Chapter 9
“Steve, I told you. I already called Campus Police and alerted them of what happened yesterday.” Darcy gave an exasperated smile.
“Sorry, but that guy got aggressive with my girl.” Steve shrugged, blushing from the newness of it all. “Aren’t you supposed to be in class?”
“Eh,” Darcy winced. “I’m kinda ditching my last one today.”
“What for?”
“I have a paper due at five today. I need at least another page on it and then I gotta polish it all nice and pretty. This professor is a stickler with formatting.”
Steve chuckled. “Sounds like fun. I have to go somewhere today, but I was wondering if afterwards if you wanted to catch a movie with me.”
Darcy lifted an eyebrow as she moved her study gear to her desk. “Your movies or mine?”
“Let’s try mine this time.”
“I like it.” Darcy grinned slyly. “I get a vintage look today.”
“Vintage?”
She chuckled. “I’ll explain one day. Where are you heading off to?”
Steve grimaced. “Just gotta do some errands for a potential job. But I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”
“Alright,” Darcy frowned from the vagueness.
Once she felt Steve ease from her mind, she set up her snacks at her desk. Sugar filled soda, Sour Patch Kids, and Sour Cream and Cheese chips all ready to go. She popped in her headphones and blasted up her iPod for her known study mix. Most of it was filled with Broadway musicals. Darcy grinned as she remembered the day her and Steve had listened to Rent.
Darcy was halfway through her last page when she realized the opportunity she had in front of her. It would take one google search away with his name and the year to find what happens to Steve. But then Darcy wondered what that would do to her and their relationship. Was it healthy for her to be in a relationship with a guy that most likely wasn’t alive in her time? Probably not. As much as Darcy wanted to know, and boy did she ever, she ignored google. She most likely needed her head shrunk, but right now Darcy wanted to stay in denial land where she had a great guy like Steve and everything was okay.
“Steve, ignore the guy. He’s an asshole.” Darcy said in his head.
Steve was really trying. He was trying to watch a movie with his gal, give her an experience of his time, but this guy wouldn’t stop badmouthing the people that were risking their lives for him. Steve could feel the anger building up in him.
“Steve,” Darcy warned.
“Darce, I’m gonna have to get back to you.” Steve whispered.
Darcy cursed loudly as Steve severed the connection. She knew what her idiotic boyfriend was doing and it filled her with a mix of pride and anger. Steve was willing to take on a guy twice his side just to defend everyone else, ignoring the fact that the guy is twice his size. But Darcy had to admit, from the first time they had realized their connection, she knew there was something about Steve that just would not back down from a fight. With the fact that he was willing to stand up to bullies despite his size and illness, it made Darcy fall even more for the guy. Selfless, Darcy thought, completely selfless.
Darcy bit her lip until it was sore while waiting for Steve, but she got nothing. Diana got back while Darcy was sulking and trying to take pathetic notes. It had been two hours since she had talked to Steve and she was getting more and more agitated. Sure, she could pursue him, but she knew if he wasn’t talking to her then there was a situation where he couldn’t talk. She swore to herself that if he didn’t contact her by tonight then she was going to talk to him.
“You’re acting weird lately.” Diane remarked.
“Huh?” Darcy replied eloquently.
“Well,” Diane shrugged. “You used to be blasting music so much and talked nonstop. I mean, I don’t know what’s going on. You even started dressing weird.”
“Weird?” Darcy balked.
“Yeah, with their hair rolls and the makeup. You look like someone from the forties or something.” Diane snorted.
Darcy blushed. “I like change.”
“Whatever. Is something going on? I mean, even Lily doesn’t come over as much anymore. You’ve been secluding yourself more and more.”
Darcy narrowed her eyes. “Why are you asking me all these questions?”
“I was talking to Carol about it.” Diane admitted carelessly. “She said her roommate started doing that last year and it turns out she was doing heavy drugs like crack or something.”
“So your concern is if I’m doing drugs?” Darcy asked slowly. How did she get stuck with this person as a roommate?
“If you are, just don’t keep them in the room, ‘kay? I don’t want you to get busted and then the both of us get thrown out.” Diane remarked flippantly.
“I’m not doing drugs, Diane.” Darcy sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
“Huh,” Diane grunted.
“It’s just my, uh, boyfriend.” Darcy admitted.
Diane’s eyes widened. “Since when did you start dating someone?”
“It’s long distance.” Not really a lie, she told herself. “We haven’t seen much of each other.”
“Oh,” Diane brightened at the explanation. “Okay.”
“Actually,” Darcy said slowly. “He’s going to be in town for tonight only. I was wondering if I could have the room to myself?”
Diane lifted an eyebrow. “You want the room to yourself?”
“Couldn’t you go stay with your boyfriend?” Darcy asked.
Diane narrowed her eyes. “Maybe I don’t feel like it.”
Darcy groaned inwardly. “I’ll buy groceries for the next two weeks, okay?”
Diane grinned like a Cheshire cat. “You got a deal. I’ll be gone in an hour.”
Darcy grumbled a thanks but really she was cursing her roommate for being a bitch. She needed the alone time tonight to have a long talk with Steve.
“Darcy?”
“Steve!” Darcy jumped up in her bed. “What the hell happened?”
“Sorry,” Steve blushed. “Things kind of got out of control and then Bucky showed up.”
“I can feel the tension in you, Steve. What’s going on?”
Steve kicked off his shoes, debating on how to answer. “Bucky got his call.”
“Steve,” She whispered softly.
“And I got mine.” He said hurriedly.
Darcy stilled. “What?”
“There’s this new program. I tried enlisting again and there was this doctor. Basically I’m just going to see if I fit for this new program.”
“Program?” Darcy’s voice sounded hollow.
“Yeah, it’s Dr. Erskine’s program. Really nice guy.”
The name of the doctor nagged in the back of Darcy’s mind but she waved it off for right now. “Steve, why didn’t you tell me you were doing any of this?”
“None of it was planned, Darcy. It all kind of just happened. One minute I was on a failing double date with Bucky and the next…”
“Date?” Darcy exclaimed.
“That’s on Buck.” Steve said quickly. “You know he’s always trying to set me up. I didn’t get friendly with her or anything, Darce.”
She sighed heavily. “I just wish we had a normal relationship where we could actually tell people about us.”
“I do too,” he admitted softly. “You’re my gal, Darce, I’m not gonna do you wrong.”
“I know,” Darcy ran a frustrated hand through her hair. “When do you leave out?”
“Tomorrow,” He grimaced.
“And what about when you’re training and stuff? Will I…”
“Well, I kind of got into a fight with that jerk today. I had to pray you wouldn’t feel any of it.”
Darcy’s mouth tipped. “Not a thing.”
“So as long as we’re not connected then you shouldn’t feel a thing.”
“No, but you will.” She gritted.
“I gotta do it, Darce. I wish you could understand it.”
“I do, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. I don’t want to lose you, Steve.” She admitted.
“You’re not going to, I promise.”
“We’ve been over this promise thing before,” Darcy chuckled. She took a deep breath before forcing a smile. “Well soldier, what do you want to do on your last night before going into the army?”
Steve stilled. He choked a little on his reply. “What did you have in mind?”
“Anything you want, Steve.” She replied coyly.
“Anything?” Steve fought a blush. “I would love to draw my girl.”
“Gonna draw me like one of your French girls?” She drawled.
“What?” He sputtered.
“It’s a reference to a movie, Titanic. I’ll tell you more about it late. Right now, how do you want me?”