After another night’s sleep, I felt more energetic and noticed more than I had the day before. The people I encountered during the day treated me indifferently. The continuation of the phenomenon I’d experienced at the party surprised me.
I saw Scott crossing the campus again. He only waved when he saw me and continued on to his destination. A friendly wave from one acquaintance to another. Confused, I made an effort to interact more. I smiled at the people I passed. I’d grown so used to the pull I had on men that it felt odd when they didn’t turn to look. Eventually, someone did stop me, another freshman, but he only wanted recommendations for a nice place to take a date. Why he stopped me out of all the other people drifting around on the campus grounds, I had no idea. However, it was the most normal, random conversation I’d had in my life, and I loved it.
Nicole caught up with me after our basic massage class and gave me the details of her weekend. Randy hadn’t forgotten her and had called her on Saturday to ask her out on a date Sunday night. She’d excitedly accepted.
“He was nice and everything, just not the way he normally is in class. He seemed a little more intense on the date. I talked to him before class today, and he seemed more like his old self. We’re going to go out again tonight.”
Then she told me about her walk across campus that morning. She’d turned down no less than eleven date requests and two blunt one-night stands. She giggled as she related the details, but the humor didn’t reach her eyes. I gave her a few pointers about keeping her physical distance if she didn’t want someone to bother her and to say no bluntly. She nodded her thanks.
I wished her luck and hurried home to tell Clay my suspicions. I felt sure that something had happened to make Nicole the magnet for unwanted male attention instead of me. The shock we’d felt seemed to have been the turning point. I wondered how long the effect would last.