“He’s so…”
“Intense?” I suggested.
“Exactly,” she agreed. “That’s the word: intense. And trust me, in this case, it’s not a good thing. I think the guy might be a little off the rails.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said. “I mean, I know he can come on a little strong, but I don’t think he’s crazy.”
“Hey, crazy doesn’t always look crazy,” Missy told me. “Sometimes it’s masked behind a plain and unassuming face.”
“And, your point would be?”
“Just because Jason looks harmless doesn’t mean he is harmless.”
“I’ve made my feelings clear, I’ve told him plain as day that I’m just not interested in him,” I said. “I don’t know what else to do.”
“I think you should put in a complaint.”
“What?”
“A complaint,” Missy repeated. “Report him to your student counselor. Maybe he’ll back off if someone in a place of authority tells him to. Tell him if he doesn’t leave you alone you’ll get a restraining order against him.”
I paused for a moment. “Don’t you think that’s a bit extreme?”
“No,” she replied immediately. “If this guy can’t take a hint, then you need to hit him between the eyes – and hard.”
“He hasn’t really bothered me since before Paris,” I said. “And, all he did was come by the dorm. That doesn’t really constitute grounds for legal action.”
“So, you’re going to wait till he kidnaps you or something?” she demanded. “Stalking is illegal, you realize.”
“We don’t know that’s he’s been stalking me.”
“He seems like the type who would.”
“If he approaches me again, I will report him,” I decided. “But for now, I think I just need to lie low and ignore him.”
“Okay…” Missy said uncertainly. “I still think you should report him immediately, but it’s your call.”
“Anyway, thanks for handling him.”
“No worries,” she said. “That’s what best friends are here for…even if you dumped me for your hot professor.”
“I did not dump you.” I laughed. “I wouldn’t dump you for the world.”
“Sure, sure,” she said, in a wounded voice.
“How about lunch tomorrow?” I asked. “We can get a couple of pizzas from the Stone Oven, and we can relax and talk about everything under the sun.”
“Ah, the old days…”
“Stop that.”
She laughed. “You’re on,” she said. “Just don’t bail on me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I promised.
“So, where’s Prince Charming anyway?” she asked. “I assume because you have the luxury of chatting with me that he’s not home yet.”
“He had a departmental meeting he needed to attend,” I told her.