Page 6 of The New Girl

I rose with the others, ducking behind the guy in front to go unnoticed by Lysander. I raised my hand and repeated a nonsensical oath to abide by the rules of the Adventurers Club and willingly and with informed consent, uphold its mandate for sexual exploration.

Nonsensical because how could anyone know how they were going to feel in a month’s time at the next meeting? I was willing tonight because I was lonely and I wanted to be held by someone. I didn’t want to make conversation or face rejection. I liked the premise of the Club–good, clean anonymous sex with a golden boy that I wouldn’t stand a chance with outside of these walls.

My pulse began to race in anticipation.

Chapter Four

The selection was intended to be random. We were handed a card, blank on one side and the Club logo on the other. We were told to select a pseudonym or a unique identifier, write it on the card and drop it in the fish bowl as it was being passed down the aisle.

“The game goes as follows,” the speaker said. “I will draw two cards. The members on those cards will team up for the evening. You must accept whomever you are teamed with. If you are uncomfortable with same sex encounters, you are free to trade with another team if they are in agreement. We encourage members to take advantage of the chance to explore an unfamiliar place in their sexuality.”

I didn’t want to get a girl. I didn’t have anything against girls but if I was going to hook up for a raunchy one-night stand, I didn’t want it to be with a girl. I already knew I wasn’t coming back. Lysander Stark was a member and it was crazy, but I felt a thunder clap in my being, right at the center, when I saw him on the dais.

But something happened last spring between him and a girl that was serious enough to cause trouble. Whatever it was, itdestroyed him. The girl meant something to him. For my self-preservation, I couldn’t get close to that.

The most I shared with Lysander Stark was a look and one searing kiss. Yet without me realizing it, he had compelled me to him, pulling my mind and body in his direction.

There was still a chance for me. I wasn’t too far gone. I could get over it. Ihadto get over it. It was not like he was going to choose me over the mysterious girl who had almost destroyed the Adventurers Club last summer.

“Participant number three, your partner for the evening is Jake.”

I snapped out of my reverie when I heard my identification being read out. I couldn’t come up with a fake name so I opted for anonymity. Since I wasn’t going to continue my membership after tonight, it seemed unnecessary.

I scanned the room for Jake. A heavy set, broad-shouldered guy snapped his fingers in my direction.

“Hey, new girl! Over here!”

My face burned as I made my way awkwardly through the sea of chairs, conscious of Lysander’s eyes on me.

As I reached Jake and his friends, I caught a sudden movement in my peripheral vision. Lysander had jumped to his feet.

“There’s been a mistake. Not her. She’s not a member.”

The speaker was at the podium about to read out the name on the next card when Lysander made this extraordinary statement.

“She took the oath. She is a member. Now, the next pairing is—”

“I don’t want her here. If a senior member raises an objection to a new inductee, inclusion is postponed until there is an investigation.”

The president went red in the face. “I am familiar with the bylaws, Oberon. Your objection is overruled unless you can provide the membership with a compelling reason to reject an applicant.”

The room grew quiet. Some of the girls were staring at me curiously. The guys were staring at Lysander with veiled irritation.

“Well? What’s your problem, Oberon? We haven’t got all night to deal with this shit. You should’ve spoken up before.”

Jake was descending into belligerence but I sensed he was pulling his punches. Whatever Lysander Stark had, it was powerful enough to temper the mood in the room which up until now was filled with horny glee.

As for me, I didn’t understand his objection unless it was meant to keep me quiet about his breakdown in the library. But I didn’t think it was that. He was too rich and popular to suffer much damage because he showed emotion. And as the new girl, who would believe me?

So what was Stark’s objection to me joining the Adventurers Club?

“She’s not one of us,” he said quietly but with meaning. “Don’t you see the trouble she could bring to us all? She is here on a bursary that has conditions attached to it. One wrong move and she could lose her place. The rest of us know how to conduct ourselves at Swithins. Does she?”

I stood there, mortified, wondering if I should say something in my defense.

“What do you think she’s going to do?”

“Anything. She’s unpredictable. That’s the problem.” He took a halting step forward, his eyes locked on mine. “This isn’t her game. She’s not sophisticated enough to handle what we do here.”

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