Page 24 of This Blood That Binds Us

“Isn’t that what everyone says? Then you spend all your money for a major you don’t want?” Chelsea grabbed a red cup from the table and took a sip, her red lipstick staining the edges.

“Probably. I try not to think about it.”

“Well, my cousin didn’t even go to college, and he makes so much money now. I wouldn’t worry too much.” Heather gave me a reassuring smile.

I turned to Heather. “What about you? What are your majors?”

“I’m in nursing. I’ve wanted to do it since I was little.”

Envy bubbled in my stomach. I wanted to be one of the people who had a strong conviction of what they wanted to do. I had the drive, knowing I wanted to support myself, but I lacked the how. The passion behind something I could go to school for.

Jennifer smiled at Heather and grabbed her hand, pulling her in closer. “Me, too. We actually met in one of our classes.”

Jennifer got up in a flurry of excitement and pulled Heather from the couch. “Oh my god, Angie just showed up. I didn’t think she was coming. Come on!”

They said their goodbyes and shuffled into the foyer.

“Bye.” My voice sounded like a whisper.

Chelsea furrowed her brow as they left. “Aaron, come on. Let’s go with them and get some drinks.”

“Uh. Okay. Lead the way.” He smiled as she got up and dragged him off the couch. “We’ll be right back. You’re staying, right?”

Chelsea didn’t give me time to respond as she dragged him into the other room.

“Yeah, I’ll be here.” My body sank back into the couch before I sighed. “I guess.”

I was close enough to the speaker that it was rattling my entire body. I grabbed my shoulder and winced with every vibration. The longer I sat there, the more relaxed I became. Scanning the crowd for any signs of activity, I noticed a large crowd huddled around a poker table. Every few seconds, the crowd would cheer and gasp. I had to fight the urge to check my phone as another song went by without them returning. I peered anxiously at the kitchen, but I couldn’t see anything.

“Mind if I sit over here?” William slumped into the seat next to me, holding a beer, surprisingly a tad overdressed in his black blazer.

I couldn’t fight the pang of annoyance resting in my stomach. “Oh, didn’t expect to see you here, considering you invited me to crash a party.”

“Now, now, I never said I lived here. Just that you should come.” He was smiling again, watching my expression carefully.

“You got me.” My attention floated back toward the kitchen.

With a large amount of bodies traveling in and out of the hallway, no one familiar was in sight.

“Well, I’m glad you came.” He breathed through words easily and effortlessly. “Sorry I couldn’t meet you here sooner. I got held up.. .I see Aaron kept you company in my absence.”

I laughed. “Yeah, well. I didn’t expect him to be here. Do you know Aaron?”

He grinned, his mouth twisting into an unusual expression. “Just in passing. Him and his brothers have thrown a lot of parties since they got here. Wild bunch, all right.”

As we talked more, I leaned farther into the couch.

“Really? What makes you think that?”

“Well, they throw parties like this, for instance.” He motioned up into the air, sloshing his beer around.

“Yeah, I’ve never been to anything like this.”

He smiled. “Well, I’m thankful someone as pretty as yourself decided to grace me with your presence.”

I wasn’t used to the way he was staring at me. His eyes panned over my features, making my face feel hot with embarrassment.

“It’s time for you to fess up. So far, all I know is, you’re in my writing class and your name is William.”