“Rodrick.”
“Jesus Christ! Girl, you’re well taken care of with a guardian like that. Tell him I need supervision too.”
I laugh so hard my cheeks hurt. “He’s a bit of a grumpy guardian. I’m pretty sure he’s not thrilled about the job he was given. Very bossy too.”
“Oh, but where’s the fun in a sweet guardian?” she asks, smiling with her whole face.
“I’m not just talking about the bad mood. We kind of clash whenever we’re near each other. We’ve only seen each other twice, and both times we argued.”
“Like a cat-and-dog couple?”
“What? No!” My face burns. “We’re not a couple.”
She raises an eyebrow, like she’s keeping a theory to herself. “I need to use the restroom. Wanna come?” she asks after a few seconds.
“Um . . .no. I’ll wait here. Anyway, I was already thinking of leaving. For a first time, I think I’ve stayed long enough. Do you live off-campus? If you do, I can give you a ride.”
“I wish! I live in shared housing, but the building is far. So if it’s no trouble, I’ll take the ride. We can take the opportunity to schedule a time for me to show you the jewelry pieces.”
She sets her soda near mine and heads toward the kitchen. Apparently she’s been here before, because she knows exactly where the bathroom is.
Not even a minute passes before a guy approaches. He looks about my age, maybe a bit older. He’s smiling at me like he already knows me, and I glance behind me, unsure if he’s actually talking to someone else.
“Hey, gorgeous. Alone?”
“Hi,” I reply, awkward. “No. My friend went to the restroom.”
He laughs as if I said something hilarious.
“What?”
“Nobody uses the word ‘restroom’,” he says, and I blush from the jab.
“I use both,” I lie. “Restroom or bathroom, whatever. Anyway, I’m just waiting for her to come back so we can leave.”
“Oh no,” he says dramatically, putting a hand on his chest. “If I don’t dance with you, I’ll go home with a broken heart.”
I glance over his shoulder, praying for Josephine to return, but she’s nowhere.
“Come on. One dance and I’ll let you go,” he says, grabbing my hand.
“Don’t touch me.” I step back, yanking my hand away, and I hear a group of guys laughing nearby.
His face shifts from friendly to irritated.
Another guy approaches. “Don’t mind him. He’s rude. Doesn’t know how to treat a lady.”
I’m uncomfortable with both, but the second guy’s presence calms me a little. He seems easier to handle.
They exchange a few words, but their English is so fast and full of slang that I can’t understand any of it. Someone bumps into me from behind, and panic creeps up my throat. There seem to be way more men than women at this party.
Then Josephine returns. “God, the bathroom line was endless!”
“Hey, another one?” the same guy says, and that’s it. I’m done.
“Let’s go outside,” I tell my new friend.
She seems to understand exactly what’s happening and stares them down. Honestly, if the guy had any sense of self-preservation, he’d retreat. Her eyes are sparking.