“Trying to seduce me with yourPortuguese?”
I just tap my pen against the rules sheet inresponse.
After I’ve finished jotting down the slogans, I push my paper away and focus back on Aaron. “I don’t know how you got such a deep understanding of the way women feel about their underwear. It was probably just so you could find more ways to get them out of it, but I like the sound of this: a lingerie campaign that focuses onempowerment.”
“Are you going to admit you think I’m a genius, or are you just going to keep saying it with youreyes?”
I’m going to need dentures soon, with all the teeth grinding I do around thisguy.
“I’ll be saying something very different with my fists any secondnow.”
“So violent, Dominguez,” he chides. “You should get that temper undercontrol.”
He’s rescued from the pen I’m about to throw at his head when a bleach blonde bombshell walks by our table and stops beside Aaron. She sweeps her hair to the side and leans forward a bit to talk tohim.
“Aaron, I told my friends about that tattoo you showed me in Communications class, but none of them believe me. Will you do me a big favour and come show them I’m not a liar?” She giggles a bit and then glances at me. “If you’re not busy, thatis.”
I’m about to make a throat clearing noise and tell her we’re in the middle of something, when Aaron hops up out of hischair.
“I’m never too busy to defend a woman’s reputation,” he announces. “Take me to yourfriends.”
She leads him across the cafeteria, and I’m sure there must be steam rising off my body as frustration sets my blood boiling. I watch as they stop in front of a group of girls and Aaron pulls up the sleeve of his t-shirt, making all the girls gasp and let out high-pitchedlaughs.
He stays chatting with them for a few minutes, and every tick of the second hand on the cafeteria clock heats the anger up in me by another degree. By the time he trots back over, adjusting his stupid beanie and grinning to himself, I’m about ready to get up and start overturningtables.
“Excuse me Aaron Penn, but youarebusy right now,” I spit out. “Rule number three: no distractions. That includes girls like Strawberries or Cherries or whatever fucking fruit it is you call herafter.”
He’s still looking over at the table full of the blonde’s friends and doesn’t see the danger in the glare I have fixed on him rightnow.
“Oh that was not a cherries kind of girl,” he drawls. “That girl was allmelons.”
I feel my jaw drop open and I slap both my palms onto the table. “Wait. You call me Peaches because of myBOOBS?”
His head snaps towards me at the increase in volume, and I watch as his eyes go wide when I stand up and tower overhim.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I shout. “Do you realize how inappropriate and insulting that is? All I ask is for a little professionalism. In case you didn’t notice, we’re in the middle of a planning session for one of the most important projects in this entire program. That might not matter to you, but it sure as hell matters to me, and I expect you to treat this like the business meeting that it is. You wouldn’t go wasting a client or co-worker’s time by wandering off to flash your tattoos for random girls, so why is it okay to wastemine?”
I see his Adam’s apple bob as hegulps.
“I’m sorry,” he begins. “You’re right. That was really rude and immature ofme.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Are you saying that because you’re scared of me or because you actually meanit?”
“I mean it. I’ll focus more. Thisisan important project. I do realize that. Also, I know you think I’m a douche, but I’m not bad enough to have a fruit-based rating system for boobs. It was ajoke.”
I narrow myeyes.
“A bad joke,” headds.
“This is strike one,” I say as I sit back down, “and I don’t play baseball, so you only gettwo.”
“Point taken. So what do you want to work onnow?”
I glance at the clock. “We’ve got fifteen minutes before my next class. I already have a few slogan ideas, so let’s keep brainstormingthose.”
Setting the paper between us, I keep a wary gaze focused on him as he reads them over. He talks as smooth as the satin and silk we’re trying to sell, but I’m worried whatever promises he makes will be just as easy torip.
