Because You're Different ✔

79. Out [Part 1]

Oh, yes, you are so funny. I'd definitely never heard that joke before. How original. I was tempted to walk away there and then, away from all those middle-aged-rich-white-man-privilege vibes he was sending off. Although I was no fashion expert, I could tell his suit was handmade, at least as expensive as three months rent for our Soundview apartment, and that his sickeningly penetrating cologne must've cost around the same. With his hands loosely in his pockets and his full, dark blond hair, graying at the tips, he was handsome — handsome, but not attractive. At all.

"No," I said, "I'm smart enough not to get caught in the first place."

To my annoyance, he laughed at that, so loud that I flinched again. "You're a sassy one, aren't you? You need to go for drinks with us. We're going to toast on Albert's career, at the bar down the street. Just a few colleagues. Nathan too, I think."

This man was inviting me out for drinks? Why? To be entertained some more? What could someone like him possibly want from someone like me? Nothing good, probably. "Thanks, but I'm a little tired and—"

He didn't even let me finish my sentence: "Oh, come on," he said, opening his arms wide. "You have to come! I've known Albert for two years, and he's never even nodded at me in the hallways. I've seen him smile at you. He must like you a lot." He smiled, a practiced, charming smile, designed to make women feel faint. "Not that I blame the man," he added with a wink.

Don't be flattered by this ass, June. Just don't. This was what men like him did. Flirt with all the women, only for the thrill of it. This was a game to him. He'd probably done it millions of times before — it didn't mean a single thing. "I don't know—"

He put his hands together under his chin. "Please, do us all a favor. I think he might say twenty more words if you'd be there."

Despite myself, I laughed. Did he really think Albert was that fond of me? We didn't even know each other that well. In that case, maybe I should've kept pushing for answers about Nathan's strange behavior. Maybe I still could. "Is it a bar-bar?" I heard myself asking. "Because I'm not twenty-one yet."

That clearly surprised him. No matter how good he was at this, his response came just a little too late to be natural. "No, no. It's a dinner type of place. We'll just get you a soda, then."

Maybe it wasn't a good idea, though. It wasn't likely that Albert would explain anything when surrounded by half of his colleagues, especially not with this man being there. A nineteen-year-old high school graduate amidst lawyers who were closer to their pensions than a classroom — what good could come from that?

What good could come from walking away again?

"Oh, alright," I said, "I'll come."

"Perfect!" He checked his watch, a shiny, golden thing, looking exactly like the fake copies some of the guys in Soundview wore around their wrists. "So, want to go now? We can procure a table. The others will be joining as soon as they're done."

"Sure."

He held the door open for me, and I let him, knowing it was all a part of his performance. What a weird week this had been. Not long ago, I'd been watching La Casa de las Flores with Luis in my lap, between Valentina the waitress and David the mechanic, and now, I was parading down the San Francisco streets on a Friday afternoon, in the company of a boastful lawyer who probably made more in one year than my dad had in his lifetime.

It wasn't hard to decide which situation I preferred.

Leather white chairs were scattered around a room with high ceilings, paintings of red and blue stripes lining the walls. Marsden led me to a table in the back, fairly private, like he'd sensed my discomfort. At least, I wouldn't be bothered by others staring at me, and for that I was thankful. He was an easy talker, chatting away about nothing important at all while giving the impression of discussing something of significance. "This is the second time this week I've seen you at the office," he said, when we'd received our drinks, water for me, a beer for him. "You haven't been there before, right? I'd have remembered you then, of course." Another one of those winks.