27 Dates_The Fair Date Read online

  27 Dates

  Volume 8: The Fair Date

  By B. N. Hale

  Text Copyright © 2018 B.N. Hale

  All Rights Reserved

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Excerpt from Volume 9

  Author Bio

  Chapter 1

  Reed listened to his professor lecture about behaviors and drug effects. He enjoyed most aspects of his psychology degree, but the biology of the brain was less interesting. It didn’t help matters that his thoughts were dominated by Kate, and the direction of their relationship.

  He scribbled notes and then returned to the stupor shared by the other students in the class. Dr. Caldin spoke in a near monotone, a voice soft and dry, an invitation to fall asleep in the amphitheater classroom. Some had already succumbed. With the lights off, the glow of the projector could not compete with the pull of slumber. One student had been so audacious as to bring a pillow.

  “Reed,” a girl hissed from nearby.

  He surreptitiously looked her way, but his caution was unnecessary. Dr. Caldin was staring rapturously at his slide, expounding the infinite complexities of the brain like they were the flavors of a savory meal.

  “What do you need?” he asked, vaguely recalling the girl’s name was Anna.

  “Are you already taking someone out on Friday?”

  He shook his head. “Why?” he whispered back.

  “My roommate hasn’t been out in months,” she said. “I heard what you do and thought you’d like to take her out.”

  It was a request he’d heard a hundred times, sometimes by a girl wanting the invite for themselves. His response was now habitual, to inform them that he liked to meet and ask the girl out for himself, and a reminder of his rules. But as he opened his mouth the words lodged in his throat.

  Since starting the dating challenge with Kate, his desire to date other girls had waned. Even though he avoided physical contact and intimacy, it still felt like a betrayal. But how could it feel like that if he was not dating Kate exclusively?

  Anna was still waiting for the answer, but Dr. Caldin turned and surveyed the room, giving Reed a chance to further ponder his response. But all too soon the professor turned back to his slides and Anna glanced his way.

  “I wish I could,” he said, smiling in a self-deprecating manner, “but finals are next week and I’m grossly underprepared.”

  The girl nodded in understanding, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of disappointment. Guilt welled within him and he almost reached out to her. But although he sent the order to his arm, the limb did not respond.

  Yet again, he considered if he was even capable of ending things with Kate. After their canceled date a week ago, when Kate had gone out with Jason, he’d sensed a shift in the tone of their conversations. They now texted and called almost daily, and he looked forward to such opportunities like a starving man did a piece of bacon.

  Did he want to date her exclusively? Was he ready to abandon his other dates and devote his time to Kate? His heart warmed at the prospect, thumping in his chest and bringing a smile to his face. Jason was out of the picture, taking with him the lingering anchor he’d left in Kate’s heart.

  But even as Reed’s heart warmed, a pit formed in his stomach. He’d made a promise to Aura and it remained unfulfilled. To date Kate as he wanted would mean abandoning his promise. The questions once again returned him to the impasse.

  “Mr. Hansen?” a voice called his name.

  He blinked and his vision focused on Dr. Caldin, who was staring at him, waiting expectantly. Several of the students were staring at Reed with amused expressions, revealing the professor had called on him more than once.

  “Sorry, Dr. Caldin,” he said, irritated that the kid on a pillow had not been called on. “My cerebral chemicals must have stopped.”

  The old man cracked a rare smile. “It happens to all of us,” he said, and then called on another student.

  The girl answered correctly, and the brief excitement diminished back to the previous stupor. Reed frowned, annoyed that he’d let his conflict impede his studies. He was usually very attentive in class, so the lapse came as a surprise to him and his friends, who cast him quizzical looks.

  The clock ticked on the hour and Dr. Caldin dismissed the class. “Mr. Hansen?” he called amid the rush of papers and conversation. “May I speak to you for a moment?”

  Reed stuffed his notebook into his laptop case and then shouldered the bag. Threading his way against the flow of escaping students, he reached the base of the classroom as Dr. Caldin turned off the projector.

  “You seem distracted,” Dr. Caldin said.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, “just thinking about my thesis.”

  “Still planning on graduating in December?”

  Reed nodded. “Just summer classes and then I’ll finish my thesis in the fall.”

  Dr. Caldin peered over his glasses. “Are you certain there is nothing else? Your clever response in class aside, I suspect your thoughts are not on your coursework.”

  Reed cracked a smile at the observation. “It might have to do with a girl.”

  “It always does,” he replied. “And if it’s intruding on your coursework, I suspect this particular girl is remarkable.”

  “She is,” he said.

  “Then don’t let her go,” Dr. Caldin said with a definitive nod. “Regret is the most abhorrent emotion.”

  “Is that going to be on the exam?” Reed asked.

  Dr. Caldin regarded him with a knowing smile. “Not my exam, but grades in life matter more than in my class.”

  “Can I quote you?”

  “I’ll deny it,” he replied, picking up his own laptop. “I’ll see you next week, Mr. Hansen.”

  Reed watched him go with a faint smile. Most considered Dr. Caldin the quintessentially boring professor—which he was, in class—but Reed had gotten to know him during a semester as his teacher’s assistant. The man harbored a dry sense of humor and wit that rarely manifested in front of a class. Privately, Reed suspected the man enjoyed putting his class to sleep and then calling on drowsy students, a game that provided amusement in the perpetually repetitive professor life.

  Now alone, Reed ascended the classroom steps and stepped outside, blinking at the brilliance. The doors opened onto a large grassy area between buildings, the towering trees casting shade on the green expanse. Pockets of students sat beneath the trees, seeking to escape the afternoon heat as they prepared for upcoming finals. Groups were common, but a small crowd stood on the lawn outside the psychology building.

  The group of forty turned to face him, swiveling as Reed appeared. All wore masks and carried water guns, the odd combination drawing attention from the scattered students. They drifted closer to the brewing conflict, pointing and smiling as they held up their phones to record. Reed spotted Dr. Caldin standing a short distance away, a slight smile on his face, as if he’d intentionally held him after class.

  “Dr. Caldin?” he called. “I assume she got to you?”

  “I admit nothing,” he replied. “But you might want to leave your laptop behind.”

  Taking his advice, Reed removed his bag. By then the army of water gun toting students had arrayed themselves into a gauntlet, with another masked figure at the end. Most of the masks were from Halloween, with a pair of wolfmen, a few zombies, and even a Darth Vader. The one waiting at the end wore a horned masquerade mask, but he recognized Kate’s figure. She smiled and pulled a massive, four-foot envelope into view.

  Fashioned from cardboard and painted to look like a letter, the envelo
pe was clearly addressed to him. The implication was clear, that he had to run the gauntlet of water guns to get the message.

  He grinned and removed his phone, tucking it into his laptop case to protect it. The act drew a round of laughter from those surveying the exchange and he noticed more with their phones out, clearly wanting to video the watery carnage.

  “I suppose I have to run the gauntlet to get the invite?” he called.

  The one in the masquerade mask smiled and nodded, and those with guns began pumping the handles, pressurizing their weapons. Reed began to laugh and readied himself for a sprint. Then he surged forward and forty masked attackers pulled the trigger, engulfing him in water.

  Chapter 2

  Water battered him and he gasped at the chill. He shielded himself with his arm, blocking his eyes as he ran. Shouts of delight rang out as he sprinted through the sprays, running blind. Eighty feet passed in a blur of water until Kate’s voice brought him to a stop.

  The water guns cut off and those viewing the spectacle began to applaud. Sopping wet and freezing in the warm May sun, Reed raised a hand and took a bow. Then he turned to Kate standing with the envelope, her smile rivaling the sun in the sky.

  “Are you cold?” she asked innocently, her green eyes sparkling behind the masquerade mask.

  “Freezing,” he said, shivering. “Did you fill them with ice water?”

  “Yes.”

  He laughed at the devious detail. Reed felt the attention of many eyes, but Kate’s gaze held him bound. The laughter and applause faded into the background. Then she handed him the envelope and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

  “Couldn’t resist,” she said mischievously.

  She turned and strode away, taking most of her water gun toting army with her. Someone sprayed Reed in the back as he walked past, and Reed gasped, turning to find Jackson and Shelby with matching smirks. Both wore the masks from the last Halloween, the gladiator helmets sharp and angular.

  “Did you have to join her on this invite?” Reed asked.

  “Just obeying orders,” Shelby said.

  “I would have done it anyway,” Jackson said smugly.

  Shelby turned and sprayed him in the face, and then laughed as he stared in shock. Then his eyes gained a wicked gleam and he sprayed her back. In seconds the other erstwhile soldiers, eager for more, were quick to pick sides.

  Reed dodged the hasty sprays and dragged the envelope back to his bag, out of reach from the furious melee. Water and shouts were hurled with equal measure, and the laughter spilled into the viewing crowd.

  Reed wrung his clothes out and turned the envelope around to read the gigantic letters. In bold letters it gave a date and a time, followed by a cryptic invitation. Then Dr. Caldin appeared at his elbow to read it aloud.

  “Guns, guns, everywhere and not a trigger to pull.”

  “It’s a dating challenge,” Reed explained.

  “Oh, I already know about your little game,” he said.

  Reed raised an eyebrow. “When did you find out?”

  “I already knew,” he said. “I saw the article in the school paper and put two and two together. It was an invitation that matched your style, if a little more audacious than you prefer. It’s about time a girl turned the tables on you.”

  “What do you make of this?” Reed asked, gesturing to the invite.

  He smiled. “I suspect you are going to be using firearms. Do be safe. I’d like to hear how this particular story ends.”

  Reed gave a wry laugh and glanced at the water fight, which was rapidly ending as the weapons ran out of ammunition. He fleetingly wondered if his professor was standing next to him so Reed would not be drawn into the fight a second time. The old man’s eyes certainly betrayed a sense of mischief.

  “I’ll see you next week, Dr. Caldin.”

  “Until next time, Mr. Hansen,” he said, and strolled away.

  Reed collected his bag and strode toward his car, leaving a trail of wet footprints on the sidewalk. The crowd began to disperse as the water fight came to a close, but several observers were still posting videos of the miniature war.

  The video was probably already online, with anyone he’d ever dated getting a close-up view of him being soaked. He wondered what impact it would have on his future dating, and for the first time found himself grateful that he just had two semesters before graduation.

  He passed students that eyed his sodden clothes with surprise, having not seen the incident. Then one smirked, suggesting he’d already seen the video. Reed grinned in turn as they walked by each other.

  “Hope she’s worth it,” the guy said.

  “The best ones always are,” Reed said.

  The student snorted, half in agreement and half in doubt. Then he went on his way, but Reed’s own words lingered as he walked to his car. His feet squished, water leaking from his shoes with every step. A girl looked at him strangely at the sound, but he flashed a disarming smile and stepped to his car.

  Then he spotted the towel tucked under the windshield wiper. He picked up the towel, pleased to find it warmed by the sun. He rubbed the soft material across his face and then pressed it against his shirt. As he dried himself the best he could without undressing, he marveled at the subtle gesture.

  Kate could have left him to fend for himself, but she’d gone out of her way to leave a towel for him. He smiled as he placed the towel on his seat and sank into the driver’s seat. For the moment he managed to push thoughts of Aura aside and toyed with the prospect of a future together with Kate.

  Would she be his girlfriend? Would they still go on dates? Afraid of how much the idea appealed to him, he turned his thoughts to the coming week. He’d missed his chance to ask Kate on a date, so his next attempt had to be good. Although there were several ideas he’d contemplated, one stood out more than any other, and he smiled. It was three weeks away, plenty of time to schedule a tour.

  He pulled into his driveway and withdrew his phone. After a quick Google search, he located the right website and browsed the tour times. Then he found the number and dialed. A moment later a pleasant-sounding woman picked up.

  “Hidee Gold Mine.”

  He asked for Terry and when the man picked up the phone Reed smiled. He’d met Terry a few years ago at a tour of the mine and had gone back a couple of times. The old miner liked Reed and was more than happy to book another visit.

  “What’s the girl’s name?” Terry asked.

  “Kate,” he said. “And she’s a special one.”

  “Oh?”

  Reed smiled at the amount of emotion the man managed to pack into a single syllable. “You’ll see when you meet her,” he replied. “I just want to plan something new.”

  “I’ll figure it out,” Terry replied.

  Reed hung up shortly after and nodded to himself, excited at the prospect of taking Kate on such an unusual date. But it would have to be unique. He had no desire to repeat the same experience and he’d already been to a tour of the mine with other girls. Already brainstorming ideas, he exited the car just as Jackson and Shelby pulled into the driveway. All equally drenched, they squished their way to the house together.

  “How did she get so many to help?” Reed asked.

  “As you said,” Shelby chuckled. “Everyone likes to be part of a romance.”

  “Is that why you help me when I ask a girl out?”

  “Of course,” Jackson said.

  “I get to shower first,” Shelby said.

  “But I was the victim,” Reed protested.

  “I’m the girl,” Shelby said with an apologetic shrug, ducking into the bathroom.

  Jackson laughed. “She’s got you there.”

  Reed grinned and strode to his room, the cooler air of the house already making him shiver. Deciding he couldn’t wait for the shower, he stripped and dried before donning new clothes. When he stepped out he found Jackson also changed, albeit shirtless, sitting at the dinner table pouring himself a bowl of Fruity Pebbles.


  “Can I ask you a question?” Jackson asked.

  “You already did.”

  Jackson grunted in irritation, nearly spilling cereal from his mouth. Then he swallowed and said, “We both know how you feel about Kate. What’s holding you back?”

  Reed gestured dismissively, the habitual response coming with a disarming smile. But this time he found all the weight of indecision to be stifling. He stepped to the table and sank into a seat to stare at Jackson.

  “You can’t tell anyone—even Shelby.”

  Jackson raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised he’d gotten an answer. “Roommate’s promise.”

  Reed looked away and listened to the shower run, wondering how he could possibly tell the whole story. But the words bubbled up like vomit, forcing themselves from his mouth. Before he could stop himself, he began to speak.

  “Let me tell you about Aura . . .”

  Chapter 3

  Jackson sank back into his chair, his cereal forgotten in the bowl. Once Reed had begun speaking, the words had spilled from his lips in a frantic rush, until he’d finally fallen silent. The seconds passed but neither of them spoke until the shower turned off, causing Jackson to grunt.

  “Wow.”

  “I know.”

  “I can’t believe she . . .”

  “I know.”

  Reed swallowed and looked away, all the pain of that night coming back in a flood of emotions. He realized his hands were clenched and forced his fingers to open. Jackson’s expression was frozen in disbelief until he swept his hand to Reed.

  “And you promised to . . .”

  “A date for every second I listened to her die.”

  “That’s . . .”

  “Five thousand dates.”

  He balked. “Isn’t that excessive?”

  “She lost her life because of me,” Reed said. “I swore I wouldn’t let it happen to another girl.”

  Jackson regarded him for several seconds and then blew out his breath. “I need a drink.”