Page 8 of Bump and Run

“The Bigger Book of Comedic and Dramatic Monologues,”I read the title and quickly look at her. “You act?”

“Occasionally. It’s for a class.”

“What class?”

“Theatre 375.”

“375? Okay, so when you say you act occasionally, what you really mean is…”

“It’s my life,” she smiles.

“Gotcha,” I laugh. “You’re a theatre nerd. That’s cool.”

“Oh, thank heavens,” she says with sarcasm. “I have the approval of the quarterback. My undergraduate life is complete.”

“No, really. I think it’s cool.”

“I highly doubt that.” She side-eyes me. “How about you cut right to it already? I have some memorizing to do.”

I blink. “Cut right to what?”

“You know what.” She reaches between her legs and grabs the coffee cup, dangling it in front of me like an obvious sign.

“Well, I am offended, Eliza,” I say, placing my palm on my chest. “I was just being nice.”

“We have coffee, we have compliments,” she chuckles. “All we need now is condoms.”

I snap to attention, completely buzzed by the fierce crack of her words. She doesn’t blink, calling me out before I even raise my hand. “Well… since you brought it up…”

“No,”she says, taking a sip of her coffee and flipping her book open again. “Not gonna happen.”

“Worth a shot.” I sit back and take a deep breath to recharge. “So, who was that guy?”

“What guy?”

“The guy in your window the other night,” I say. “He your boyfriend?”

She reluctantly smiles. “No.”

“So… does your dad not let you date? What’s going on there?”

“No, I can date. I’m an adult,” she says, chewing on her lip. “He just doesn’t like me dating footballers.”

“Why not?”

There’s a flair of impatience in her cheeks. “Because he knows what you’re all like.”

I tilt my head. “What are we like?”

She inhales a quick breath and slides a bookmark in place before setting it down. “Well, if you’re anything like him — you’re all dirty, cheating, lying scoundrels.”

I feign offense again. “Well, I must say, that’s quite insulting, Eliza.”

“Insulting…” she agrees, leaning in, “but accurate.”

I realize she’s talking about me. “Says who?”

“Your reputation proceeds you, Junior Morgan.”