Sweetheart Single

06 | Waffle Tower Tryst

It's Monday morning and instead of occupying myself with pre-reading excerpts from today's sociology elective class, I am fussing over my outfit. It's a big outfit day after all. My lunch date with Shawn is only something I've been dreaming of since the sixth grade!

I finally settle on a powder blue sweater and black jeans. I second-guess my choice all through morning classes, but once the last morning block ends, I have no choice but to meet up with Shawn at the SAC caf

The Glitter Girls have set up shop in the lobby on the first floor of the SAC. I can see them down the stairs from the table I'm at in the cafeteria. They're at a booth advertising fundraising for dance entertainment. Allow me to backpedal.

The Glitter Girls (as they call themselves and so started everyone else) are the IT girls. Everything is glittery –their phone cases –their laptops –their bags. Probably their lady parts. It's unbelievable, like exhaling glitter dust is both a requirement and a side effect of hanging out with them.

They happen to be heavily involved in the student social scene on campus. They run multiple charities and committees for community service, social fundraisers, events, etc. Yes, they are in charge of orchestrating the fundraising for the Sweetheart Single dance. Yes, they are in charge of distributing the grams via their wide social network of little minions hoping to be called up to the big leagues and branded with the highly coveted Glitter Girl status.

It's not that they are trash humans. I quite like Olivia, the red head. We had Intro to Psych together last semester. We helped each other improve our note outlines. Amanda, the brunette, isn't too bad either, though she's the most high maintenance. Then there's Brittany, the blonde, the leader of the Glitter Girls. She's stone cold and doesn't care who knows it. She also happens to be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in real life, which is probably part of the reason all men seem to flock in her direction.

It's Brittany that I see now. Her long blonde waves are flying around her head as she moves between the other girls and walks up to each new person that enters the SAC. No doubt she's trying to bleed everyone of their pocket change and petty cash. I get it. If Brittany wants the Sweetheart Single to be the dance of the decade, then that's exactly what it will be.

She got me when I walked in. I only had $2 to spare, but who was I to say no? I was distracted by her glittery gold eye shadow blinding me in the daylight. This particular fundraiser is for getting a band to play the dance. Not just a band, a boy band. Long live the 90s.

Everyone is hype about it. Supposedly they are pretty big internationally, and all the girls are already planning ways to make the lead singer fall in love with them. Me? I don't really have time for bands. Even if they have a catchy name like Gilded Rage.

So here I am sitting in the SAC waiting for Shawn to show for our lunch date. Nikki and Lucy and Darren all wished me good luck. I spent most of morning Lit class worried about meeting with Shawn –worried about what I would say –what he would say. I blot my lips with glossy pink just to give my hands something to do.

My stomach tumbles over when I see him walk into the lobby. His hair is cropped short, and his jeans are perfect denim blue. He really is a vision. I can't help the butterflies swarming when he looks over and his eyes catch mine.

"Hi Ellie," he says, tossing his gym bag down at my table.

"Hey," I mumble.

"Ready to get in line?" He asks. "What are you thinking for lunch?"

"Doesn't matter to me. I'm starving." I stand up, noticing once again how tiny and small I feel beside his large frame.

"Yea?" He asks. "If you've been living off salads, then I'm not surprised." Shawn laughs, nudging my shoulder. I know he's thinking about our roadie lunch on the way back from break.