Page 8 of Tongue-Tied
Austin’s mouth opens and closes like a fish before he nods.
We watch as Darren makes his way back to his perch near the dance floor. When he waves to a group of guys dancing, I realize he’s here with friends. Still, my plan worked because it got Austin out of his comfort zone.
“No way I’d remember that guy from class,” Austin says.
“I’m not surprised. Those classrooms are huge. Plus, you’re so unaware of your surroundings that a serial killer would be able to lure you into the back of his white van.”
“Very funny.”
I grin at him. “But see, it wasn’t that hard.”
He scoffs. “Says the guy who talked the whole time.”
“Practice makes perfect.” I glance toward his friends. “Now, let’s work on shuffling our feet on the dance floor with Kael.”
“No fucking chance,” he hisses, and I laugh, having known that would be his response. He does have his limits.
I join his friends for the next track while Austin holds up the wall and watches. I can see him mouthing the lyrics, so it might not be that hard to get him out here someday. But I don’t push. The talk with Darren was enough for one night.
By the end of the song, I’ve caught a hot dude’s eye. I wink and show off a little because I’ve got some good moves. He slips me his number on my way back to Austin, and as I pocket it, I hear Austin mutter, “Un-fucking-believable.”
4
AUSTIN
I’m early for my communications class and find a good seat at the front of the room. The professor makes an entrance, and Darren slips inside the door behind him.
My face heats immediately, and I avert my gaze.
“Hey there,” Darren whispers behind me. “Okay if I take the seat next to you?”
“No…I mean, yes, of course,” I reply as my insides go a bit crazy.
Darren chuckles as he slides into his chair.
The class quiets down as the professor gets himself situated at the front of the room, and I’m desperately trying to think of something to say.
“So…library science, huh?” he asks.
“Yeah.” I swallow roughly. At least my major is a topic I know well, so the words tumble out more easily. “I’m hoping to eventually work in a public setting while getting my master’s.”
“Good luck.”
My face is like an inferno. “Thanks.”
Before I can think to ask him more about his plans, which is the polite thing to do, the professor begins class. Thankfully, we’re only discussing the first assignment from the syllabus because I can barely concentrate thinking about how Dex was right. Striking up a conversation with somebody I find attractive might not be as bad as I thought—with practice.
But can I do it on my own? That remains to be seen. I pretend to be annoyed with how busy and social he is, but I admit that if Dex didn’t ask and sometimes urge, I wouldn’t get out much. And that also means I wouldn’t have the opportunity to meet more guys, even vicariously. Plus, doing new things can be fun and interesting, with limits. And time to recharge my batteries.
We walk out together after class, discussing our next assignment, when a cute guy walks up to Darren and plants one on him. “Hey, baby.”
“Austin, this is my boyfriend, Trent,” he says, but it’s like the sound is blotted out.
“Boyfriend,” I parrot, then snap out of it before I appear rude. “You, um…cool. Meet you…nice…uh, nice to meet you.”
Darren smiles as they walk past me. “See you next class.”
“Glad you made a new friend,” I hear Trent say as he knots their fingers together.