Whatever it was, the result was a magical escalation of the situation rendering her incapable of uttering any constructive comment to the dinner table. Instead, she kept quiet, clutching her thighs and drinking an inordinate amount of water to cool her body. For the first time in months, she understood, in theory at least, what the hole-in-one expert meant.
“Would you say it is a natural gift or can someone learn to be as good?” The Dean asked. Caroline wondered if every man who dabbles in golf has the same sort of look when they meet Jack. That look of awe. She wondered if Jack recognizes that effect he has on others.
“I would say it’s a combination of both. For me, I would say I have a natural knack for knowing my targets well and pursuing them relentlessly. Whatever the cost. It gets me results.”
The group at the table might have as well clapped for Jack as the dinner ended. Everyone walked towards him and wanted to chit chat. Caroline stood by his side awkwardly and was soon saved by the need to use the restroom. Too much water consumption had the two benefits of cooling her and giving her the perfect excuse to escape. She walked away without saying anything. That last thing he said was definitely targeted at her. He knows his targets well. He pursues them relentlessly. He gets results. It all made sense. Which other girl wouldn’t be charmed by that?
Caroline was relieved to not find Mandy in the restroom. Dabbed her face in cold water, and adjusted herself and left to join the group fully expecting Jack to have either left or engaged with everyone else. Instead, he was standing right outside the door as if he was waiting for her. Half embarrassed and half confused, she said, “you have a lot of fans it seems.”
“If memory serves me right, you started this whole thing. You know what that makes you?”
“What?” Caroline asked, wanting to hear from his mouth what she figured was the right answer.
“My number one fan,” he said getting closer to her.
“That was before I learned more about your hole-in-ones, and targets, and pursuits, and all that,” she said starting to walk away from him.
“Are you scared they will think something happened?”
“What?”
“I mean, you are trying to escape. It’s certainly feasible that when the two of us walk hand in hand from the restroom area to the dinner table, there will be the appearance of…”
“Oh my God! You have such a twisted brain.”
“It gets me results.”
“Well, nothing happened.”
“It is not about what you think. It is what they will think…”
“I don’t care what they think…” Caroline said, shocked at the prospect of facing the glaring eyes she would encounter on the other side of the restaurant.
“Are you sure? Are you willing to risk it?”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“I think you know the answer.”
She turned around to stare at him and express her unvarnished displeasure about what was happening. When she looked at him, staring into the same eyes that searched inside of her in the morning, the same face that had left an imprint in her mind, she couldn’t... She couldn’t get mad at him.
“I have a solution,” he said, stretching out his hand towards her.
“Another of your mental tactics?”
“No, this is rather simple. We leave right now. I know a side exit. You see, right there. No one will see us leaving…” He pointed in the direction of out of sight Exit that presumably existed. She couldn’t see anything. She wasn’t in a position to question his judgment either. It was either that or face the wrath of looking like the slut who couldn’t wait to get her hands on him. She didn’t agonize over the decision.
“What are you waiting for then?” She said, masking her nervousness. She wondered if she was going to be able to keep up with him.
The two walked briskly, Jack leading the way and Caroline not daring to have the courage to look back and see if she was noticed. She didn’t care. She was going to graduate in a matter of hours. She probably won’t see any of them again…
It turned out there was indeed an Exit and Jack walked through exchanging confident greetings with everyone that came before him as if it was the most natural thing to do. Caroline walked, with her head down and counting the steps towards her freedom from embarrassment. They walked right outside to be welcomed by the cool summer breeze and pedestrians milling about the sidewalk. Lots of them wearing school gear. A measure of pride in belonging to an institution, Caroline had learned a long time ago.
“How did you know there was an Exit here?”
“Let’s just say I study my environment carefully.”
“And I don’t?” Caroline said walking slowly in her high heels.
