt," said the smiling man as he approached and extended his hand. "You're Jenna, right?" Matt was about 6'1", fit, with brown hair, dark eyes, and a great smile. He looked relaxed in his jeans, Chuck Taylor shoes and checked button-down shirt.
"Ah... Yeah, it's nice to meet you," said Jenna taking Matt's hand for a quick, limp shake.
"Do you have a couple of minutes to chat so we can plan out this project. I REALLY want to do well on it, and I'm hoping you do too," said Matt.
"Yeah, I'm glad to hear you say that. It's going to take a lot of work, and I think the sooner we start, the better," said Jenna, while nervously looking at the floor.
"Oh, great. That's perfect. Do you have some time right now? If you don't mind, I've got a ton of space at my apartment for us to spread out. Is it okay if we head there, at least for our first session? Then if it doesn't seem to be working for you as a workspace for whatever reason, we can pick somewhere else," said Matt.
"Yeah, that's fine. Sure," said Jenna, having never been invited to a boy's apartment before. The flutter in her stomach indicated more than pure relief at knowing who her class partner would be.
#
Jenna and Matt walked from class toward Matt's apartment, chatting easily. (Well, it was Matt who mainly talked, and Jenna mostly listened.) Jenna was excited at her luck. Matt didn't seem like a douchebag at all. He had an easy way about him and the natural excitement in his personality that was infectious. He laughed easily and seemed to know most of the people they passed on the walk, greeting them by name and with a smile (quite the opposite of Jenna in almost every way).
It was a beautiful day. Each talked excitedly about how great it would be to win a spot in the Chamberlain Industries internship program, an ultimate goal for both of them.
Jenna told Matt about her roommate, Tara. She had miraculously been picked for a summer internship the previous year. She had then been offered the opportunity to extend it through the Fall term.
"Wow, she must be learning all kinds of things. I hear Mr. Chamberlain is very involved with the interns. That's got to be so awesome," said Matt and Jenna nodded in agreement. She was proud of herself for getting through the telling without saying something stupid.
The pair continued to walk off-campus, in a direction Jenna wasn't familiar with. "I've never been over on this side of campus before," she said.
"Yeah, there's not a lot of reasons to come this way. It's pretty quiet over here, but that's what I like about it. That, and the fact that my dad owns the building, so rent is free," said Matt as he smiled and held the door open for her. It looked like an industrial building from the outside.
"You live here," asked Jenna a little tentatively.
"Yeah, it's nicer inside than it looks from out here, I promise," said Matt.
After climbing a rickety set of wooden stairs to the second floor, Jenna understood what Matt was talking about. The doorway opened to a large loft apartment with exposed brick and wooden beams. There was a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a massive kitchen island to the right. There was a huge dining room table, and at the far end of the loft, Jenna could see an enormous TV mounted to the wall with a wrap-around sectional couch and chairs. What looked like bedroom doors could be seen on the left.
"Uh, wow," is all Jenna could muster.
"Yeah, I know. It's a little much, right," said Matt. "Long story, short, my dad is in real estate, so as soon as I decided where I was going to college, he bought this building and had it gutted and remodeled. And here we are. When I graduate, I'm sure he'll sell it, but for now, it's a pretty sweet setup."
"That's for sure," said Jenna. She relaxed a little as she became more comfortable with, and attracted to, Matt as he talked about his family. It was a great feeling to not be so anxious.
"I thought we could work at the dining room table. We can spread out. It rarely gets used for eating anyway," said Matt and guided Jenna toward the table.
