J E F F R E Y BROOKS
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“Why am I like what?”
For a brief moment, Jeff thought he might die. Of course Eve would think he was talking about her if she overheard that. Why wouldn’t she? “No,” He said, maybe a little too quickly, “It’s my roommate. She’s, uh,” He shrugged, “A character.” Evelina’s reaction after that was a surprise to Jeffrey, though, and he had no idea what she was talking about, at first.
Once he realized that she’d seen the stupid message on his phone, and he felt his heartrate pick up again. He was doing a lot of panicking. “No, no, no, of course. Me either, I would never-” That wasn’t better, “Not that I wouldn’t sleep with you, of course I would. Anyone would.” No that was bad, “You know, you’re gorgeous, I mean-” Shit, it was like he’d never talked to a girl before, “It’s just, you know, I wouldn’t expect it or anything. We just met.” His face felt hot, he’d totally botched that.
He’d never been so happy to arrive in station in his life. Eve said she’d let him lead the way, so he did, and he took the opportunity to catch his breath and get his wits about him. He was bad enough with words under normal circumstances, but this was ridiculous. After a minute of walking, he slowed to Eve’s side and shot her a smile, “Sorry. I’ve never been great with words, and I guess I’m a little nervous.” He shrugged, as if that was the most logical way to end that thought.
It hit him when he looked back at Eve that she wasn’t really dressed for this. Maybe this was a bad idea. Still, they wouldn’t have to go too far out to find a good spot for stargazing, and he realized they wouldn’t need perfect conditions to see them more clearly, so for a bit he focused on finding a good, clear spot. “Do you have any siblings?” He asked, trying to make some idle conversation as they walked, “I’ve just got my sister. You’ve heard of her: the cool twin.” He wanted to fill the silence, but he also liked hearing Evelina speak. He found something about her so charming, but he wouldn’t have been able to explain it if he tried.
It wasn’t too much longer before he found a decent spot, and he took off his jacket and set it on the ground- in case the grass was wet- before gesturing for Eve to sit on it. He sat in the grass, himself, (it was a little wet) and leaned back, using his hands to prop him up. He looked up into the stars for a moment before turning to look at Evelina, and decided to give her a moment to just look before pointing anything out. When he did, he reached out to gesture, “You see that star? It’s okay if you don’t, it’s not the brightest,” He leaned in close, as if imparting some big secret, “That’s polaris, the north star.” He traced along the stars nearest to it, “It’s part of ursa minor, and just above it is ursa major, which is actually probably easier to see. They’re always visible, which makes them reliably easy to find.” He scooted his free hand behind Eve, so he could more easily lean in to talk to her while he pointed out the constellations and major stars he could find. “Let me see if I can find any of the seasonal ones.”
“Why am I like what?”
For a brief moment, Jeff thought he might die. Of course Eve would think he was talking about her if she overheard that. Why wouldn’t she? “No,” He said, maybe a little too quickly, “It’s my roommate. She’s, uh,” He shrugged, “A character.” Evelina’s reaction after that was a surprise to Jeffrey, though, and he had no idea what she was talking about, at first.
Once he realized that she’d seen the stupid message on his phone, and he felt his heartrate pick up again. He was doing a lot of panicking. “No, no, no, of course. Me either, I would never-” That wasn’t better, “Not that I wouldn’t sleep with you, of course I would. Anyone would.” No that was bad, “You know, you’re gorgeous, I mean-” Shit, it was like he’d never talked to a girl before, “It’s just, you know, I wouldn’t expect it or anything. We just met.” His face felt hot, he’d totally botched that.
He’d never been so happy to arrive in station in his life. Eve said she’d let him lead the way, so he did, and he took the opportunity to catch his breath and get his wits about him. He was bad enough with words under normal circumstances, but this was ridiculous. After a minute of walking, he slowed to Eve’s side and shot her a smile, “Sorry. I’ve never been great with words, and I guess I’m a little nervous.” He shrugged, as if that was the most logical way to end that thought.
It hit him when he looked back at Eve that she wasn’t really dressed for this. Maybe this was a bad idea. Still, they wouldn’t have to go too far out to find a good spot for stargazing, and he realized they wouldn’t need perfect conditions to see them more clearly, so for a bit he focused on finding a good, clear spot. “Do you have any siblings?” He asked, trying to make some idle conversation as they walked, “I’ve just got my sister. You’ve heard of her: the cool twin.” He wanted to fill the silence, but he also liked hearing Evelina speak. He found something about her so charming, but he wouldn’t have been able to explain it if he tried.
It wasn’t too much longer before he found a decent spot, and he took off his jacket and set it on the ground- in case the grass was wet- before gesturing for Eve to sit on it. He sat in the grass, himself, (it was a little wet) and leaned back, using his hands to prop him up. He looked up into the stars for a moment before turning to look at Evelina, and decided to give her a moment to just look before pointing anything out. When he did, he reached out to gesture, “You see that star? It’s okay if you don’t, it’s not the brightest,” He leaned in close, as if imparting some big secret, “That’s polaris, the north star.” He traced along the stars nearest to it, “It’s part of ursa minor, and just above it is ursa major, which is actually probably easier to see. They’re always visible, which makes them reliably easy to find.” He scooted his free hand behind Eve, so he could more easily lean in to talk to her while he pointed out the constellations and major stars he could find. “Let me see if I can find any of the seasonal ones.”