Roman

twenty

Hello everyone! This is a longer update, so enjoy. How is online school going for everyone? Personally I feel like is separates the good teachers from the bad, but maybe that's just me. Please vote 💕.

Oh God. Here we go.

I follow Dani out the door of our dorm room, out into the hall. Don't get me wrong. I think I look great, and so does Dani, I'm just not used to going out dressed like this.

Dani somehow got me into a black sheet long sleeve shirt with small embroidered flowers on it, with only my black bra on underneath. Thankfully, I was fully clothed other than that. I'm wearing jeans similar to Dani's, but with a thick belt that cinches my jeans so that they actually fit my waist and my hips at the same time. I didn't realize that was possible.

Dani holds onto my hand as we leave the building, leading me to her car. With shaky hands, I pull the seat belt across my chest. To say that I'm nervous is an understatement. I have been to one or two parties, but they have all been super low-key and hardly what one would think of as a 'party'.

There is nowhere to park within a block of the party, so we have to walk two blocks in the cold and the fleeting light. The winter sun set hours ago and the temperature hovers just above freezing. A jacket that Dani found for me in her trunk is tightly wrapped around my frame, but if fails to maintain what little is left of my body heat. I am already regretting wearing such little clothing.

By the time we reach the house, my teeth are chattering and my feet feel numb from the cold. Hurrying inside, I hope to find some source of heat or maybe some warm drinks within. The house is fairly small and the front door opens up into the living room. Dani breezes through the living room, leaving me to stumble across the carpet behind her like a lost puppy. Somehow, she seems completely at home here, as if she had been here before There is some rap music playing through speakers on the entertainment stand and there are a few guys sitting on the couch, talking to two skinny brunettes who are perched on their laps. The two girls almost look like exotic pets sitting on the laps of the giant athletes. A few of them hold beers; for some reason I feel cheated that they are not drinking from the iconic red solo cups.

Once we reach the kitchen, Dani bats her eyelashes at the guy that seems to be the keeper of the beer and convinces him to give her a beer, all with a practiced precision. Thankfully, she doesn't get a beer for me. I didn't want to have to turn her down in front of this guy who is clearly on the football team.

Suddenly, I realize how much of a mistake this party was. I know that Dani is going to want to go off and flirt with some guy she deems fit, leaving me to socialize by myself. I can't help to notice that there are not very many girls here, and the ones who are, seem more interested in getting a spot on some guy's lap than talking to me. I am not entirely sure how Dani got an invite to this party, but on second thought, I'm not sure if I want to know. It all seems a little low-key to just be able to walk in here without an invite.

My thoughts are interrupted by a gentle nudge against my shoulder. I look up, blinking in surprise. The boy standing next to me is beautiful, with his high cheek bones, elegant mouth, and eyes a light brown, like honey. His skin is a deep brown and looks silky soft. He stands a few inches taller than me and has a friendly grin on his face.

"You look a little bit out of place," he says before taking a small sip out of a red solo cup. Well I found my cliché.

"Oh. I—uh, yeah. I'm not really a party person."

"It's okay. I get that. I'm not really a party person myself either."

I smile, blushing, and look down at my feet. I tug Dani's jacket closer around me again. His eyes are drawn to the action, and suddenly, as if he just remembered something, he shoots off across to the other side of the kitchen and starts moving things around on the stove.