Culling

Part I • Chapter V

"Kill-joy." Greg muttered under his breath, but I heard him.

Derrick's speech seemed to have the desired effect though, and everyone went back to their own business.

Since my seat was apparently now taken, I started wandering around, trying to make the best of the situation. Derrick had left his perch and went to the buffet table, and it seemed like an alright idea so I tagged along.

I didn't recognize most of the foods on display, and the majority looked too delicious to eat. I was just debating between what appeared to be a pastry of some kind or a cup of fruit when a plate was thrust into my vision.

I looked up and met the eyes of the freckled red-haired man. "Hey girl, you need some meat on your bones. Go with the baked goods." He put a few of the more sugary looking pastries on the plate. "What else do you like?" He started walking down the line and he gestured for me to follow.

"Thanks. I'm good." I want to make anyone feel like they were obligated to be nice to me.

"Aw. Don't worry babe." He plopped some mashed potatoes on my plate along with a slab of something that looked like beef. "You need some fuel."

"Um..." I was checking out my plate which seemed to have a combination of desserts and regular food. "Are you sure that those are a main course item?" I gestured at the sugary looking treats.

He ignored my question led me to a small round table that had three chairs that wasn't too far from where I had been sitting before Greg bothered me. The curly-haired man he was talking to earlier sat in the third chair with a plate of his own. "Who is going to stop us? All this spread is for us anyway."

"Right." I folded my hands on my lap as he put the plate in front of me. "Ok."

"Eat. Eat." He sat back with a flourish, the grin on his face never wavering. "Name's Mike."

"I'm Jer." The other man nodded towards me as he picked up a fork.

"Hello. I am Sang." I grabbed the cloth napkin in front of me, put it on my lap and started fiddling with it.

People were talking to me. Boys were talking to me. They seemed ok. I didn't get the same feeling of unease that I had gotten around Greg from these two.

"So that Greg guy brings up an interesting point." Jer was cutting into a piece of his own beef-looking meat. "We might not know each other personally, we have a large population, but all of us in this room have seen each other in passing at least. Celebrations, schools, siblings... I know girls are not super common, but ya'll are around enough. I do know about the sisters of my classmates and friends." He stabbed the meat with his fork. "But I don't recall ever seeing you before in my life. I've never heard of a Sang Sorenson and I do know of your brother."

"I know I haven't seen you around!" Mike chipped in. "If we met in any other situation I might have asked you to marry me. But I didn't even know that guy had a sister."

I blushed and looked down. "I'm...sorry?" What was I supposed to say in a situation like this? It's not like it's my fault no one paid attention. "Derrick knows me..."

"Who? The sulking one in the corner?" Jer pointed a fork towards Derrick, who was indeed back at his original chair and was ignoring everyone else in the room. "Is he your boyfriend or something?"

"No... he's just my brother's friend." I was twirling my thumbs now. "We really haven't talked before but he's said hello occasionally and stuff. I really didn't go out in public all that much though."

Jer looked thoughtful. "I wonder if -"

"Sang!" Khloe appeared at my side and put her hand on my shoulder.