“Shouldn’t be too hard. I think Summer’s got the hots for Stark.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Not that I can blame you,” he laughed sipping his coffee.
“I told you already, you won’t know if that’s the case. See, pretty boy,” she leaned forward, eyes intent, “I know your kind. Arrogant, good-looking, and smug with it. You think you just have to crook a finger and anything you want will drop at your feet. You don’t know what it’s like to struggle for … ” she flailed a hand, looking for a word, “just friends. The number of times a guy like you tried to butter me up, just so he could make me look like a fool for his friends, or to cheat off my work … it’s stupid. So maybe I do ‘have the hots’ for you.” She blinked, mouth compressing around the things she wanted to say, then sat back. “You’re going to have to work for this one.”
“You really need to work on being able to tell when someone is joking,” Tony said wide eyed after listening to Summer’s monologue. “Sometimes people like saying things without being attacked by a lecture.”
“And if you aren’t told that your ‘joke’ has hurt someone, how are you supposed to change?” She looked away, trying to hide the rising tears. “I knew you were joking. I always know. I can’t help but know. But it’s — that’s not a joke to me, okay?”
“Just because I don’t freak out every time you said something I didn’t like doesn’t mean that shit didn’t hurt me.” Tony rolled his eyes. “’I know your kind. You think you just have to crook a finger and anything you want will drop at your feet’,” he said imitating her voice. “I’m not a god damn type. I’ve worked for most of what I have. Yeah I was lucky enough to have a rich daddy but he hates me and I hate him so that’s kind of irrelevant. I kicked ass in high school to get enough scholarships to get myself into college and I work my ass off now to keep myself there. Learn more about people before you go around reading them.”
“You say that like I have a choice, with you all but shouting your emotions at me.” She pressed a hand to her temple. Very quietly, she added, “For as much as you harp on being irresistible, what was I supposed to think? I’ve been prey for the pretty people all my life, and the ones who know they’re attractive are the worst.” She blinked, and a tear escaped.
“Shouldn’t be too hard. I think Summer’s got the hots for Stark.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Not that I can blame you,” he laughed sipping his coffee.
“I told you already, you won’t know if that’s the case. See, pretty boy,” she leaned forward, eyes intent, “I know your kind. Arrogant, good-looking, and smug with it. You think you just have to crook a finger and anything you want will drop at your feet. You don’t know what it’s like to struggle for … ” she flailed a hand, looking for a word, “just friends. The number of times a guy like you tried to butter me up, just so he could make me look like a fool for his friends, or to cheat off my work … it’s stupid. So maybe I do ‘have the hots’ for you.” She blinked, mouth compressing around the things she wanted to say, then sat back. “You’re going to have to work for this one.”
“You really need to work on being able to tell when someone is joking,” Tony said wide eyed after listening to Summer’s monologue. “Sometimes people like saying things without being attacked by a lecture.”
“And if you aren’t told that your ‘joke’ has hurt someone, how are you supposed to change?” She looked away, trying to hide the rising tears. “I knew you were joking. I always know. I can’t help but know. But it’s — that’s not a joke to me, okay?”
“God and you accused me of flirting,” Tony laughed. “You got yourself a deal Miss Summer.” He smirked. “Hope you’re ready to clean my apartment.”
She spluttered into her drink. “I suck at flirting. /If/ you win, I’ll be ready to do anything you say, Mr Irresistible. But false comments will get you nowhere.”
“Mr Irresistible.” Tony smiled rubbing his chin. “I like that. If I win you have to call me that for the entire month. “And I’ll tell you a secret. I am the king of flirtation. And I know quality flirting when I see it. And that was some five star flirting.”
Summer turned nearly the same colour as her hair, subsiding behind her cup. “Shut up, geekboy,” she mumbled. “First you have to win.”
“Shouldn’t be too hard. I think Summer’s got the hots for Stark.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Not that I can blame you,” he laughed sipping his coffee.
“I told you already, you won’t know if that’s the case. See, pretty boy,” she leaned forward, eyes intent, “I know your kind. Arrogant, good-looking, and smug with it. You think you just have to crook a finger and anything you want will drop at your feet. You don’t know what it’s like to struggle for … ” she flailed a hand, looking for a word, “just friends. The number of times a guy like you tried to butter me up, just so he could make me look like a fool for his friends, or to cheat off my work … it’s stupid. So maybe I do ‘have the hots’ for you.” She blinked, mouth compressing around the things she wanted to say, then sat back. “You’re going to have to work for this one.”
“I’m from North Carolina.” She exaggerated her southern accent into a soft drawl. “We lived in Tennessee when I was small, though. I’m majoring in English with a minor in Philosophy — kind of by accident.” Shifting her shoulder under the bag, she added, “I do swim, but after one season I decided I’d rather focus on my schoolwork.” Summer eyed Tony up and down. “Are you even old enough to drink?”
“Am I old enough to drink? Yes. Am I old enough to drink legally? That’s an entirely different question,” he grinned. “Philosophy huh?” He scratched his head. “So you like to think about stuff and things like that?”
“I just end up thinking about a lot of things,” she said, self-deprecating. “Honestly, I didn’t mean to, I just picked up some classes that looked interesting to fill out my schedule and then my advisor pointed out that if I took the two basic philo classes I’d have a minor. I’ll pick those up when they stop conflicting with my writing classes.”
“I’m more of a science kid myself,” Tony said. “Engineering mostly. Biology bores the shit out of me.” He laughed, scratching his head. “Like who cares how cells work? As long as mine are alive and well and doing what they’re supposed to be doing I don’t care.”
“Eeeeh.” Summer opened the door to the coffee shop, flicking a salute to the girl behind the counter. “I like science a lot, but the math is overwhelming. I mean, okay, algebra is pretty simple, but eventually you get to a lot of rules that just aren’t that intuitive, and I’d /much/ rather work in concepts and leave the math to someone else.”
“Wherever you wanna take me, I’m not picky.” Tony shrugged. “I’d be fine with Starbucks or whatever. Wherever you wanna go.”
Summer sneered. “At least, if you have to drink coffee, let’s go somewhere with /good/ coffee. The campus coffee shop is better than that stuff. And I like supporting small business.” She set off along the path, jerking her head for Tony to follow her. “Let’s ask the stupid questions first.” She switched to a singsong kind of voice. “Where are you from? What are you studying? Do you play any sports?”
“I like Starbucks.” Tony mumbled. “Whatever lead the way,” he said rolling his eyes. “Uh let’s see I’ve lived in New York my entire life, Engineering major, As far as sports go…” he scratched his head. “I play some basketball occasionally. Not really anything else though. Unless you count drinking as a sport.” He laughed. “What about you?”
“I’m from North Carolina.” She exaggerated her southern accent into a soft drawl. “We lived in Tennessee when I was small, though. I’m majoring in English with a minor in Philosophy — kind of by accident.” Shifting her shoulder under the bag, she added, “I do swim, but after one season I decided I’d rather focus on my schoolwork.” Summer eyed Tony up and down. “Are you even old enough to drink?”
“Am I old enough to drink? Yes. Am I old enough to drink legally? That’s an entirely different question,” he grinned. “Philosophy huh?” He scratched his head. “So you like to think about stuff and things like that?”
“I just end up thinking about a lot of things,” she said, self-deprecating. “Honestly, I didn’t mean to, I just picked up some classes that looked interesting to fill out my schedule and then my advisor pointed out that if I took the two basic philo classes I’d have a minor. I’ll pick those up when they stop conflicting with my writing classes.”
“Wherever you wanna take me, I’m not picky.” Tony shrugged. “I’d be fine with Starbucks or whatever. Wherever you wanna go.”
Summer sneered. “At least, if you have to drink coffee, let’s go somewhere with /good/ coffee. The campus coffee shop is better than that stuff. And I like supporting small business.” She set off along the path, jerking her head for Tony to follow her. “Let’s ask the stupid questions first.” She switched to a singsong kind of voice. “Where are you from? What are you studying? Do you play any sports?”
“I like Starbucks.” Tony mumbled. “Whatever lead the way,” he said rolling his eyes. “Uh let’s see I’ve lived in New York my entire life, Engineering major, As far as sports go…” he scratched his head. “I play some basketball occasionally. Not really anything else though. Unless you count drinking as a sport.” He laughed. “What about you?”
“I’m from North Carolina.” She exaggerated her southern accent into a soft drawl. “We lived in Tennessee when I was small, though. I’m majoring in English with a minor in Philosophy — kind of by accident.” Shifting her shoulder under the bag, she added, “I do swim, but after one season I decided I’d rather focus on my schoolwork.” Summer eyed Tony up and down. “Are you even old enough to drink?”
”I wish caffeine worked on me,” she confessed, kneeling to scoop books back into her bag and reorganise all the bits that had fallen out. “I’m a night owl anyway, but every so often I get four papers due at once and it’s just awkward.”
“I think I would actually die if caffeine didn’t work for me. I don’t sleep often. I’ve got better shit to do ya know?” he shrugged. “I’m just one of those I’ll sleep when I’m dead kinda people.”
“I don’t sleep a lot either, but it’s got nothing to do with caffeine; my brain just won’t shut off.” As a precaution, she zipped the bag shut this time, and stood up, brushing off her knees. “It’s not even that I have a lot to do, even. Having more to do would be a nice change, I think. Which coffee place?”
“Wherever you wanna take me, I’m not picky.” Tony shrugged. “I’d be fine with Starbucks or whatever. Wherever you wanna go.”
Summer sneered. “At least, if you have to drink coffee, let’s go somewhere with /good/ coffee. The campus coffee shop is better than that stuff. And I like supporting small business.” She set off along the path, jerking her head for Tony to follow her. “Let’s ask the stupid questions first.” She switched to a singsong kind of voice. “Where are you from? What are you studying? Do you play any sports?”
“No, okay, this is stupid.” She sucked the last bit of chocolate off her finger and shook it at him. “Let’s start over. Hi, I’m Summer. You look interesting. Want to go get a coffee or something and talk?”
“Summer, I’m Tony, lovely to meet you. Let’s go get some freaking coffee, I need caffeine.”
”I wish caffeine worked on me,” she confessed, kneeling to scoop books back into her bag and reorganise all the bits that had fallen out. “I’m a night owl anyway, but every so often I get four papers due at once and it’s just awkward.”
“I think I would actually die if caffeine didn’t work for me. I don’t sleep often. I’ve got better shit to do ya know?” he shrugged. “I’m just one of those I’ll sleep when I’m dead kinda people.”
“I don’t sleep a lot either, but it’s got nothing to do with caffeine; my brain just won’t shut off.” As a precaution, she zipped the bag shut this time, and stood up, brushing off her knees. “It’s not even that I have a lot to do, even. Having more to do would be a nice change, I think. Which coffee place?”
“No, okay, this is stupid.” She sucked the last bit of chocolate off her finger and shook it at him. “Let’s start over. Hi, I’m Summer. You look interesting. Want to go get a coffee or something and talk?”
“Summer, I’m Tony, lovely to meet you. Let’s go get some freaking coffee, I need caffeine.”
”I wish caffeine worked on me,” she confessed, kneeling to scoop books back into her bag and reorganise all the bits that had fallen out. “I’m a night owl anyway, but every so often I get four papers due at once and it’s just awkward.”