Perhaps an epiphany?

I don't think guys realize how easily girls (in general, or maybe just me) startle.  It takes less than a quarter of a breath for me to go from genial and pleasantly minding my own business to suspicious and overflowing with "oh god what does he want." 

(And yes, there is no question mark at the end of that because by the time the thought finishes crossing my mind, I've already moved on to a possible list of answers.) 

I dropped by a Redbox today (not sure why I find the Underworld series so endearing, but I finally got around to seeing the third one) and on my way out I stood at the bike rack settling my bag and my jacket into my bike basket and this guy--quite a good looking guy, too, I should add--approached me with a rather hesitant but endearing smile.  He said hello, I was polite and answered.  He looked like he was gearing up for a question, so I looked up from my stuff and gave him about three-quarters of my attention in case he was lost or needed help or something.  He asked if I was a student at UCSB, and I could feel my expression freeze over.  I told him yes, but when he asked my name I gave him a fake one.  "S--Rachel." 

(Rachel is an old, old character of mine from a post-apocalyptic world.  She was a timid, frightened little slip of a thing and I've always felt that she wouldn't mind me using her name to make myself feel safer.) 

(She was also one of the Animorphs, which I'm pretty sure is where the name originally came from.  Originally in my lifetime, I mean.) 

So he says something very amicable in an unassuming, nonthreatening way along the lines of "oh, that's where I've seen you from." 

Which was a lie.  I'm observant and I'm sure I'd have noticed such a good-looking guy in one my lectures--and since I've only had a total of three lectures this year, all small(ish) upper division lectures, it cuts way down on the number of people around me. 

That and it was clearly just a line.  I almost played along, even, except that it was so clearly a line and I didn't actually know what he wanted out of me.  My number?  Not happening.  Not interested, not even for such a friendly, attractive (brave) guy.  So I said something along the lines of "oh, neat.  That's cool.  See you around, then." 

Part of it was that I'm really just not interested in general.  But a much bigger part was that he startled me and then I couldn't get over my initial suspicion.  And yes, stress and other recent situations have left me more on-guard and less chatty than usual, but I'm pretty certain I still would have reacted better if he hadn't been my age. 


So, (girls especially) help me out: am I the only one who startles like a goddamned rabbit over stuff and people that most likely are not dangerous?