“Jason, go away,” Claire yells ahead of us.
“No, you go away,” he barks back.
“My brother,” she whispers back at me.
“Oh,” I nod.
He stops in his tracks, turning around once he heard a second set of footsteps.
“No,” Claire asserts. “No, no, no.”
My expression morphs into bewilderment because of her outburst.
She shares a knowing expression with Jason. Stabbing her index finger at him, she continues, “No. Go to your room. Please.”
“Wait,” he smirks, “I want to know the name of this lovely lady you’ve brought home.”
I grimace at his boldness. Some things don’t need to be said.
Claire rolls her eyes in annoyance. “Gen, Jason,” she points between us, “Jason, Gen.”
Sighing, she says, “Okay, you’ve met. Now, go away.”
He smiles coyly, then throws his hands up in defeat. I can tell he’s annoying, but that’s how big brothers are. What’s the real reason she doesn’t want me to meet him?
We
“Genny,” she hums in a singsong tone. “Hmm?” I ask impatiently. She should remember from all the other times: I hate taking care of drunk people. Of course, I’d do it every time for a friend. I don’t want her to get hurt because then it’ll be on me. When she’s in this state, I’m responsible for her. I only hate it because it hurts to see her like this. She doesn’t look like she’s having fun. Sophie can’t have fun when it comes to alcohol. She binges, and she gets sad. I take each crucial step towards Sophie's white marble-lined pool in silence. She's propped up on the back of some guy, clearly out of her god damn mind. Once I reach the edge of the marble, I slump down and put my feet in. "Sophie." "Hmm?" she hums, looking up at me with glossy eyes. The guy under her rolls his eyes and places her down. "Who wants to play chicken?" he asks, averting his attention to the other bikini-clad girls in the pool. After momentari
Friday My palms are sweaty, and there’s only one reason. He’s the only reason. Less than a foot away, I can smell his cologne. I knew it when I entered the party. This is far too elegant to be just a “party,” which I knew full well. But, to calm my nerves, I referred to it as “just a frat party.” It’s not like I haven’t been to one before. The first I went to was with Sophie, actually. Maybe I should have realized then that she had a problem. We were 16. It looked very different than this, though. It smelled like old socks and body odor. Sweaty guys ran around the house, and a thick mist surrounded us. Everyone here is classy, put together, and intimidating.
That asshole left me feeling awkward because of the situation that he created. And who was that guy calling him. He looked pretty rough for a posh gathering on the Upper East Side. His spiked hair was cut short, and it glistened stiffly under the mood lights. The black sleeves of his clean cut button-up were pulled to his forearms, revealing an array of colorful tattoos. This man looks gang-affiliated, not to put it lightly. What the hell is he in a fraternity for? Whatever, he’s not my concern. I prod over to where Nick and Cas were sucking face, and lightly tap her shoulder. “Can we go?” I pout like a 5 year old.
“Wow,” Aaron looks at me with hungry eyes. Usually I would enjoy his attention, but right now I feel awkward, like I’m under a microscope. He rubs his chin, ruffling the ginger stubble. Dad lightly taps the table. That’s his tell—when he’s slowly growing impatient or aggravated. I can sense the wheels of thought turning in his brain. “Where exactly were you?” “I forgot to tell you. I went to a party with Casandra.” Aaron shifts uncomfortably. “Oh, okay. Just remember to tell us,” he finishes. Phew.
My senses stop functioning for a second, and when they return, that god-awful smell lingers in her wake.I’d been resigned in my decision. I wasn’t going to make any more snarky commentary, I wasn’t going to see him outside of this setting, and I most definitely wasn’t going to meet him in his office.And yet I found myself placing one foot after the other on the way into that very place.After lightly shutting the door, I wait for some type of response or indication from him. He probably just wants to increase my morale or something.Instead, he focuses harder on whatever document he’s holding, and we remain in silence.“Umm, you called for me?” I ask shakily.With the same distant and lightly cool expression as ever, he gestures to the seat in front of him.I take a shallow gulp and sit down. What the hell is this about?“You’re in high school.”I know it&rsqu
Ouch.Here’s a tip: do not sleep with a laptop on your head.All that research took a lot out of me. I still don’t know exactly what I’m going to write about for that definitive and crucial personal essay.Do I write about my accomplishments, my experiences, or my trauma?Does nursing my best friend to health after drinking a dozen too many count?Another tip for my health: don’t skip too many morning coffees at Saxby’s.Sure, my archnemesis works there. Sure, she very well could poison my order. But I am brave, and I am strong.I sneakily enter the doorway of the establishment. Clad in a sports bra and yoga pants, I’m prepared to book it if Sarah’s working today.“Vanilla latte with some honey, please.”The barista nods and starts making my order.I take a seat at a secluded table and pull out a book that I borrowed the other day. I can finally relax and finis
I turn to use the bathroom and get a drink of water. Once I exit the bathroom, Drake’s waiting for me. “Um, hello.” Why am I so freaking awkward? “My office,” he says softly. I nod subserviently. When we’ve arrived, he closes the door. I struggle to let out a deep breath. “You okay?” “Um, yeah.” I cough discreetly. It quickly turns into a coughing fit, and he comes behind me to pat my back. “Ah, I’m fine,” I muster out—still coughing. “Please don’t die in my office.” Shut the fuck up. Finally, I clear my throat. “Okay, okay. I’m fine.” His palm is still on the small of my back, keeping me steady. “Um, why exactly am I here?” He stills then moves behind his desk. “We need to sort out some logistics of the offer I made you the other day.” The internship. “You’ll be a consultant in the law department of Staple Oil.” Oka
“Gen?” I whip around to the direction of the mystery voice. Claire’s feeding some pigeons with crackers from her bag. “Jake?” “Hey, what are you doing here?” I brush some fly-aways from my face. “Enjoying the park, I guess. I’m here with a friend.” He nods with a bright grin. I can hear Claire in the distance, rolling her tongue, trying to communicate with the pigeons, I guess.