Free Beware That Girl by Teresa Toten

the thesis front. It would be a fine topic to weave into your university interviews.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “And of course, we have the finest resource right here at the school with Dr. Kruger.” He glanced at her office door.
    “Just what I was thinking, sir.”
    “Excellent, excellent.” He tapped my pile and drifted away to his office. Damn, now I was committed. I didn’t like being cornered like that. Committed before I’d had a chance to think through every aspect of a commitment. Still, I had been toying with the idea.

    I was so lost in thesis thought that I crashed into Mr. Redkin with my arm full of files. He reached out and steadied the pile before a single paper had a chance to escape.
    “Sorry, sir.”
    “Please don’t sir me, Kate.”
    Redkin had great hair. You had to give him that, on top of the other stuff. It was blond and wavy, just a little long, just a little unruly. It was the kind of hair that made you think surfer or rock climber rather than administrator. It was the kind of hair you wanted to touch.
    “I’ve been meaning to get a word. I just mentioned it to Ms. Draper, and she thinks it’s a great idea.”
    “Sir? Sorry, Mr. Redkin.”
    “Mark.”
    “Mark,” I repeated.
    “I’d like to arrange a photo shoot with the Waverly Wonders. I want you girls to feature prominently in any promotional or advancement material we send out. Ms. Draper agrees that it would be an excellent investment.”
    “The Wonders would love that! Wait until I tell Olivia. We’ll call a meeting.”
    “Good. I’d like to get on that right after the board meeting. After everyone has met you girls, seen you.” He wore a wheat-colored jacket that complemented his hair. But I swear you didn’t notice any of that when he smiled. You just saw the smile. And he knew it.
    “Sounds cool,” I agreed. “I’ll alert the Wonders right away.”
    “Thank you, Kate.” He opened the door to the storage room, where all the general file cabinets still lived. As he held the door open, he put his hand on the small of my back. It was a nothing gesture. Gentlemanly. Forgettable.

    But my stomach rolled over.
    No. One. Touches. Me. That’s the rule.
    And Mark Redkin just broke it.
    I want a dog, damn it.

Olivia was dialing down on the Ativan and the Lexapro. It didn’t help as much as she thought it would. She still felt removed from herself. It had to be the other meds, but no dial-downs were possible there. Never again. Olivia didn’t “share” any of this with Dr. Tamblyn. Her psychiatrist wasn’t nearly as pumped about the whole Kate-moving-in thing as he should have been.
    “At first blush it seems a rather impulsive decision, and we must always be alert for that. You’ve been exceedingly careful in your actions over the past few months.” Dr. Tamblyn paused and tented his fingers, classic old-school shrink. “I do concede, however, that it may also be an indicator of growing confidence. Perhaps a positive signal.”
    What an old lady he was. But she’d been going to Tamblyn since forever, and he was so pleasingly pliable. So Olivia kept the dial-downs to herself. He would have rained on that party too. “Party,” she sighed. The Wonders had agreed to go to Claudette Zimmerman’s tomorrow. Claudette was a mouth-breather, as was her older sister before her, but the Zimmermans knew how to throw a party. The Wonders had made a group decision to attend in head-to-toe knockoffs for a laugh. At least that part would be amusing.

    Kate said that she had them covered. “Leave it to me, kemosabe. Tell Anka no dinner tonight. We’re heading to Chinatown.”
    —
    That evening, Olivia and Kate scoured the stalls like pros, which meant that Kate whipped Olivia in and out of vendors at lightning speed. She grabbed Olivia’s hand at the very first stall. “Never the stuff in the front,” she insisted, pulling her straight to the owner in the back. “Greetings, Kumar!” Then Kate drew him in and whispered, “We