Page 39 of Academically Yours
But I didn’t miss the tiniest smile on the corners of his lips or the way we were sitting so close to each other—almost touching, but not quite. If either one of us moved just a fraction of an inch closer, our thighs would be touching, and I could almost feel his warmth through my jeans.
Luckily the zoo wasn’t too far from campus, and we pulled in just a few minutes later, saving me from potentially embarrassing myself even further.
Yeah, like that wasn’t going to happen anyway.
After everyone assembled outside of the bus, I turned to the girls. “Alright, the zoo closes at five today, and the bus is scheduled to leave at five-thirty, so we’ll meet back here at five twenty. Have fun, and if you need anything, feel free to text Rachel or Jessica.” I looked at the two RAs that came with us. “I think you all should have their numbers.”
We waved goodbye to everyone, and then I turned to Matthew. “What do you want to see first?”
He laughed. “I can’t tell you the last time I went to the zoo.”
“Wellllll,” I said, tapping my index finger on my jaw as if I was thinking. “What was your favorite animal as a kid? We could start there?”
And that was how we found ourselves in the arctic exhibit, staring at the polar bears. I snapped a few photos of them rolling on the ice and swimming, and I couldn’t help but look up at the big man next to me.
“They remind me of you,” I giggled.
“Hm?” He said absentmindedly, tearing his eye away from the bear who was swimming through the water.
I gave him a little fake pout. “They’re grumpy. And big.”
He chuckled, and then he leaned down next to my ear and whispered into it, “I think I’m more like a wolf.” Matthew gave me a devilish grin.
“Oh, yeah? And if you’re a wolf, what am I?”
He stepped back to look over me, appraising me, and then he nodded. “A little red fox.”
I laughed. “Too bad they don’t have those here, huh?”
“Yeah,” he nodded and then turned his head back towards the polar bears. I couldn’t help but notice the grim look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, placing my hand on the railing next to his. Not quite touching, but—
Matthew just shook his head, and then plastered a fake smile back on his face. “Nothing. Come on, let’s go to the next one.”
His hand slipped into mine, and I pulled him towards the next exhibit. Even as we looked at the penguins and I guided him around the zoo, our hands didn’t drop again. It was like they were glued together. And I wondered if he was thinking what I was: was it supposed to feel so right to have his hand in mine? Had the spaces in between my fingers been made perfectly for his to slip between?
We pulled to a stop in front of the otters, and I gasped. “Oh my God. I have to send a picture to Gabbi.” I looked at Matthew, trying to offer a bit of explanation. “The brunette you met at the bar? She loves otters. They’re her favorite animal.”
He nodded at me silently and watched as I snapped a few photos of the otters running around and then diving into the water, over and over, as they slid down their little slide.
“They’re so cute,” I said as I typed in a message to Gabbi on my phone. The otters say hi, and I attached a photo and a short video of them playing in the water. I was hoping if we stood here long enough, we could see them floating and holding hands. But no such luck.
“Yeah,” Matthew said, but when I looked up, he was looking at me. “Here, give me that,” Matthew said, reaching for my phone.
“What?”
He pried it out of my hands, and then surprised me by opening up the camera… and taking a selfie of us. I just kind of stared at it as he placed my phone back in my hand.
Huh? “There. Now you have a photo for my contact on your phone.”
“You know,” I said, putting my hands on my hips, “that does require me to actually have your phone number, Mr. Harper.”
“Well, Miss Hastings, I think I can solve that,” he said, whipping out his phone and typing something in.
My phone buzzed, and I wasn’t at all surprised when I read, Now you have it.
I looked back up at him, and he smirked.