leading the misleading

 

"Why did you call me Dale?" Delia wanted to know. She looked around his room. It was clean and organized. She should have figured as much. Yes, he'd hugged her that night as if it might have been more, but now she thought she was just an experiment with his friends. Or were they just roommates, like he said?

"I dunno." He was serious. "I..I knew I wanted to call you Della and that would have made you mad." He pressed a smile, yet she knew he was nervous. "Just..just think of it..as..as your incognito name."

"Incognito?" She looked at him blankly. "What kind of game are you playing?" She told him she didn't need that. She'd had enough of that with Hoyt. "I don't think you're anything  like him, but-"

"Really, I..I don't even know where the name came from. I mean there was a dude in middle school who's name was Dale, but you don't look anything like him," Tristan was honest as he took both of her hands. He kept smiling. "I just ..guess..maybe..maybe I just wanted my own name for you."

"What?" She couldn't help but smile. Although, she could hardly think of "Dale" as a pet name. Really, he was nothing like Holden who had big plans. He could see the future somehow and make it all sound so great. Tristan was a little offbeat. As if maybe he'd been someone else, but now wanted to do just the opposite. Her luck, he'd want her to his laundry or proofread something. It wasn't like they were instant lovers. And really, she hated the idea of something quick and an ending even quicker.

He sat down on the bed and she practically plopped on top of him, but he was still holding her hand.

"I got all my homework done," he told her about his class. "And I worked on my scooter." He nodded.

"I see." She watched his lock of hair fall in his eye. She wanted to move it away and just stare at him. Still, she forced herself not to be so amicable. 

"Then, let's go for a ride?" Tristan jumped up as if they couldn't stay here. Delia looked up at him as if this was unexpected. Wasn't it snowing? Of course, he said it was just a spring snow. It was nothing. It wasn't that cold. Besides, wasn't she a Nebraska native?

"See, you're wearing jeans and I think it's warm enough." He told her. There was a rush of excitement. She couldn't help to smile. They were going somewhere. He then reached for the hoodie on the back of his chair at this desk and put it over her head.

"It might be colder than you think," Tristan told her. She nodded as she put the hoodie on. It smelled of sandlewood and musk. She breathed in his scent. It was a nice feeling. She hated to let herself fall in love because it happened so easily. Still, she might just let it happen.