Dice and Slice

The table was briefly silent as I took my seat, and Brandon Foster reached for my waist, sighing, "That's enough, Angie. Give it a rest. It's just a drunken joke—go to bed."

I quietly withdrew from this touch, staring pointedly at Wanda Stiles. "Don't get touchy-feely. Your wife is right over there."

Brandon scowled, his tone impatient as he growled, "I've told you so many times—Wanda is just a friend. Why would I bother dating you if we were hooking up?"

I didn't reply because I had heard that response before too many times.

Because of Wanda, he forgot about our date.

Because of Wanda, he left me by the curb.

Because Wanda got drunk that one time, he rushed out of home in the night to pick her up.

And now, he even registered his marriage with Wanda, and in the end, he still claimed they were just friends.

Even as an awkward silence ensued, Wanda came over and sat on Brandon's lap.

"Alright, just cut it out," she said and turned to me with a smile. "There's really nothing going on between us, Angela. It's just a drunken thing, and we'll be divorcing tomorrow. If you really mind that much, I'll apologize."

Then, picking up a bottle of wine off the table, she started chugging.

Brandon's face dropped and she snatched it away, snapping loudly, "What are you doing?! Stop drinking already!"

Then, turning toward me, he glowered. "You're really pushing it, Angela Stark."

I couldn't help smiling self-deprecatingly. "It's fine—I have a sense of humor. I have plenty of free time on my hands too, and you were always saying that I'm unsociable, weren't you?"

Everyone around the table was stunned but quickly jumped in to pacify the situation.

"Sounds great, Angela!" Brandon's longtime buddy, Martin Carson, exclaimed. "We were just planning to call you up. It's Brandon who keeps stopping us."

Then, shooting Brandon a look, he added, "Come on, buddy. You gotta deal with Angela."

Brandon, however, chuckled coolly as he reclined against his seat, pulling Wanda back to him and making her sit on his lap.

His hands on Wanda's waist, he chuckled, "Don't look at me. My wife's right here."

Seeing that I was simply smiling and not freaking out, everyone around the table booed him.

"Yeah, yeah. Congratulations on your wedding. So what are we playing?"

Wanda was charmingly charismatic as she reveled in the excitement, grinning as she said, "The same game of dice. But since we have an obedient girl with us who probably doesn't even know what she's doing, let's be accommodating and play highs or lows.

"Aside from drinking shots, you must provide gifts to celebrate Brandon and I being newlyweds."

The others were complaining right then.

"No way! Everyone knows you and Brandon are the best at dice. We won't survive this when you're both playing as partners."

Through it all, Brandon's hand was on Wanda's waist, and he never looked at me.

Hearing the protest, he chuckled, "Then it's a forfeit."

Martin was flustered as soon as he heard and took off the watch on his wrist. "I just got this last week…"

As the music grew louder, excitement cackled in the room as everyone took off their watches or jewelry.

Brandon himself quietly took off his cufflinks, which I had bought him as an anniversary present.

When another woman, Yvie, put down a bracelet, Wanda excitedly tugged on Brandon's arm, pouting. "I want that bracelet, darling! Win it for me, pretty please!"

I said nothing as I took off my pure diamond earrings and put them on the table. "Congratulations on your wedding. I'm game."