A Love Like This (Book 1) (11 page)

“
Nope I can
’
t tonight.
 
I have a date.
”

“
What! The big
 
dooffu
s
 
finally asked you out?
”

“
No he hasn
’
t,
”
 
I say feeling guilty.

“
You
’
re going out with someone else?
”
 
She asks with a look of astonishment.
 
She sits up in her bed.
 
I look away.

“
Who is it you tramp!
”
 
 
Sarah demands with bugged out eyes.

“
Calm down, it
’
s just Mike.
”

“
No fucking way! You
’
re going out with Tucker
’
s best friend?
 
Well that will definitely get his attention.
 

“
I
’
m not trying to get anyone
’
s attention. We
’
re just going out as friends.
”

“
But if Tucker was to find out----
“

“
If Tucker was to find out what,
”
 
I cross my arms.
 
“
He
’
s not interested in me and if he is he
’
s moving way to slow.
”

“
But you like Tucker not Mike,
”
 
she asks looking perplexed

“
I really don
’
t know much about either of them; maybe I can learn to like Mike.
”

“
Oh Leila,
”
 
Sarah says looking disappointed.
 
 
“
Come on if you insist on keeping up this farce you have to at least look hot.
 
Let me help you get dressed.
”

I shower and
 
slide into
 
the white backless call-girl dress that
 
Pookie
 
sent me. I replace my low bun with a high messy bun and I wear six i
nch strappy silver Nine West hee
ls that I found on clearance.
 
Sarah applies lash extender to my lashes making them look about a mile long.
 
I dab on gleaming lip gloss and a bit of body glitter.
 
One can never be too shiny.

“
Where are you guys going,
”
 
Sarah asks before I leave the room.

“
Some Italian place called Giorgio
’
s in the Sunset District.
”
 

I meet Mike in front of the dorm at 6 PM?

“
You look beautiful,
”
 
he says and kisses me on the cheek before opening the door to his shiny new Lexus coup.
 
Mike talks about himself a lot.
 
On the way to the restaurant he tells me about his five year plan to buy real estate fix it up and turn a profit.
 
I am so bored that I contemplate jumping out of the car onto the freeway.
 
When
 
get to the restaurant he hands his keys to the
 
valet, opens my car door, takes my hand and leads me inside.
 
I feel like the prize horse at the Kentucky Derby.
 
The place is packed and
I
’
m not sure how he managed to get a reservation so quickly.
 
Maybe he keeps an open reservation for dates with whatever woman he happens upon.
 
Our waitress is a petite Asian woman with breast so big I
’
m not sure how she manages to stand upright.

She smiles politely her eyes lingering on Mike for a few minutes longer than necessary as she takes our drink orders.
 
He is working a little too hard to avert his eyes.

“
You really do have a way with the ladies don
’
t you,
”
 
I say shaking my head.

“
I
’
ve been here a few times before so she knows----
”
 
Mike stops mid sentence.
 
His face looks as if he just witnessed someone kicking a puppy.
 
I turn around and see Tucker standing a few feet from our table.

“
Why don
’
t you tell Leila how well you know Kim,
”
 
Tucker says.

“
Well this is a surprise,
”
 
I say.
 
 
“
Would you like to join us?
”
 
Tucker
’
s eyes are glued to me as he pulls up a chair.
 
Mikes face is twisted with annoyance.

“
You look gorgeous,
”
 
Tucker says looking into my eyes making my stomach turn cartwheels.
 

“
Thank you,
”
 
I say.
 
 
“
What are you doing here?
”

“
Just stopped by to pick up take-out and I saw you two so I decided to say hello.
”

“
Well you
’
ve said hello.
 
You can go now,
”
 
Mike says.
 

Tucker turns to Mike,
 
“
Let
’
s ask Leila if she wants me to leave.
”

“
We don
’
t need to ask Leila.
 
We
’
re on a date, you
’
re being rude and if you weren
’
t my boy I
’
d kick your ass.
”
 
 
They both turn to me and I nearly pee on myself from anxiety.

“
Mike and I are out as friend
’
s and I
’
m not about to get in the middle of this pissing contest.
”
 
 
They continue to argue spitting obscenities at each other in hushed tones.
 
They don
’
t seem to notice me grab my purse and stand to leave.
 
I march to the bathroom and call Sarah.

“
Come and get me please,
”
 
I say rather than hello.

I explain what happened and after laughing for around ten minutes she agrees to come and pick me up.
 
I walk into a stall; line the toilet with
 
a handful of
 
seat covers and sit down to play a round of angry birds on my smart phone.
 
Sara sends me a text saying she
’
s out front.
 
I leave the bathroom and look over at the empty table where I left Mike and Tucker.
 

Kim the waitress bounces over to me before I
 
get to
 
the front door.
 
“
Your friends are waiting out front.
”
 
 
She touches my arm as I turn to walk away.
 
 
“
May I ask you a personal question?
”
 
 
She asks looking slightly bothered.
 
 
“
Which one of those guys are you dating?
”
 
 
 

“
Wow that is personal,
”
 
I say and smile sweetly before spinning around on my heels and walking towards the door.

I step out into the damp San Francisco air and see Mike, Tucker and Sarah standing a few feet from the restaurant
’
s entrance.
 
Here I was thinking that I would be able to get through my last year and half of school with little to no social interaction.
 
Then out of
nowhere I have two handsome men fighting for my attention.
 
Mike is fun loving, good-looking and would be a blast to hang out with but he would never really commit.
 
Tucker probably wants a relationship but he comes with a lot of baggage. I
’
m too young to be looking for a commitment anyway maybe a little fun would be good for me. As I approach the group I see Tucker and Mike staring at me with their mouths agape.

“
What,
”
 
I say looking down to see if I have toilet paper on my shoes.
 
I touch my nose to make sure there
’
s nothing hanging around there.

Sarah leans over and whispers in my ear,
 
“
We can see your boobies and your head lights are on.
”
 

I look down
 
gasp
 
mortified and cup both breasts in my hands.
 
I straighten my stance and say,
 
“
Good night gentlemen,
”
 
before rushing off towards Sarah
’
s car. Tucker runs after me, grabs my arm, twirls me around and kisses me hard.
 
His hand feels hot on
 
my bare back and I can hear my heart pounding in my ears as I wrap my arms around his neck
 
and return his kiss.
 
Needless to say my lust for Mike completely disappears.
 

He pulls away and says,
 
“
That
’
s the tip I wanted.
”

“
So corny,
”
 
I whisper.
 

He kisses me again and my head is spinning.
 
All outside noises are blocked out and replaced by the thump of my heart.
 
We are probably only standing here for a few second but it feels like forever.
 
I
’
m still a bit dazed when Mike snatches Tucker away from me and punches him square
 
in the face.
 
Tucker must be
 
caught off guard by the
punch because he just stands there looking shocked for a moment.
 
The fog lifts and Tucker charges at Mike.
 
I
’
m stupefied watching the two wrestle around on the ground.
 
If there was a water hose nearby
 
I
 
would turn it on both of them.
 
Instead I shake my head and walk away to stand next to Sarah
’
s car while she pries them apart.
 
Sarah points at Mike and Tucker and says something I can
’
t decipher.
 
They cross their arms over their chests defiantly.
 
Sarah ambles over to the car and hands me the keys.
 
“
You should drive, I
’
m a little stoned.
 

“
What did you say to them?
”
 
 
I ask as I climb behind the wheel.