Alani picked up the scattered books with a customary sigh. Why does my taste in literature have to be so heavy?

“Can I give you a hand with that?” a deep voice asked from above her. Ugh. Another guy.

“No, I’ve got it,” she said, curtly. “Thanks anyway.” Of course then I proceeded to drop the entire stack again.

The boy smiled and it shone through his green eyes. “Positive?” he asked her, scooping up half the pile into a neat stack and straightening up. “Where are you taking these?”

To Hell, she thought bitterly. Maybe then you’d leave me alone. “To my car,” she said instead.

“Good, I can give you a hand,” he smiled again, somehow managing to annoy her.

What is this? she demanded of no one in particular. I’ve been avoiding the opposite sex since the Breakup and look — one basically grows out of the floor! If this is Cupid’s idea of a joke he’s sadly mistaken!

“So where’s you’re car?” he asked, looking down at me.

“In Antarctica, where maybe you’ll notice the cold shoulder I’m giving you.”