"He told you himself?" I was all ears now.

"Yeah." She nodded eagerly. "I ran into him on campus. After what Alec told me, I figured I should ask him directly. I told him I'd keep it a secret."

Vanessa wasn't the best at keeping secrets. Especially when it involved a friend. It wasn't to be callous, she was just extremely honest. She had always kept my secrets though. I trusted her completely. I felt bad for poor Liam who didn't know how Vanessa worked.

I became more and more curious as the conversation went on. "What'd he say exactly?"

"He said that he thought you were really attractive and had thought about asking you out."

There was one thing that didn't make sense to me. Why hasn't he asked me out if he was into me? "Why didn't he say anything to me?"

She held up a finger. "One word. Grant."

"I should've known." I groaned. "What'd he say to Liam?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. All Liam said was that Grant was the reason he didn't pursue you."

I rolled my eyes. "Grant."

"You know, after you spend time with him and his new booty call, he'll probably be more willing to let you have some freedom. I'm sure if he makes it clear to Liam that he won't get in the way Liam will finally ask you out."

She spoke as if Grant was the only thing keeping Liam and I from dating. I stopped myself, was he? I could tell by the look on her face she thought this was going to be great, get me out of my current (in her opinion) lonely state. I wasn't so sure it would though. Grant wasn't replaceable. No matter who I talked to, they'd always be compared to him. It wasn't fair considering the height of the bar Grant had set. I was curious about Liam though. I wondered what it'd be like to be with him. I decided it was only fair that I give him a chance.

"That's a good point. I'll talk to Grant after Trisha leaves."

Vanessa beamed. "I have hope for us."

I smiled. "Me too."

We thanked and paid the ladies who did our nails and exited the salon. The rest of my day was spent prepping for my upcoming encounter with Grant and Trisha. I practiced faces in the mirror. I didn't want my face giving away what I was truly thinking. I tired to imagine the types of things that may be said. I had a little bit of trouble deciding on a face for flirty comments or sexual innuendos. I settled on a shaking head and closed mouth smile. It wasn't too explicit or unwelcoming. Yet, it wasn't exactly approving. I'd hoped I wouldn't have to use it.

The way I woke up was a complete contradiction to the way I'd woken up the day before. There was no adrenaline, only dread. I drank some hot chocolate to wake me up. I despised coffee, so I settled on the sweeter version of it. I'd picked out my outfit the night before, it was a dark blue dress with a V-neck. I curled my hair and put on my nude pumps. I walked out the door, prepared for the most challenging role in my life.

I was met by Grant, standing on his front porch in his usual black leather jacket. "Rinnie!" He smiled, approaching me.

He stopped and examined me. I didn't give him the chance to say anything, for some reason I couldn't.

"Grant!" I hugged him gently and quickly. I didn't know where Trisha was. I would not have her accusing me of hitting on Grant or something stupid like that.

"Come on in." He directed me back to the house and held the door open for me.

"Thanks." I said, smiling as I walked in. As I entered, I still didn't see Trisha.

Grant chuckled. "Why are you acting so formal Rinnie? It's us."

"I'm not." I plastered a fake smile on my face.

Grant started messing up my curls. "You don't have to be so perfect."

Before I could stop myself, I heard myself gasp. I had never thought of myself as perfect. Maybe Grant didn't mean it like that, like he thought I was perfect. I would never know because I would never ask. Just to think that maybe he did made my heart pitter patter.

Grant squinted. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. I just thought I saw something." It wasn't a complete lie. I saw Grant and I flash before my eyes. It sounds crazy. It's something you have to experience to understand, but I saw Grant and I together for a split second before it disappeared. Not only saw it but felt it. I couldn't tell if it was a flashback or if it was foreshadowing.

Grant smirked. "Was it a spider?"

"Not exactly."

"Hmmm." He went back to work on my hair.

I swatted his hand away. "Stop it, you're going to make me look like a llama!"

He broke out laughing. "Llama?"

I started laughing too. "They have terrible hair."

Just as I spoke, the door opened. The first thing I saw was her long-tanned legs. "Sorry, I figured I could just let myself in." She took a step back to the door.

Grant took her arm and stopped her. "No, it's cool! You remember Rinnie?"

The look on Trisha's face made it clear she did not. "Sure, yeah." She smiled. "Hi."

I returned her smile, extremely uncomfortable. "Hey." I turned to Grant. "You, umm didn't tell her I was stopping by?"

Grant shook his head. "Nah, I like surprises." He wrapped his arm around me and headed towards Trisha. He put an arm around each of us and brought us closer. "But since you're both here, might as well hang out."

Trisha squinted. "Grant, I don't what kind of freaky stuff you think I'm into, but the answer is no." She turned to me, remembering I was in the room. "No offense."

Grant started laughing. "You wish she was an option for you."

Trisha looked dumbfounded. I however, was amused. "Grant wants you and I to get to know each other, but not like that."

"Oh. Then tell me about yourself." She leaned back against Grant.

I kept my composure. I remembered Grant thinking all girls puff their chest out and get flirty to assert their dominance, now I understood why he thought that. She was giving all women a bad name.

I played with one of my curls, my cue for being annoyed. "I'm Zephyrine, Grant's best friend. I love clothes and hate coffee."

"Wow, what a different name!" She exclaimed. You're just jealous your name sucks. I thought bitterly to myself. "I love clothes, coffee and this troublemaker right here." She reached up and grabbed Grant's face.

Grant moved his head. "Anyways." He paused for a moment. Trisha looked up, still leaning on him. "Have I told you guys the story about the time I got drunk and ended up in Germany with a broken leg and title as chancellor?"

We both shook our heads. "No." We said at the same time.

Grant laughed to himself. "Apparently I bet the chancellor that if I beat him at poker he'd renounce his title to me. I guess I'd gotten him a little drunk as well..."

"What'd you do when you sobered up?" I asked, genuinely curious. Grant never mentioned this to me.

"The only thing I could do. I declared every March 23rd Chancellor Grant day." He shook his head. "I plan on going back and becoming president next time."

Trisha and I were both laughing.

Grant pulled a wine cooler, and two beers out of the fridge. He handed me the wine cooler then handed Trisha a beer. Manly drink preference Trisha.

He smiled deviously at us. "Let's play a game."