Free You Should Smile by Renee Lee Page A

know.”
    Thad nodded, still grinning, but seeming to understand my need for self-protection and respect.  “Not a damsel.  Not in distress.  Got it, m’lady.”
    I rolled my eyes….and smiled.  For real this time.
    Thad left separately and when we finally got to the car, I hounded Grant, “Okay, so what the hell did he say to you about baseball hats?” 
    Grant laughed out loud.  “How long have you been stewing over that, Princess?”
    “All fucking game.  Add that on top of that ‘knight-in-shining-armor show’ he put on back there and I am a confused mess of a mess.”
    Grant looked back at me from the passenger seat as Ethan drove.  “Oh, honey.  I’m sorry.  It’s gotta be hard.  You all are so meant to be, though.  It’s written all over the place.  You’re like magnets.”
    “Not helping, you know,” I pouted.
    “I know.  I’m sorry.  You sure you want to know what he said?”
    “I don’t know.  Was it about me?”
    “Ummm…not directly , no….”
    “Okay, then.  What was it?”
    “Well, after you said that I didn’t like baseball hats on girls and he said that he did, he leaned over and whispered, ‘It’s the ponytails.  I just wanna grip ‘em from behind, if you know what I mean’.…”  Grant nodded his head dramatically. 
    The words hit me to the core.  “Fuck you, TOO, Ms. L!” I screamed.
    “Huh?”  Grant asked, perplexed.   
    I shook my head.  “Nothing…..”

Chapter Eleven
    You know in the movies when the cheesy music starts and you just know the characters are finally going to get it on?  That’s not like real life, either.  There’s no cheesy music and there’s no cathartic moment, really.  It happens because we’re human and we give in to our baser instincts.  Sometimes there’s really nothing logical or musical or even romantic about it.  For us, it happened thanks to Not-So-Decent Pete.
    A few weeks after the baseball game, Pete called and told me that he had some of my stuff and he wanted to give it to me.  He wanted to try out this new Italian place, he said.  He insisted on picking me up, even though I tried to make it clear that it wouldn’t be a date.  I finally gave in.  I supposed it would be nice to just catch up with an old friend. 
    When we walked into the restaurant, I felt it.  The static.  The electricity.  The presence.  I turned to the right and there was Thad sitting in the bar area with another psychology professor I didn’t really know.  They were watching a football game on a screen above them.  Just like a damn magnet, his eyes met mine and he lifted his hand to wave before stopping.  He noticed Pete standing beside me.  His grin faltered and I could see the familiar tension come to his jaw.  Part of me wanted to run over to him and explain, even though I technically owed him nothing.
    I waved anyway and tried to smile, but he didn’t return it.  I decided to ignore that for the time being and focused back on Pete just to get it over with.
    Pete spoke.  “See someone you know back there?”
    “Uh, yeah.  Someone from the university.”
    “Oh.  Cool.” 
    We sat down and started ordering.  How soon could this be over?  Could I just get my stuff and leave?  This was a bad idea.  I soon realized, however, just how bad.  Pete apparently had an ulterior motive for asking me there.
    “Listen, Shay.  I’ve been doing some thinking about us.  I, uh….I really want us to give it another try.”
    No.  No.  NO.  Not now.  I did not feel like dealing with this now.  “Pete, listen, I think you’re great.  I just think we’re better off not together.  You deserve someone who can make you happy.”
    I listened as Pete droned on and on about how this was a good decision for “us” because we were at the right age, place, and time.  Somehow, I was able to excuse myself to go to the restroom.
    I knew that I’d have to pass Thad to get to the restroom, but given the choice between