Twilight Java

Chapter 8

Veronica peeked her head over the crowd of people, looking over everyone. Her eyes lightened up then I felt her warm hand wrap around my arm.

"Let's go," She said as she pulled me through the crowd of people. The room wasn't filled to the brim with people, but it was stifling and I got pushed against a few times as Veronica led me. We emerged into a large island counter that faced the rest of the party where the music wasn't as loud and a small group of girls and guys mingled. We sat down at the bar stools, and Veronica's hand leaped at an opened box of generic cookies on the counter. I watched her eyes look everywhere but at mine and seemingly breathed in a rigid way.

"Are you okay?" I finally asked after watching her odd behavior that was even evident before the party.

She cleared her throat awkwardly then nodded briskly, "Yep."

I didn't respond to that, but we did sit in an awkward silence as I waited bored at the counter for her to speak up again. Her head perked up and her eyes followed something behind me, but I didn't bother turning around to see what it was. Her eyes trailed further for a while longer, before she turned back to me.

"Are you fine with me leaving for a bit?" She asked, already stepping her foot off the bar stool.

"'Course," I responded, giving her a light smile before she went off into the crowd, going after who knows what. Although I felt a bit used for being led to that party, I didn't want to think about the reasons for Veronica wanting me to come. Whether it be a hook up, or wanting to get wasted and have someone to take them home, I'd just grin and bear it because I did after all agree.

I sat awkwardly at the island, playing on my phone until someone knocked me out of my lonesome thoughts.

"Do you want a beer?" A tall girl in the kitchen asked me, looking oddly sympathetic.

I shook my head, "No thanks, I'm good."

Nevertheless, she opened the fridge and pulled two bottles out, "Are you sure? You look pretty bored and need to have some fun."

I looked at the two bottles she held in her hand and simply gave in since she already took them out.

"I guess I'll have one."

She smirked then popped open the lid for me, sliding it over on the counter. The girl came over next to me, leaning against the counter as her long and black cornrows dangled to her waist.

"It doesn't seem like you really want to be here," She remarked, taking a swig of beer.

I tried to imitate her, bringing the bottle to my lips but the bitter smell made me want to not drink it. I forced myself to ignore that and took a half sip of beer, pushing past my urge to shiver.

"My roommate asked me to come and I didn't have anything better to do."

"Ah," The girl said. "If I were you, I'd tell my roommate to fuck off and get someone else to babysit her."

My eyes widened at her harsh words, "That's just not really me. She asked and I said yes so..." I trailed off, plugging up the rest of my sentence with a forced gulp of beer.

The girl shrugged and pushed herself off the counter, "Whatever, but don't take shit from people. Also, your makeup looks really good," She said, but before I could even thank her she had already walked off. Were these the sort of casual encounters that being in college would bring me?