“Wait – Inez?”
She turns to you and blinks. “Yes?”
“I thought I recognized you. How have you been?”
She joins you, one shoulder pressed against the wall. “Oh, do we know each other?”
“I used to date a girl who lives down the hall from you.”
“Who?”
“Oh, let’s not talk about her,” you say, putting a little swagger into your voice. “She wasn’t right for me anyway. I'd much rather spend time with you.”
She takes two steps towards you. "Just coffee?" she asks.
"It doesn't have to be just coffee."
Another step. "Do you even want coffee at all?" she purrs
You flash her your most charming smile, dropping your voice to match hers. "Not really, no."
Another step forward, and she's so close to you now that you can feel her warm breath on your face. You'd forgotten that she's taller than you; you find her extra height intimidating and thrilling all at once. "Why don't we just go back to my place?" she suggests.
You reach up to touch the side of her cheek. "Oh, I'd like that."
And suddenly she's poking a sharp finger into your chest, accenting every word. "Just" poke "who" poke "the" poke "hell" poke "do you" poke "think" poke "you" poke "are?" Those last three pokes come in quick succession, and with extra force.
"I didn't –" you begin, taking a step back. But she follows you forward, never letting you get out of reach of her jabbing finger.
"I don't believe there are actually women who like being leched on by complete strangers," she's saying, "but if there are, they need a quick dose of self-respect." Her fingertip sits firmly in the center of your chest now, steering you backwards down the hallway like a rudder. "And you could do with a whole lot less."
"You're hurting me," you protest.
"Good," she say. She steers you into a wall and she keeps you pinned there like a bug on a card. "Whatever it is you think you were just doing, cut it out. Nobody likes it. And nobody likes you."
"I'm sorry—" you begin, but suddenly she's gone, storming off back up the hallways. Everyone around you is gaping and laughing, except for two women loaded up with facial piercings who are glaring at you like you just pistol-whipped a puppy.
You turn in the direction opposite the one Inez disappeared in, find an exit, and step gratefully out into the open air.
Well I'm sure as hell never trying that again, you say, taking in deep breaths until your heart stops pounding. Note to self: don't ever get on Inez's bad side. You have to admit to yourself, though, that this whole encounter has made you like her a little more.
You have no idea what to do next, but you've got all the time in the world, of course – literally – and trial and error is bound to get you somewhere eventually. So you jump back five minutes into the hallway full of people streaming out of the various classroom doors.
Inez appears. You decide to
Or you can think better of it, deciding instead to