consider taking the opportunity
to mend the fragile fence that’s been raised between us. When I
turn to follow him, his eyes lock on me in a venomous stare while
his jaw moves infinitesimally, as though he’s grinding his teeth.
Already, I regret this chaperone situation. When I do an about-face
to try and salvage the other conversation, I see everyone heading
to the dance floor. There’s nothing for me to do, so I head to the
bar.
As I make my way through the crowd, I catch sight
of a girl across the floor. She walks in my direction, and there’s
something about her that makes me slow my pace. My mind instantly
thinks of the painting, The Birth of Venus , from art class. Even though she looks like she’s
about my age, her features seem like they come from a different
time. She has a high forehead, ivory skin with rosy cheeks, a long,
elegant neck, flowing waves of strawberry blonde hair and a curvy
body. Even her ivory dress appears to have some kind of Grecian
drape. As she slinks toward me, it seems that her eyes are trained
my way. If I had a much higher opinion of myself, I might even say
she was staring right at me. I glance over my shoulder to see who
she’s looking at, expecting to find someone like Arden. When I turn
my head back, the girl is right in front of me. I take a step aside
to move out of her way, but she stops next to me and says
something. The music and adrenaline course through me, so I have to
lean close to hear her.
“Pardon?” I say.
She mirrors my gesture and with a lilting Irish
accent repeats herself. “I said, do you like what you see?”
My face flushes. Clearly, I was ogling her and now,
to my great embarrassment, she’s calling me out on it.
“I’m so sorry, I―”
“Don’t be silly.”
“Y ― you’re not mad?” I stammer.
“Should I be?”
“I’d prefer it if you weren’t,” I
admit.
She tosses her hair back, smiling broadly. Honestly,
I don’t know how to react. I’ve never met anyone like her before.
As though reading my mind, she says, “By now most lads offer to buy
me a drink.”
“Right ... can I buy you a drink?”
Her emerald eyes flicker over my shoulder for just
an instant, like a candle flame. Part of me waits for whatever it
was that her eyes went to behind me. Maybe a jealous boyfriend
storming our way to angrily interrupt the moment. I suddenly get
the sense that maybe this is just a ploy to mess with some guy’s
emotions. She moves in and I can feel her breath on my ear as she
speaks.
“That would be lovely.”
After what feels like an eternity, she pulls away
from me and I can breathe again. I turn to make my way to the bar,
taking a good look around for any surprises. Nothing. Not that I
can see. Maybe it was my imagination. At the bar, I order a beer
for me and something local called a Kir Royale for her. As I turn
to walk back to the mysterious girl, I’m suddenly grabbed tightly
by the throat. Right, the angry boyfriend. But I’m face-to-face
with Arden, who’s wild with rage. There’s something very dangerous
about the look in his eyes. Our faces are just a breath apart. It’s
not nearly as pleasant as my experience just moments before.
“What’re you doing?”
The question is more of a guttural growl than a
sentence.
“Nothing,” I manage to croak.
“Who is she?”
“I don’t know,” I squeak. “Just some random girl
who wants to hook up, I guess.”
Arden scrutinizes me for a long minute before
releasing me. I make a big show of shaking him off and
straightening myself out again. Well, as best as I can with a drink
in each hand.
“What’s it to you anyway?” I seethe, my voice
strained.
“You’re asking for trouble.”
“Whatever, Arden.”
Looking back through the crowd, I see that she’s
caught the antagonistic exchange. I walk back across the floor to
her slowly, trying to think of something cool to say to recover
from whatever just happened.
As I hand the drink to her, she simply says with
to mend the fragile fence that’s been raised between us. When I
turn to follow him, his eyes lock on me in a venomous stare while
his jaw moves infinitesimally, as though he’s grinding his teeth.
Already, I regret this chaperone situation. When I do an about-face
to try and salvage the other conversation, I see everyone heading
to the dance floor. There’s nothing for me to do, so I head to the
bar.
As I make my way through the crowd, I catch sight
of a girl across the floor. She walks in my direction, and there’s
something about her that makes me slow my pace. My mind instantly
thinks of the painting, The Birth of Venus , from art class. Even though she looks like she’s
about my age, her features seem like they come from a different
time. She has a high forehead, ivory skin with rosy cheeks, a long,
elegant neck, flowing waves of strawberry blonde hair and a curvy
body. Even her ivory dress appears to have some kind of Grecian
drape. As she slinks toward me, it seems that her eyes are trained
my way. If I had a much higher opinion of myself, I might even say
she was staring right at me. I glance over my shoulder to see who
she’s looking at, expecting to find someone like Arden. When I turn
my head back, the girl is right in front of me. I take a step aside
to move out of her way, but she stops next to me and says
something. The music and adrenaline course through me, so I have to
lean close to hear her.
“Pardon?” I say.
She mirrors my gesture and with a lilting Irish
accent repeats herself. “I said, do you like what you see?”
My face flushes. Clearly, I was ogling her and now,
to my great embarrassment, she’s calling me out on it.
“I’m so sorry, I―”
“Don’t be silly.”
“Y ― you’re not mad?” I stammer.
“Should I be?”
“I’d prefer it if you weren’t,” I
admit.
She tosses her hair back, smiling broadly. Honestly,
I don’t know how to react. I’ve never met anyone like her before.
As though reading my mind, she says, “By now most lads offer to buy
me a drink.”
“Right ... can I buy you a drink?”
Her emerald eyes flicker over my shoulder for just
an instant, like a candle flame. Part of me waits for whatever it
was that her eyes went to behind me. Maybe a jealous boyfriend
storming our way to angrily interrupt the moment. I suddenly get
the sense that maybe this is just a ploy to mess with some guy’s
emotions. She moves in and I can feel her breath on my ear as she
speaks.
“That would be lovely.”
After what feels like an eternity, she pulls away
from me and I can breathe again. I turn to make my way to the bar,
taking a good look around for any surprises. Nothing. Not that I
can see. Maybe it was my imagination. At the bar, I order a beer
for me and something local called a Kir Royale for her. As I turn
to walk back to the mysterious girl, I’m suddenly grabbed tightly
by the throat. Right, the angry boyfriend. But I’m face-to-face
with Arden, who’s wild with rage. There’s something very dangerous
about the look in his eyes. Our faces are just a breath apart. It’s
not nearly as pleasant as my experience just moments before.
“What’re you doing?”
The question is more of a guttural growl than a
sentence.
“Nothing,” I manage to croak.
“Who is she?”
“I don’t know,” I squeak. “Just some random girl
who wants to hook up, I guess.”
Arden scrutinizes me for a long minute before
releasing me. I make a big show of shaking him off and
straightening myself out again. Well, as best as I can with a drink
in each hand.
“What’s it to you anyway?” I seethe, my voice
strained.
“You’re asking for trouble.”
“Whatever, Arden.”
Looking back through the crowd, I see that she’s
caught the antagonistic exchange. I walk back across the floor to
her slowly, trying to think of something cool to say to recover
from whatever just happened.
As I hand the drink to her, she simply says with
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