Autumn Chic Lit: Cafe Con Leche: Chapter 1

Still no messages. I make sure the volume is up. To the maximum.

I sigh and look around my room mindlessly, pausing to look at my reflection in the full-length mirror hanging on the back of my closet door. Uhh. I need a facial and my hair looks horrible. I probably should have braided it back. I tear my eyes away from my reflection and glance at the pile of clean clothes that I threw on my pink plush chair earlier today. My brand new Victoria’s Secret bra teeters over the edge, threatening to fall on the floor.

My dorm room is a mess. Damn, these suite-styled dorms--I have no excuse clean because I’m not sharing the space with anyone.

I sigh again, for what seems like the fiftieth time this evening.

That should have been about five minutes. He should be back by now, right? What time is it?

The clock reads 9:16 pm. It’s only been two minutes. I check the away message again anyway.

MIABaller21: Been a good day…at Practice…

Still the same.

How much longer is he going to be at practice? I run my hands down the sides of my dark brown face in frustration.

Wait a minute…What am I doing? Look at me, Jolisa Johnson, sitting around, wasting time on a Friday night, waiting on a guy I just met to instant message me.

Oh, this is so not my style.

I pick up my newest issue of GLAMOUR from my desk and start thumbing through it as a distraction.

Ooh, a Dolce ad, with hot male models…Matt could be a model, he totally has the tan for it. Must be that Miami upbringing. I drift off momentarily, reliving our meeting Monday morning when we literally bumped into each other at the Student Store.

He was so cute, tan skin with messy dark brown hair. And tall--very tall. And at the time, I didn’t know he was Polk University’s star basketball player, stolen from the University of Miami with a lot of convincing (and money I assume). But despite me being totally clueless, fate saw fit to put us in the same 8 o’clock class together, three days a week. And after a week of classes, Matt saw fit to escort me to a Friday afternoon lunch today.

Score 1, Team Johnson.

Ping-ping-ping, my computer screams.

Note to self: Turn down the volume.

I try to casually walk over to my computer.

MIABaller21: Miss Jolisa Johnson…

I pause, as to not seem too desperate to respond. I slowly sit down to type.

SweetJoJo: Mr. Matthew Parker…?

MIABaller21: Did you make it back to your room without side-swiping anyone?

I giggle, reminiscing about our “head-on collision” that left me gripping his muscular bicep to keep my balance and sent my shoe flying off my foot.

SweetJoJo: Funny. But as I remember it, you bumped into me…and for all I know, u probably did it on purpose…

I smile, ready to set him up.

MIABaller21: And why would I do that?

SweetJoJo: I don’t know, maybe u haven’t been getting any action lately, and u wanted to just touch the opposite sex.

MIABaller21: lol. u r funny.

MIABaller21: And u r right, I did want to touch u…

I start to blush, not knowing what to say.

MIABaller21: I wanted to see what a real man felt like.

I laugh out loud at his comment.

SweetJoJo: LMAO. You are so mean!

MIABaller21: U started it…but you know I’m just kidding with u.

Suddenly my cell phone began to ring.

“305 area code?” I silence my phone and focus on my computer as Matt sends another message.

MIABaller21: pick up your phone…

I grab my phone quickly and press the talk button.

“You’ve graduated to stalker now?” I say smiling. I hear him chortle on the other end.

“They didn’t teach you telephone manners at that all-boys high school you went to?” He says, his voice calm, warm and deep.

I giggle.

“You jerk, how was practice?” I ask waving my imaginary white flag as a sign for him to stop insulting my womanhood.

He gives a sigh of frustration. “I thought it would never end.”

“Aw, I thought your coach would go easy on you the first week.”

He puts up an away message. I rush to check it.

MIABaller21: Do not disturb.

I put up the standard “Away” message.

“I thought it was going to be short too. But it’s all good. How’d you like lunch today at the Thai place?” he asks, changing the subject.

“It was great. Thanks for that. I still have left-overs.” I blush again when thinking about lunch. I used the opportunity to do a little flirting and find out that he is single and seems to be open to dating other ethnicities.

“Oh, no prob, Jo. Everything was great, except that crazy waitress…”

“Oh yeah,” I say remembering the bizarre experience: this beyond middle-aged big-busted, blond waitress was so rude to me, on the verge of ignoring me completely, while she flirted with Matt the whole time. And I swear I saw her talking to one of the other blond waitress about us. “She was so rude to me,” I continue. “And she was totally flirting with you the whole time. That was weird.”

“Yeah, and I didn’t notice this until I was cleaning out my pockets tonight, she wrote a note for me on the check…”

“Oh goodness, what did it say?”

I could hear him fumbling around on the other end.

“It said 'Whenever you want to take a step up to dating real women, give me a call. I promise it’ll be worth it.’…and then she put her name and number.”

“Ill, that just sleazy.”

“Yeah, I’ll post it in the boys bathroom or something.”

“Yeah, that’ll teach her.” We both laugh.

“I’ve never had a woman be that blatant about flirting with me when I’m with someone else. I guess she didn’t think we were on a date.”

We both pause.

Wait a minute. So was that an official date?

“S-So,” I start. “Was it a date?” I ask.

“Uhh, I guess, uh,” He stammers. He’s too cute. I can hear him taking a deep breath to regain his confidence. “Sure, I mean, I wouldn’t be upset if it was a date…nor if there were more to come.”

I feel my heart beating fast.

“Well, okay…So we’ll call it a date.” I try not to sound too excited about it though I’m bursting out of my skin and dying to run and tell my suitemate the news.

“Cool.”

Another pause.

“Hey, Jo. Are you busy right now?” He ask.

“No, why?”

“You want to meet me in the cafeteria for that late-night Ice Cream Sundae party? It starts at 10.”

I look at my clock: 9:52pm.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that. But yeah, I’ll go with you, I’ll be wearing my pajamas though.”

“That’s fine--me too.”

“Okay so I’ll meet you in the lobby in five minutes?” he asks.

“Yeah. See ya then.”

“See ya.”

I hang up the phone and start running around my room fanatically looking for perfume, a bra, mascara, my cute pajama set and the nearest headband to pull back my long naturally curly hair that's in one big curly afro.

I look in my mirror. I did a great job primping myself to look chic while still appearing like I was preparing for bed.

I grab my keys and student ID and head out my bedroom door.

I have to urge to run to Shawn’s room and tell her the news.

I’ll tell her later. I glance at myself once more in the hallway mirror before walking toward the suite door.

As I open it I see Matt standing in front of my suite holding a gallon of ice-cream and a grocery bag full of toppings.

“Fudge Royal is your favorite right?” he asks, looking down at me. I give him a quick once over and cock my head to the side.

“You are a full-blown stalker now, aren’t you? You must really like me, huh?” I say channeling my inner fearlessness.

He winks at me and says, “You know it”

I melt into a puddle.

“Come in, boy,” I say, softly motioning inside my suite.