A Twist in My Story

Who thought it would be this hard? Olivia sighed with her hands on her hips as she surveyed the mound of clothes piled on her bed. For the last half hour she’d been trying to decide what to wear for her date with Carter. It didn’t help that she had insisted that her quad mates go eat dinner and leave her alone. She really could use their help. She knew it was a casual date to get coffee and just hang out, but how was she to know whether it was jean-casual or skirt-casual. There were just so many unknown factors that it was driving her slightly nervously crazy to make it perfect. She really didn’t want to screw up the first date she ever had with a guy because of her bad choice of clothing. Her first week of college was ending and already her life was changing. Sure it wasn’t Nick asking her out like she hoped, but at least it was someone. It was nice not feeling so invisible to guys anymore. Now if she could only figure out how to keep their attention and dress herself she would be golden.

“Holy cow, Liv! Did your closet barf all over your bed?” Carrie balked as she carefully maneuvered into her room with Jamie and Christina in tow.

“No. It’s just…I don’t know what to wear…Help?” Olivia pleaded in desperation.

Carrie took in her roommate’s frazzled look and felt a surge of pity and protectiveness shoot through her. She thought of Olivia as another sister to her and would not leave her stranded on an important night like tonight. “Aw, Liv. I told you not to send us away, but you insisted so we did,” she sympathized.

“I know I did and I’m sorry cuz I wanted to do this alone but I can’t and now I’m a mess and I don’t know what to wear and…Ugh! Carrie, please?”

Carrie exchanged a look with Jamie and Christina who both nodded. “How long do you have, Liv?”

She glanced at her bedside clock. “Forty minutes until I meet him outside.”

“Shit. Not a lot of time, but we’ll make it. Okay, Jamie and I will get your outfit assembled while Christina fixes your hair and makeup,” Carried dictated, moving into action.

Olivia allowed herself to be swept over to her desk by Christina, brush in hand, half in shock. She didn’t expect them to be so ready to just jump in and save her. She’d never really had friends like this before, being pretty much a loner in high school and never going to dances where she would have to fix herself up. “Really I should be able to do this myself, but this is a time I wish my mom was here, ya know, since well this is new to me,” she said feeling silly to be fussed over what other girls found so easily to do.

“Don’t worry about it, Olivia. First dates are always full of nerves even if you are a pro. We’ll make sure you knock Carter’s socks off,” Christina said with a wink as she dragged the brush through her blonde tresses.

“We’ll make you so cute and stunning he’ll be speechless,” Carrie proclaimed in her naturally optimistic outlook. “Don’t you worry, Liv. We’ve got your back.”

Carrie and Jamie sifted through Olivia’s mountain of clothes with comments here and there while Christina began putting soft curls in Olivia’s hair.

“Dear God, were you actually considering this?” Jamie held up a shirt with disgust.

Olivia turned her head only to have Christina snap at her. “Stop moving, Olivia. The curls won’t come out right if you don’t.”

“Sorry,” she mumbled, straightening her back. “Y-Yes? I don’t know, Jamie. I just threw everything I had out as options I guess.”

“Jamie, what do you think about this?” Carrie brushed over her comment, holding up a form-fitting yellow tank top with little daisies lining the bottom hem.

“Oh, I like that and…I have…the perfect skirt…” she flung clothes around, “right here!” She held up a mid-thigh length white skirt.

“Perfect! We’re clothes geniuses!” Carrie exclaimed. “Now shoes…”

“I have sandals that will go great with that,” Christina commented. “Jamie, you know where they are. Go get ‘em from our room.”

“What did you-” Olivia turned her head.

“Liv!” Christina chastised in exasperation, turning her head back front.

“I just wanted to see what I’ll be wearing,” she pouted.

“You will soon. I’m almost done here. Then we’ll get you dressed and do your makeup.”

“Here are the shoes,” Jamie said, re-entering the room.

“Absolutely perfect. Thank god we’re all the same shoe size,” Carrie said.

“Hair done,” Christina announced. Olivia swiveled her chair around and received thumbs up approval before they all descended on her with the outfit and makeup.

In no time Olivia found herself looking in her mirror, stunned by what stared back at her. If she didn’t know it was her she wouldn’t have believed it. Her quad mates definitely did an awesome job and she was positive Carter would like it.

“Wow. I could never make myself look like this. You did an amazing job,” she said in awe.

“Sure you can. Just takes practice. And I’ll show you how, too,” Carrie companionably slung her arm over her roommate’s shoulders.

“What if this is too much? What if Carter doesn’t like it?” Olivia fretted.

“Stop that. He will,” Carrie assured her. “Now off you go. He’ll be waiting for you.”

“Is that him?” Jamie pointed out the window to the dorm’s front lawn.

Olivia ran over and bit her lip. “Yes. Oh, Jesus, he’s waiting for me and look at how he’s dressed. He’s in jeans! I’m overdressed. I need to change.”

“Liv. Liv!” Carried raised her voice, grabbing Olivia’s arms firmly as she panicked. “All guys wear jeans on dates unless it’s a proposal, wedding, or funeral. Take a deep breath and go meet him. He looks fairly nervous himself.”

Olivia took a few deep breaths then a few more before nodding and taking her purse from Christina. “Thanks, girls. I really appreciate your help. Don’t worry about the mess. I’ll clean it later. Wish me luck,” she said, giving a wave as she walked out of the room.

She exited her dorm building into the warm early September night. Her eyes fell on him a few yards away, texting on his phone as he hadn’t seen her yet. She managed to control the little gasp of shock she felt at his appearance. He had on jean shorts, but the polo shirt dressed them up some. His dark hair was shorter than Nick’s, but – no, she refused to think about Nick and compare him and Carter. That was just silly. He made it clear this afternoon that he wasn’t interested in her as a girlfriend and maybe not even as a friend while Carter obviously was interested in her. She was not going to let her hurt over Nick ruin her date with Carter.

“Hi Carter,” she said with a shy smile as she stopped beside him on the grass.

His eyes gave her an once-over, noticeably leaving him a little speechless. “Um, wow, Olivia, you look beautiful,” Carter stammered.

She looked down at herself, busying her hands by smoothing out imaginary wrinkles on her skirt. “You think so?” she asked unsure.

“Absolutely,” he smiled and pocketed his phone.

“Well thank you. I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate or not for our date…” she trailed off realizing she was already embarrassing herself. “I’m sorry you’re missing that party tonight.”

“Don’t be. I think this way of spending my Friday night is incredibly better. I’ve got a pretty girl with me instead of drunk guys,” he said, grabbing her hand in his and leading her away. She couldn’t help the blush that crept onto her cheeks and the sun left just enough light that he saw it too. “So I was thinking we could catch a movie in town and then grab some coffee afterwards. That okay with you?”

“That’s fine. I mean, I’d like that, Carter,” she amended as he opened the car door for her like a gentleman. She watched him jog to the driver’s side, urging her heart to stop fluttering. Just because Carter was giving her attention, she told her heart, didn’t mean that it could go all romantically stupid on her. Besides she liked Nick – no; he was not even in the picture and thinking that tugged at her tender, confused heart.

“So you get to choose the movie. My treat,” Carter announced as he started the car and drove them out of the parking lot.

“Any movie?” she questioned, knowing he’d limit it to movies guys liked.

“Any movie, but I’m going to have to severely object to anything that’s not a romantic comedy,” he replied seriously.

She studied his face for any sign that he was joking and not finding any she burst out laughing. Seeing her laugh so freely made him laugh too.

“What? I like chick flicks. Sue me,” he shrugged easily, sparing her a glance. From there on they chatted amiably about movies they’d seen until they reached the theater.

The next two hours flew by as they watched the latest romantic comedy. They talked some during the previews, but once the movie started they quieted. Halfway through the movie Olivia noticed that Carter had slipped his arm over the back of her chair, but he made no move to touch her and seemed to be too engrossed in the movie to notice where his arm was. She let it go and even dared to rest her head on his arm, earning a brief smile from him, happy with the way the evening was going. Only a few times did she glance over and think of Nick, but she pushed those thoughts away quickly.

After the movie they walked in the warm night down the street to the local Starbucks. Ordering their drinks (he insisted he pay again), they sat down to talk some more. Olivia found that she liked talking to him.

“That was a good movie. I loved it when the girl pushed that idiot in the pool,” he chuckled, shaking his head at the poor sap. She noticed his eyes lit up when he laughed.

“That’s usually what happens to jerks who try to play girls,” she replied easily, sipping from her strawberry banana smoothie and having no idea how attractive she was right now.

“True,” he agreed with a nod. “You ever push a guy in a pool?”

Her eyes flew up to his at the implication of the question. He was fishing for her relationship history, even though he had no clue how barren it was. “Yes,” she admitted. “I was 8 and Joe, Nick’s brother, had just tossed my favorite Barbie in the pool. So I pushed him in to get it.”

Carter couldn’t help the laughter that erupted from him. “Wow, Olivia. I didn’t know you had that kind of sauciness in you.” She blushed in embarrassment. “I like it,” he said softly, covering her hand on the table briefly then withdrawing it. “So Nick…He’s the guy in our writing class that you glared down today?”

Olivia cleared her throat, the blush deepening. “Yes. We grew up together,” she explained vaguely.

“That’s cool. I kinda moved all over the place as a kid so I have no childhood friends,” he said trying to relieve the sudden tension, “unless you count my brothers and sister, but we cohabitate on a love-hate relationship.”

She perked up at the subject change. “You have siblings? That’s neat.”

“Yep. Two older brothers, one’s an engineer and the other is in the army like Dad, and a baby sister we all dote on. She hates us for it too.”

“That’s sweet. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it as she gets older.”

“She’s 16. She hates us,” he dead-panned, making her laugh. “So what about you? Do you have any siblings to pester you?”

She sighed wistfully. “I wish. I’m an only child. The closest I come to siblings are Nick’s brothers. I adore them and they used to look out for me. By the time my parents decided to have another child, it was too late.”

“Well they got it perfect the first time,” he complimented, seeing her blush rise again. “Unlike mine who had two monsters before getting it right. The girl was just the icing on the cake.”

She laughed at his seriousness. “You’re funny, Carter. I’m sure your brothers are just fine.”

“Just to be safe, I’m keeping you away from them. They know too much,” he joked.

Again, she rewarded him with laughter. He’d made her laugh more tonight than she had in a long time. “Well that’s your prerogative even though I know they can’t be that awful.”

“You haven’t met them. They are,” he downed the rest of his mocha. He pulled his phone out and saw the time. “I should be getting you back now I suppose.”

She couldn’t help the sadness that swept through her. She was having such a great time with him. “What time is it?”

“Almost 9 o’clock so it’ll be around 9:30 when we get back.” He stood and held the door for her as they left Starbucks.

“It’s not that late, Carter. We can still hang out a little longer,” she hedged.

“I know, but I also know girls talk and your roommate will be watching for you wanting all the details. Little sister, remember? Besides I want to be on her good side. Roommates can be major roadblocks,” he said as they walked back to the car.

“You want to impress Carrie?” she raised her eyebrows. “Well, fyi, you don’t have to try so hard. She already thinks you’re cute and sweet. Major points.”

“Cute and sweet, huh? And do you think I’m cute and sweet?” he leaned in the car with a smirk, closing the distance between them, as she buckled up.

“Definitely sweet, but cute? Eh, that’s an iffy one,” she teased.

He threw back his head with laughter. “God, you’re hilarious, Olivia. I like that. Let’s head back.” He shut her door then got in his side and drove them back to campus.

Walking back across the lawn to her dorm, they were pretty much silent with their thoughts. She had her arms wrapped around her waist against the breeze that had taken on a nip. She had a great time with Carter and couldn’t believe that she even flirted with him a little. Since when did she get brave enough to do that? He just made her so comfortable around him that it was refreshing.

They pulled up short right before her dorm so she could dig out her ID pass. Carter stuffed his hands in his pockets as he watched her.

“Well this is my stop,” she said quietly.

“So it is.”

“I had a great time tonight, Carter. Thank you,” she smiled sincerely, blushing once again though she tried hard to fight it.

“You’re welcome, Olivia. But let me just say, I’m really glad you said yes. I had a great time too,” he ducked his head a little to see her eyes as they were downcast. “I really did, Olivia.”

“Carter, you don’t have-”

“Did you have a great enough time tonight to be willing to go out again with me? Say tomorrow for brunch?” he interrupted her.

Olivia was stunned silent. He not only wanted one date with her, but now a second one. She didn’t know what to say but, “I’d like that, Carter.”

His smile widened and he visibly relaxed, taking his hands out of his pockets and grabbing hers. “Thank you. I’ll call you midmorning tomorrow to meet up. Night, Olivia,” he leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

“Night, Carter,” she said quietly to his retreating figure then turned to enter the dorm, slowly at first then rushing up to her room as fast as she could to gush with Carrie and the girls.

For once, Nick was the last person on her mind.