Shakespeare.

No one reads Shakespeare in a bar unless its a ploy to

pick up girls. All Im saying is you might have better luck up front.
He didnt say anything for a long beat, but then his mouth split in a grin
revealing, what do you know, perfect teeth!
Its not a ploy, but if it were, it seems to me that Im having great luck
right here.

Whats your name, love?
Love? LOVE! Still dying, here.
Bliss.
Is that a line?
I blushed crimson. No, its my name.
Lovely name for a lovely girl.

I asked Mr. Taylor, and he said he could give you a ride. (Cade)
You dont say. I tried to turn my gritted teeth into a smile. Thats nice
of him, but I canjust call Kelsey to come get me. Its no big deal.
But yall are going to the same place Cades confusion was
endearing, but I sort of wanted to kick him in the shins.
Yeah, but
Bliss, Garrick interrupted. God, I would never get tired of hearing him
say my name is his delicious accent. Its fine. Really. I dont mind, and
Ill have you home in no time. I promise. He was looking at me like this
was the most casual thing in the world. Like having my arms wrapped
around him as he drove would be totally okay. Like I didnt still have a
bandage on my leg from the last time Id been on that bike.

I love you, too. I said. Then I remembered that he hadnt quite said
those three words.
Hed said he was falling in love with me. And there had been a maybe in
there. Shit. I meanwhat I should have said was that I feel the same.
Im just falling, too. Because already being inlove with you is too fast.
That would be crazy. Its too much, right? Its too much. Its too fast.
So Im not in love with you. Im not. Not that youre not loveable, its
just theres a differencebetween falling in love and being in love. And we
are the first and not the second, not yet. So, Itoo may be falling in love
with you. Thats what I meant to say. Thats all I meant to say.

So youre in college.
So youre not.

Sex.
I was going to have sex.
With a boy.
A hot boy.
A hot BRITISH boy.
Or maybe I was going to throw up.
What if I threw up on the hot British boy?
What if I threw up on the hot British boy DURING SEX?
This was it. I was about to have sex.
Should I tell him I was a virgin? I should tell him.
Should I tell him now? Or right before?
I remembered Kelseys advice, and forced myself to dial back my fears. I
turned the volume down so low that I could pretend I wasnt thinking at
all.

Sorry, love. Did you say cats?
Yes, I cant do this right now. Because I have a cat. Yes, I have a
cat that I need to, um, get? Take care of! I have to take care of my cat!
So I cant do this. I gestured between us, hoping to God that I didnt
sound as crazy to him as I sounded to myself. Improbable.
I dont even have a cat!

I tried to slip my panties back on my other foot, and I toppled backward,
ass-planting on my hardwood floor,









Then I flew through the curtain that shielded my bedroom from the rest
of the apartment, and bolted out the door, ignoring him as he called out
my name.
It wasnt until Id walked halfway across the parking lot that I realized:

1. I wasnt wearing shoes.
A. Or a shirt.

2. I didnt bring my keys
A. Or anything really.

3. Id just left a complete stranger in my apartment.
A. Naked.

The new professor was staring at me, even though everyone was
clapping, and he should probably be waving or at the very least smiling.
Our eyes met, and suddenly I was very glad Id already set down my
coffee.
Because the new professor had been naked in my bed a mere 8 hours
ago.
Garrick was my teacher.

Hows your cat?
What cat? Oh! MY CAT. The cat that is mine. Oh, shes... I had said
it was a she,right? Shes fine. All meowing and purring and other cat
things.

I wont tell anyone. His eyebrows raised, but I couldnt tell if it was
surprise or just a facial tick. I mean not that theres anything not that
we I mean we didnt actually um, make the beast with two backs
and all that.
OH. MY. GOD.
KILLMENOWKILLMENOWKILLMENOWKILLMENOOOOOOW.

The beast with two backs? Seriously?
Im 22-years-old, and rather than just spitting out the word sex, I used a
Shakespeare reference! A really embarrassing Shakespeare reference.