The guy approaches my table like a child wanting to ask his mom for ice cream. He stands there awkwardly for a few moments, then asks, "Is it okay if I sit here?"
Normally, I'd say no - I didn't tuck myself away in the back corner of the library at this time of day because I wanted company. He specifically might be fine, though. He doesn't look like the usuals, for one - he's as nerdy as they come, wearing thick glasses and hugging a thick stack of books like a pillow. For another, he's not
looking
at me like the usuals do - he seems genuinely worried about bothering me. I have no reason to be rude to him, and thinking about it, him being here might dissuade the usuals if they
do
show up.
I nod, and he sits, giving me an awkward smile. He glances at me a few times, as if to confirm I'm not mad, then he buries his face in his books.
I return my attention to my laptop, and for a while, things are normal. I notice him glancing at me anxiously every now and then, but he doesn't do anything weird, and we both study in peace. Eventually though, I notice that he seems distracted; he isn't taking notes or turning pages, and his glancing is becoming increasingly frequent. I try to ignore it, hoping this isn't going where I think it's going. Unfortunately, he dashes that hope.
"Why do they call you that?"
I pretend I didn't hear him, but my thoughts are already turning in a familiar direction, steered by forces far beyond my control. Some of it must be showing on my face, because the guy's anxious eyes remain fixed on me despite my silence.
I strategically don't look away from my laptop. "Call me what?"
Out of the corner of my eye, I see his face turn red. "Um," he stammers, "you know. Uh."
I do, and I don't think I can convince him of the opposite. If I am to study like I'm supposed to, my best bet is to convince him that whatever he might have heard about me, the truth is dreadfully mundane. Preferably while my mind is still my own.
I wear the best poker face I can, and, still not looking away from the screen, I say, "I like sucking dick."
That statement is completely true, though context does make it into a lie. I wasn't given my nickname simply because of my preference for fellatio.
And I think he knows. Oh god, he knows. His eyes don't leave me, and behind a heavy curtain of uncertainty, I can see a tiny spark of mischief.