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I realize it sounds like a stupid question, but really, I don’t remember telling him my name.
“I’m friends with Rita, remember?” He must find something in my expression humorous because he tilts his head back and laughs. “You’re cute.” He tugs me closer. So close our noses are practically touching.
“Right.” I act like I remember, but in truth I don’t remember much of anything at the current moment.
“He’s here.” A hand wraps around my bicep seconds before I’m practically ripped out of my dance partner’s arms.
“What the...” I stumble, finding my footing just in the nick of time.
“He’s here.” Rita tugs me to the far corner of the room, seeming uncharacteristically flustered in a way I haven’t seen during the short time I’ve known her.
“Who’s here?” I finally manage to ask.
“That guy I was telling you about. Oh em gee! How’s my makeup?”
“It’s perfect,” I say, having to close one eye to actually focus on her face.
“And my hair?”
“Amazing.” My body starts to sway and I have to press my hand to the wall to steady myself.
“Oh shit, here he comes. You’re sure I look okay?”
“I don’t think you could look bad if you tried.” I turn, following her gaze. “Which one is he?” There’s too many people and I can’t tell who, if anyone, is walking our way.
“Right there. The one in the gray tee.”
I squint, trying to make out who she’s pointing at when my eyes connect with a set of steel blue ones and I swear the floor shifts beneath me.
“Atlas?” His name slides off my lips seconds before he stops directly in front of me. “This is the guy?” I ask to no one in particular, pretty sure I’m seconds away from vomiting, and not because of the alcohol swimming in my stomach either.
Of courseit’s Atlas. The guy Rita’s been talking about in class for the last week. The one she’s been very cryptic about because she didn’t want to jinx it. The one she’s been waiting to show up here all night. Why am I not even a little surprisedhe’sthe guy?
Fuck you, universe.
FUCK YOU!
Of all the women on this campus, of course he has to choose literally the only friend I have to fuck with.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Atlas’s nostrils flare. He seems pissed. But fuck, he’s so good looking I don’t even care that he’s looking at me like he wants to rip my face off.
Wait, what was I just thinking about?
“What’s going on?” My gaze slides to the left when the unmistakable sound of my brother’s voice hits my ears. “Barlow?” He draws back, his gaze moving to Rita, his brow furrowing in confusion, before coming back to me. “So, this is what you classify asstudying?” He twirls an angry finger around the room, clearly not happy about finding me at a frat party.
“Maybe we finished early and decided to come have a drink.” I square my shoulders, trying to make myself seem larger than I am.
“I knew it sounded sus when you said you were studying on a Saturday night.” He shakes his head. “I should have fucking known better.”
“Not that it’s any of your business anyway,” I retort, feeling defiant and rebellious. I’m so sick of the men in my life thinking they can control my every move. Like I’m not a person capable of making my own stinking choices.
“Wait, do you two know each other?” Both of our gazes shoot to Rita who’s looking between the two of us, confusion marring her pretty face.
“He’s my brother.”
“She’s my sister.”
We say in unison.
