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Alyssa leans into me, wrapping her arms around me. I turn to her, searching for meaning in her expression, but I can't make anything of it.
"Hey, you two--enough. This is a party. Stop looking so cuddly and adorable."
"Damn, Ellen. You really are jealous," Nicholas says.
"Fine. Be adorable. What do I care? It's not like this is Alyssa's last night in the city with us."
"If you want a chance to be adorable, you should probably try a second date."
"I get everything I need on the first." She sticks her tongue out.
Nicholas shakes his head. "Then why are you jealous?"
Ellen narrows her eyes. "Oh, go find some eighteen-year-old college student who will want to hear all about your truth on stage."
"You could be serious about the craft," Nicholas says.
"I am damn serious! I'm just not a pretentious fool." Ellen steps towards the bar. "You guys want to be difficult, fine. But I am going to get another drink. And I am going to have fun. You can sit here and talk about truth and cuddle and whatever. I don't care." She marches to the bar.
Nicholas turns to us. "She's always like this."
"You guys really work together that often?" Alyssa asks.
Nicholas sighs. "Unfortunately." He slides out of the booth and offers his hand for Alyssa to shake. "It was nice working with you."
She grabs his hand and shakes. "I thought you hated me."
"Everyone thinks that." He releases her grip and waves good-bye. "I'm sure I'll see you again sometime. Call me if Ellen gets too drunk. I'll take her home."
"Sure," Alyssa says. She watches Nicholas leave, then turns to me. "We can get out of here. Go back to the apartment for one last time."
"Are you sure that's what you want?"
"We don't have to analyze every little thing to death." She pulls away from me, fighting a sigh. "Okay. Forget it. I'll have another drink. We'll entertain Ellen."
"We're going to spend the next week together," I say.
"I know."
"Then we'll be back in Los Angeles. Back to our normal lives."
"I know that too," she says. She pushes out of the booth, smoothing her skirt and her blouse. "It's fine, really."
"What's up, Ally? There's something weird about you."
She shrugs, but there's nothing aloof about it. Something is up. Something is up and, as usual, she won't talk about it.
"Nothing is up," she says. "I'd rather be in bed with you than be at this party. Is that a problem for you?"
"Is that all it is?"
She shakes her head. "Forget it. I'm sure we'll be too drunk by the time we leave anyway."
Alyssa offers a smile, but it's a consolation prize, a whatever you say. She joins Ellen at the bar. They joke about something, laughing and whispering in each other's ears.
I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. This is a huge change for Alyssa. It's possible that this is stress, that this is nothing.
***
