5. Differences

For it to be early fall, the weather was a lot warm than expected. The sun beamed down from its highest point bringing with it hot rays that made it feel more like summer.
Other than a slight breeze and a few trees that housed multicolored leaves of yellow and green, there was no sign of a season change. Bianca and Daniel took advantage of the weather as they strolled down the block toward a popular hangout not too far from campus. Despite Bianca’s protest and request to go to the beach for private time, they ended up on Lyndhurst St, walking side by side toward the always crowded pizza shop. Stepping over a large crack in the pavement, Bianca briefly lost her balance and out of reflex grabbed onto Danny’s hand. “Are you ok?” He helped her back to her feet but quickly pulled his hand away.

Bianca noticed his haste to put a small gap between them. “You have a problem with holding my hand Danny?” She stopped in her tracks with no intention of going any further until she had an answer. With a sharp release from his nose he replied with an annoyed tone, “No Bianca. Can we go?”

“Then why were you so quick to let go of my hand?”

“I didn’t! I just let go.”

“Yes you did! You pulled your hand away from me like I have some kind of disease or something!”

“Bianca,” He ran his hand across his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was in no mood for her petty bullshit but knew she’d drag it out until he told her she was right but today she wouldn’t get her way. “Are we really going to argue about this right now? It’s not that serious!” He laughed through his frustration.

“Ok, well then hold my hand Danny.” She smirked and held her hand out for him to grasp it and lead her to their destination. Instead, Daniel exhaled again and crossed his arms. “Why are you being so childish?”

“I’m being childish because I want you to hold my hand?”

“You’re being childish because you’re making a big deal out of nothing!”

“If it’s nothing to you Danny, hold my hand! That’s all I’m asking!” She retorted with her hand still lingering in the space between them. The two held their ground for a few intense seconds, neither wanting to make the first move and determined not to give in to the other.

“So much for trying!” Bianca dropped her arm to her side and brushed by Daniel like a raging gust of wind, yanking her arm away when he barely tried to stop her. Instead of following her, chasing her down and begging her to forgive him, he continued on his path into the pizza shop and never looked back.

Livid over her decision to give him another undeserved chance, she kept her eyes focused on her feet, commanding them to keep going until she reached her dorm. 

The moment she looked up she crashed into a tall man causing him to drop the cup of piping hot coffee that was in his hand. “I’m so sorry!” She looked up into the strangest brown eyes she’d ever seen. They sparkled like diamonds with an odd green tint to them that seemed to bright as his smile reached them. “Don’t be! That was a sign that I really don’t need it anyway.” He quickly checked his clothes for any traces of the spilled coffee. 

The moment she looked up she crashed into a tall man causing him to drop the cup of piping hot coffee that was in his hand. “I’m so sorry!” She looked up into the strangest brown eyes she’d ever seen. They sparkled like diamonds with an odd green tint to them that seemed to bright as his smile reached them. “Don’t be! That was a sign that I really don’t need it anyway.” He quickly checked his clothes for any traces of the spilled coffee. Bianca squinted, recognizing his voice, “Do you have some kind of radar or something?” Her question seemed to come out of left field and with just as much attitude as before. “How is it every time I get into a fight with my boyfriend you come swooping in with your Captain Save Em’ cape and rescue the damsel in distress?” She placed her hands on her hip and tapped her foot against the pavement impatiently. The man laughed folding his arms across his chest, “You bumped into me and saved me from substituting a real lunch with a cup of caffeine I really didn’t need in the first place. I’d say you’re the one wearing a cape.” He retorted with a sly smirk. Bianca looked him over in silence, taking in each detail she’d missed the night before last. She was right about his height and definitely his voice; both in which gave her chills that she discreetly reacted from as she stood before him. She admired the flawlessness of his skin and the perfect teeth that were nearly blinding her as he noticed her staring. She lowered her eyes quickly with a nervous laugh. “I-I’m sorry! Here,” She pulled her wallet from her purse but Rodney pushed her hand away as she handed him a crisp five dollar bill to replace his beverage. “No, that’s not necessary!”

“Please! After the way you helped me the other night, the least I can do is replace a cup of coffee!”

Rodney paused and considered her offer for a brief minute staring back with the same admiration. The glimpse of her he had in his mind from the other night did her no justice and quickly vanished into the breeze the moment she returned his smile. “If you really want to repay me,” He shoved his hands into his pockets and shot her knee weakening smile, “let me buy you lunch.”

“How is that repaying you?” She tilted her head to the side.

“You’re repaying me with your company.” He said slyly.

“I have a boyfriend.”

“And I have about thirty-five minutes.” He gave a quick glance to his wrist watch, returning his hand to his pocket.

Bianca reluctantly smiled in agreement, walking ahead of him as he insisted with a simple hand gesture. 

“So,” Rodney began as he tucked Bianca’s chair in and joined her on the other side of the table, “I made the mistake of not asking you your name before. May I have the pleasure now?” He clasped his hands together neatly on top of the table.

Bianca snorted, adjusting her position on the chair with her chin resting on her hand, “What’s in a name?” She raised an eyebrow with her question awaiting something foolish, childish, and along the lines of  ‘I asked you first’.

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet, but it's your name I'd love to speak.” He ended with another one of those smiles that widened with Bianca’s shocked expression. “You know Shakespeare.” She said simply looking down at the table.

“You’re surprised by that?”

“Most men don’t know anything pass the opening line.”

“I’m not most men.”

Bianca chuckled lightly meeting his gaze once again. “Danny said the same thing.” She mumbled under her breath.

“I take it Danny is your reason why you’ve lost your faith in men.” He unexpectedly answered moving further into the table.

“I haven’t lost my faith I just see the male species for what they are.”

“And that would be?” He asked just as quickly as she answered.

“Post pubescent boys with two heads and the tendency to think more with the one that has no brain.”   

“Ouch!” Rodney laughed drumming his finger on the table lightly before bringing them together neatly as he had before.

“That’s it?” Bianca chuckled. “No snappy come back? Defense argument?”

Rodney shook his head slowly with his eyes set on hers. Despite her previous answer he could sense her anger; bitterness towards all men for this one man’s mistakes. “You’re right. I cannot and will not defend someone when I know they’re at fault but I will tell you this, all of us are not alike.”

“Pffft!” Bianca hissed with a roll of her eyes.

Seeing her reaction as a challenge, Rodney shifted on his chair, preparing for an in-depth conversation he knew he’d enjoy. “Let’s discuss this, shall we?” He shifted again making himself more comfortable, “How are all men the same?”

“For one,” Bianca sat up confidently, “there is the sex thing.”

“Both genders think about sex equally.” Rodney interjected before she could complete her thought.

“Men think about sex and don’t care about who it’s with or where things go afterwards. With us,” She placed her hand against her chest, “its love and sex or sex and emotions. There are very few of us who can engage in sexual activity without the interference of one of the two.”

“We’re the same way. Men form emotional attachments through sex as well. Some choose not to display them.”

“You don’t display emotions because you can’t.”

“Not true but that is where we differ.”

Bianca smirked, tossing her hair over her shoulder absently, “I’m still having a hard time seeing a difference.”

“The other night, I watched you storm out of that bar and wander out into the dark streets on your own while your Danny stayed inside and enjoyed the game. First difference, I don’t know you but I came after you to ensure your safety because that’s what men like me do. Today, you said the two of you had another fight. Second difference,” He looked around the room then back to Bianca, “where is he now? A better question, what was your spat over that he allowed you to walk away without giving chase?”

Bianca shrugged, “Him not wanting to hold my hand.” She hesitated for a minute releasing a deep breath with the basic details of their argument. She was surprised when Rodney’s response was a simple shrug with a knowing expression. 

“You understand what I mean?” She tuned back into the conversation just in time for a small recap. “A man’s display of love and emotions is a sign of weakness in the eyes of the world but it doesn’t make him less of a man to hold the hand of the woman he loves. If that simple gesture is too much for him, then you need to find yourself a new man or sit back and let one find you.” He said flatly sitting back in his chair. He was right. Just like Santino was right. The argument they’d had was minor and very petty but the fact that he’d responded to an act of affection in that matter spoke volumes. Bianca rubbed the back of her neck; her muscles were aching from tension and stress. Tension and stress that could easily be relieved with the two simple words she should have told Danny long ago.

“You’re almost out of time.” She pointed to his wrist watch then the untouched menu sitting on the edge of the table.

He glanced at it then returned his eyes to hers with a smile, “I can make time.

**Thank you Freedom and Daijah for being my eyes!