The Freshman Child

Chapter 13: This Means War

Chapter 13: This Means War

"If you ask me, that is not exactly the way to win the man of your dreams," Jill declared.

Sam, Jill, and Lara, who's also a freshman and Jill's lab partner from Texas, were gathered in Sam's kitchen making pasta and brownies.  After the blow to her ego earlier, Sam was trying to let off steam by cooking up a storm.  

Sam stared at her friend. Why would she even say something like that? Jill was messed up. That thought hadn't occurred to her at all. Hell, no! Sam never liked Max in that way, in any way. She quickly shook her head. "I don't have any plans of doing that. Max is a monster. I am not into him."

"Hmmm...Well, what do you want to do now?" Jill demanded.

"I don't know!" Sam moaned. "He started this. Why would he even tell people we were dating? See, that's just whacked." She poured the brownie mixture into a greased cake pan, slid it into the oven and slammed the door shut.

"Well, if Max went and told people we were dating,"—at Sam's glare, she quickly added,—"even if we're not, I'd also flip out," Lara said in her drawl. "He is a really big gorgeous hunk. You can't deny that."

"Lara's right," Jill said. "He has the most beautiful gray eyes."

"They're blue," Sam corrected her. "It can get lighter or darker, depending on his mood."

Jill and Lara exchanged amused looks, and Sam felt her face start to redden. She quickly added, "Not that I was looking! I just noticed when he yells orders at me."

"Well, if you're going to fight with someone"—Lara giggled—"it's much more pleasant to look at a good-looking face."

"I don't want to fight! I just want him to leave me alone," Sam wailed, leading them into the living room. She flopped down on the couch, and Jill and Lara took the two armchairs. They sat silently for a few minutes.

"What should I do? How do I get rid of Max?" Sam hid her face in her hands. I'm so confused! One minute he's the biggest bastard, the next minute he is the sweetest gentleman.

"If I may make an observation," Lara said from her corner, "I think you are going about this all wrong."

"What do you mean?" Sam lifted her head and looked at Lara.

"Well," Lara said, "you want him to leave you alone, right?"

"Right."

"But then you might also want to stay on 'friendly' terms because you sure can't afford to have someone like Max as an enemy."

"Maybe."

"Then the solution is obvious." Lara shrugged matter-of-factly. Sam and Jill looked at her blankly, and she explained, "You kill him with kindness."

"Are you for real?" Jill dismissed the thought with a wave of her hand.

"I'm serious." Lara leaned forward in her chair. "The girls in Texas have it down to a science. They bat their little ol' eyelashes and play helpless and dumb, and before you know it, those big, tough guys are eating right out of their hands."

"I hate those kinds of girls!" Sam wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Me, too!" Lara said, agreeing. "But extreme times call for extreme measures."

"You know what? I think Lara has a point," Jill said

"Oh, c'mon!" Sam protested. "I could never act that way."

"Yes, you could!" Lara insisted. "Here, give it a try." She grabbed Sam by the arms and pulled her off the couch. "Jill," she said, "you be Max."

Lara sent Jill to the center of the living room. "Now you stand there and say hello."

"This is ridiculous! Max is never nice. He never has a proper conversation with anyone," Sam whined.

"Let's just try it, " Lara pleaded.

Jill walked over to Sam and mumbled in a deep voice, "Hi, Sam."

"Hi, Max," Sam said listlessly.

"No, no, no!" Lara scolded. "Here, watch me!" She stood in the middle of the room, her hands clasped demurely in front of her. "Okay, now say hello again."

"Hey, Sam," Jill said, this time throwing herself into the role. She strutted up to Lara in her best imitation of a hulking jock.

"Hi, Max!" Lara cooed, her face lighting up with a dazzling smile. "I didn't see you there. My, don't you look handsome today!"

Sam groaned from the couch and covered her face.

"Aw, shucks, Sam," Jill replied, digging her toe in the rug. "This is how I always look."

Sam snickered, and Lara gestured emphatically for her to stop it.

"Well, I'm glad I ran into you." Lara looked adoringly into Jill's face. "I have the teeniest problem that I just know you can solve."

"What is it, Samantha?"

"Well, I know how you're sort of a god in school, being the hottest guy there and all." Lara paused to make sure Sam was watching, and then continued, "But you see, I'm just a freshman and even if I want to, I'm not allowed to date yet. I'd get in trouble with my mom if she finds out about the rumors about us. So, you have to take back what you said about us dating." She fluttered her eyelashes coyly and said, "You understand that, don't you?"

"Uh-huh." Jill nodded, gamely trying to keep a straight face.

"If I don't ask you to do this, your groupies might get mad at you too, thinking we really are dating. And that would be just too awful!" Then she linked her arm in Jill's and asked innocently, "What should I do?"

Sam laughed out loud, causing Lara to throw a cushion at her. Then Lara explained, in her normal accent, "You see, you throw the ball into his court and he, being a gentleman, will do the proper thing."

"Right!" Sam said sarcastically, rolling her eyes and burying her head under the pillow.

"I think Lara could be right," Jill slowly. "I mean, look at the way the guys fall all over Caitlin Williams, and she wrote the book on this stuff!"

Sam peered out at them from under the pillow. "I don't know," she said, her resistance wavering.

"Samantha Bancroft! You've got to try it at least," Jill said firmly.

"Tomorrow morning, curl your hair and put a little bit of make up. Give it a try," Lara instructed her. "Don't worry, we've got your back."

"Sounds like a plan!" Jill encouraged her.

Sam squinted her eyes, trying to think. Plan A, being the best gofer, had definitely failed. However, playing a giggly, flirtatious female was not her idea of fun. This could be tricky though, since she has no Plan B.

"Do I have to do the accent?" Sam asked hesitantly.

"No, that is optional," said Lara. "Just be your sweet, adorable self, and he won't know what hit him."

"Well, maybe I'll try it," she said finally. Jill and Lara jumped up and down, cheering.

"I said maybe!" Sam cautioned.

"Cool!" Jill said, clapping her hands, "I can't wait to see Caitlin's face when she finds out that you can beat her at her own game."

"I don't know about that but..." Sam grinned. She was beginning to enjoy the idea.

All Rights Reserved. © 2016. StephanieLattimer.