Eros

Chapter 14: Eros À la carte

"I don't know if I can do this, Shayla, this isn't like me at all."

"Come on, girl, you're one hot chick. The boys will flip over your pretty sixes when they set eyes on you!"

"I don't know. I don't feel all that." Angie blushed and tossed her hair aside. "I can't believe I let you talk me into putting makeup on, too."

"Who cares!" Shay said into her ear as she shoved Angie toward the long line of people waiting to get in. "Gotta love reservations."

"Wait, is this a restaurant? I thought you said this was a restaurant! Just because you're twenty one doesn't mean you can drag me into places like this!" Angie resisted Shay's pushing, making her friend grunt.

"Angie, please, you're starting to give me ulcers. I won't make you drink or smoke or anything like that. Cross my heart." Shay gave her her famous innocent pout.

Angie laughed. It was dry and short. "That's 'cause it didn't work the first time when I was a freshman!"

"Shut up, that hottie over there is checking you out. Oh, baby. He's gorgeous. Wow, he isn't even looking me! I'm jealous!"

"Please. No one stares at me." Angie couldn't help but follow Shay's gaze. She felt her eyes fly open and she turned around as quick as she could, glad she had thrown her gum away hours ago. Choking at inopportune times was her forte. "Oh my gosh! That is Eros. Shay, that's Eros!"

Angie's chest pumped hard and the ambient lighting made her head spin. He wasn't alone.

"Did you know that Eros is the god of love?" Her voice dropped into a husky whisper, her lashes dropped down slowly.

"Shut up!" Angie shoved her friend, trying to get the stupid glazed look off of her.

"Well, he sure looks like it. Eeh, needs wings, then he'd be perrrfect. Oh my gosh! I have the most perfect thing if that's the case—Angie! You've got to say yes. Please say yes."

Angie stared at Shay and burst out laughing at how comical she looked with her bulging eyes, bulging lower lip, and bulging ego. "I can't. You did this to me the last time I saw you, Shay."

"I ain't given' up on you, girl. Say yes or I'll go over to the god of love and tell him you want to—" She turned her shoulders a dangerous quarter of an angle closer to Eros.

"Okay, okay! Yes, yes, yes—you're so annoying."

Shay scrunched her face and batted her long lashes. "Yeah, but you love me. Anyway, as you know, my sorority is throwing like this huge masquerade! Oh, you will love it and you're invited." Shay raised her brows until they vanished into her black and burgundy, choppy bangs. "Well, what do you think? Even Mr. Hottie," Shay turned and wiggled her fingers to him and winked, "is invited."

Angie whacked Shay with her mini purse and hid her face with her hair. "I really wish you didn't do that."

"Why?"

"Because he's with them, not us."

"Who? Those bimbos? Oh, c'mon, Ang, they're skin and bones compared to you!"

Angie choked on her breath and swatted Shay. After gathering her composure and air, Angie turned a baleful eye on her. "You're really impossible, you know that, Shayla Ellis Lavelle?"

"Yes, but you love me! Ah, it's our turn!"

Angie settled herself into the small square chair behind the small square table with small square tiles that lined the edges. Mosaic. It was beautiful. Murals of olive forests graced the textured walls from tiled floor to ceiling. There were ancient temples dotting the lush landscape and there was Mount Olympus.