Vicki Grant - 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You

There were three rapid knocks, then the door opened and a girl stumbled in, out of breath.

Sorry. Sorry Im late. I had to talk to my English teacher about my term paper and he wasnt in his office and

Jeff jiggled his head like no problem.

by the time he got there Id missed my bus and I had to go downtown for

Its fine. Dont worry about it. You filled out the form?

Oh, yes. Sorry. She looked around the room for a place to put the live tropical fish she was carrying in a small bag full of water.

Here. He patted the corner of his desk.

Thanks. She put it down. Yikes. Wet. Apologies. She picked up the bag, wiped it on the sleeve of her big gray vintage overcoat, then put it back down. This stupid fish. Only one place to get it and my brotherGabe. Hes twelve. He has a sorry. You dont want to know. You want the form. She began rifling through the large leather book bag slung across her chest. A battered copy of Brideshead Revisited fell onto the floor.

Why dont you sit down? He pointed at a plastic chair in front of his desk. Might be easier.

She sat, retrieved her book, and began rifling again. Im not usually this disorganized. Really. Its just. What a day. I mean, week.

Its blue, he said. Eight and a half by eleven There it is. Next to the, uh, change purse.

Oh. Right. She rolled her eyes at herself and handed him the form. I also brought my rsum.

No need. He smoothed the paper shed given him and did a quick scan.

Are you sure? Because I added a short paragraph about possibly pursuing psychology as a minor, especially as it relates to

Really. No qualifications necessary.

While he read her form, she looked around his office. You like toys, she said.

He didnt look up. Action figures, he corrected her. They were arranged on his bookshelves according to genre, rarity, age, and a hard-to-quantify X factor: the little buzz he got from the really cool ones. These were not toys.

He made some notes, then said, So Hilda Sangster Citadel High

She groaned.

Now he looked up. Is there a problem?

Sorry. The Hilda thing. I should have explained.

He checked the form.

I know I wrote Hilda but thats because it said First Name, Last Name, not Name Used, and I figured you needed it for official purposes so I just, well, did as instructed despite the fact that I cant stand the name. Its so, like, Teutonic or something. Nobody ever calls me Hilda.

So what should I call you then?

Hildy.

Hil-dee, not Hil-da.

Doesnt sound like much but, honestly? To me? Huge. Ill change it somedayI mean, legally and everythingbut my grandmothers still alive and, well, feelings to consider, family legacy, etc., etc.

She must have realized she was talking too much. She gave an awkward smile and sat up straight.

Hildy it is then. I see here youre a senior. Youre single?

She laughed in a way that could only mean yes.

And youre what? Eighteen? Good. Because youll need to sign a consent form.

Sure. No problem but Um. Maybe I should find out what this is about first? I mean, there is a limit to what Ill do in the name of science. She laughed again, but she wasnt fooling either of them.

Absolutely. Okay. My names Jeff. Im a PhD student here at the university. I recently got a grant to look atwell, the easiest way to describe it is relationship building. Basically, Im interested in finding out if we can influence subjects such as yourself to develop a close interpersonal bond with another participant, which might then develop into

Sorry. Um. Am I understanding this right? She put her arms around her book bag as if it were a toddler in need of comfort. Youre trying to find out if you can make people like each other?

One side of his mouth smiled. Not make. Hed be a billionaire if he could do that. Were not interested in brainwashing anyone. Were just looking to see if its possible tolets sayfacilitate a personal closeness, which could result in a relationship.

You mean, like a friendship?

Yes. Or, more significantly, a romantic relationship. Im looking at how people initiate intimate bonds and if that process can be nudged forward in some way.

Hildy went, Love? like it was an accusation. Thats what youre talking about?

He made a note. Yes, potentially love although

Did Max give you my name? She sounded annoyed.

Max? No. Max who?

Xiu?

What? I dont even know what that is.

Xiu Fraser?

No. No one gave me your name. You contacted me. Remember? This is just a psychological study to see if love

Love! she said again, and jumped up.

He didnt know how she managed to knock his bookshelf off the wallshe wasnt that tallbut suddenly Disney-themed action figures were torpedoing down around them as if thered been an explosion in an animated film.

She went, Oh. God. No. Sorry, and turned around to see what shed done. Her book bag swung behind her and hit a lamp, which slammed against another shelf and sent supervillains flying, too.

She put her hand over her mouth and made the type of whining noise dogs make when they need to go outside.

She crouched down and began picking up action figures and piling them by the handful onto his desk.

Im sorry, she said. I shouldnt have come. I shouldnt have left my room. Seriously. This is what happens when I