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“You missed a hell of a party last night. You’re coming to the mixer with me tonight, no excuses,” she says, looping her arm through mine. I don’t have time to answer her either, because suddenly the mystery man is back.
“Hey, I think I met you last night,” he says, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth when he looks at Cass. It’s the same face Nate made when he introduced himself, and I recognize it—he’s full-on flirting with Cass.
“Yeah, we hung for a bit I think. I got pretty shit-faced,” she laughs, and I’m a little surprised. I don’t know why really—I know it’s normal for college kids to party and drink. But the thought of it all scares the hell out of me. I’ve never been drunk. I’ve barely had a drink. I mean you don’t go from missing your prom and hiding in the house all the time to life of the party. And just listening to these two people, whom hours ago were strangers, bond and laugh and flirt in front of me, is making the scars on my side hurt and my head is getting dizzy.
“What was your name?” he asks, and I can tell he’s faking the expression he’s making. He doesn’t know her name at all, but this is his way of finding it out.
“Cass,” she says, and an actual giggle escapes her. Every second ticking by in this interaction, I’m learning more about my roommate.
“Cass. That’s right. I’m Ty,” he reaches his hand in front of me to shake hers, and I notice the toned muscles of his arm. I can tell Cass sees them too, and when we make brief eye contact, she looks almost like she’s trying to signal something to me. “Rowe and I were just heading out to the gym. We were going to stop by a few of the buildings on the way. You know, scout out our classes? Wanna come? You look like you’re heading that way.”
Cass bunches her brow, clearly confused at how I know Ty, and why I’m making plans with him. I’d love to give her an answer, but I’m not even sure how I got here and into this situation, so I just smile and stuff my hands deep into my pockets, my thumb rubbing obsessively over the grooves on my room key to keep myself calm.
“Sure, sounds great,” she says, tugging on my arm again to walk closely alongside her.
The elevator ride is quiet and uncomfortable. Several others join us on the next floor down, and we have to wait for everyone to file out when we get to the ground floor. All I can focus on is the front door of the building, the one I practiced walking in and out of all morning. It’s always easier to venture outside when I’m not alone. And Cass makes me feel comfortable, so I take in my deep breath and move my feet forward until we’re finally outside. I must be squeezing Cass’s arm too tightly, because by the time we make it to the next building, she leans into me to ask if I’m all right.
“Sorry,” I say, letting my arm hang loose from hers. “Not good with strangers.”
“You don’t really know him?” she laughs, keeping her voice quiet and tilting her chin forward toward Ty, who is a few feet ahead of us on the walkway.
“I just met him this morning,” I say, shaking my head. Cass laughs and tugs on my sleeve so we can catch up to him.
“So, ladies. Where are you from?” he asks, his eyes really focusing on Cass when he asks that question, and for some reason, I’m relieved that she has to go first.
“Me and my sister are from Burbank,” she says, and I can tell he’s trying to figure out how I’m related to Cass but look nothing like her, so I stop his question before it comes.
“Oh, no. We’re not related. Cass and I are roommates. I’m from Arizona,” I say, turning to Cass, now wondering whom the hell she’s talking about.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry, my sister’s our other roommate. You met her last night, too. Paige?”
I’m so stunned by this revelation I’m unable to keep my thoughts inside my head. “What?” I literally stop walking when I speak, and Cass can’t help but laugh at my response.
“I know, we couldn’t be any more different, huh?” she says, shrugging and smiling back at both of us. “We’re twins. Nobody ever believes it.”
“And why would they! You’re polite and smart and Paige…seems to have other qualities,” I try to change the course of my words midstream, realizing a little too late that I’m calling her sister rude and stupid. Probably a little soon for me to assume that’s okay to do, and I inwardly curse my lack of social skills. Thankfully, my rant has Cass laughing even harder now.
“I know, right? My sister’s a real bitch!”
