Resisting Rosaleen (18+)

34

Sean and Eric were the same height but with very different builds. The other looked like he loves to workout and the other looked like he loves to exercise, if that makes sense. Even though I dislike the situation, I couldn't deny how the were heavily biased with sending me good-looking people to problemize.

"This is Eric," I said.

"Nice to meet you," said Eric with his usual charm and friendliness. Somehow, it reminded me of Aiden who I knew was silently watching the scene unfold before him.

Sean didn't reciprocate the phrase or replied with anything similar. Instead, they shook hands firmly and let the introduction hang in the air. Before things could get more tense than my body could handle, Jie clapped her hands. "Okay," she announced, "Who wants to drink?"

"Me," Aiden said, raising his hand like a little boy, "I need some vermouth," he muttered more to himself as he got up.

"Count me in," I sighed and let my shoulders drop, leaving the two men to follow my favorite person in the room right now to my home bar. Lately when I drink, I feel a tinge of guilt for Nikolas. I feel like I'm a hypocrite.

Not a while later, everyone had a glass in their hand. I sat down on the couch and Eric sat beside me—directly across Sean who was watching us. It was annoying.

"So, Eric," started Sean, "How did you meet Rosa?" he asked with the last word heavily accented.

"My sister is her brother's girlfriend," Eric answered, "I'm not from here. I just came for my sister's birthday."

That seemed to lower Sean's tense figure a bit.

Only a bit.

I bargained with God then to have men stop acting as if they had an automatic hold on me.

"Mind me asking how old you are?" spoke Sean before he brought a glass of cognac to his lips.

"Twenty-two," Eric raised his glass once.

I couldn't say that the twenty minutes of socialization with this particular group of four was the best I've ever had. I only talked when someone asked me a question—usually asking for my opinion. Besides that, I kept my mouth shut.

My phone as a form of distraction couldn't really work since I'd just be inviting Nikolas to run for hours into my head again.

I endured twenty minutes of Sean being fake to Eric and Eric being unaware of the tense atmosphere between the other four in the room with him. If he was aware of anything, he did a pretty great job acting maturely and dodging Sean's disguised judgements.

To make matters worse, Sean opted for a game.

"Let's play Never Have I Ever," he said.

My eyes flew to Aiden for help. Yawning, he said, "That's boring.

"How about Spin The Bottle?" Sean tried again.

My eyes flew to Jie this time for help. She cringed before saying "I have a boyfriend."

"Truth or Dare kind of Spin the Bottle," said Sean.

"That's elementary," I blurted out.

Sean paused for a second before a grin broke through his features, "How about Seven Minutes In Heaven?"

Before I could protest, Eric had spoken,

"I'm up for that."

"Uhh... I have a boyfriend," Jie said again. She scooted backwards.

"See?" Sean stood, "Eric's up for it. I'm gonna go get a bottle.

"I'm not in the mood to play," I announced.