Obviously we needed to have the I-don’t-need-my-mother-to-pick-out-dates-for-me conversation again.
“Oh, you’re seeing someone?”
She looked disappointed. Didn’t she just claim that she was dragged here almost against her will?
“No,” I said, then I reconsidered, “Yes— It’s very complicated right now.”
“It seems like it. She must be one lucky girl to catch the Levi Black.”
“It seems like someone knew more about this set up than she let on.”
She shrugged. “You can’t blame a girl for trying right? I saw you in the Time magazine article. When my mother talked about this party, I figured why not. So, tell me, how complicated is complicated?”
“I’m not sure, but it’s worth sticking out.”
She opened her purse and handed me her card— Dr. Sharpay London, it read.
“If ever you’re bored, or in need of a physical, call me.” She walked off smoothly.
She was good. Had I met her two months ago, this conversation may have gone a lot differently.
Turning to the bartender, I handed him her card. He raised an eyebrow at me, but took it anyway.
“Bourbon,” I said to him, and he poured me a glass.
Downing it, I moved through the crowd, painfully aware that my mother was very likely somewhere searching for me. Making my way up the stairs, I headed towards my old bedroom.
Resting on the bed, I pulled out my phone and saw that there was not one, but two missed calls from Thea.
“Pick up,” I whispered, hitting redial.
“Didn’t you listen to my message?” she answered.
“You left a message?” I looked at my screen and saw the little voicemail icon in the corner, “No, I just called you back.”
“I called you by mistake, but I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea, so I called again and left a message.”
“Thank you?” I laughed.
“You were supposed to listen to your voicemail,” she chided.
“I’m sorry,” I told her.
“Well yeah, so I’ll just hang up—”
“What are you doing right now?”
“It’s not sexy.”
“Tell me anyway,” I grinned.
“I’m trying to get a cigarette burn out of my couch.”
“You’re right, that was not sexy. Since when did you smoke?”
“I don’t! My sister is just… she’s just going through a phase.”
“Is she alright?”