Page 7 of The New Girl

A girl sitting down front wearing a powder blue twinset objected loudly. “She’s capable of speaking for herself. I didn’t know what I was doing when I joined last year. That didn’t stop me from playing the game.”

“Look man, if you want her for yourself, you’ll have to wait your turn.” Jake gripped my arm with unnecessary force. “She knew what she was getting into. Look how she’s dressed, for fuck’s sake! She’s ready to party and I am happy to oblige.”

His grip got tighter and the leer on his face bothered me. Jake was probably a nice guy, putting on a show for his buddies. Or he could be an asshole. I wouldn’t know until I was naked in bed with him.

Lysander’s eyes flicked to Jake’s and then to mine. He held my gaze for what felt like an eternity.

“You’re right. I want her for myself. Swap your card for mine. I’m paired with Aphrodite.”

I didn’t know what that meant but the rest of the room did. There was a collective intake of breath and a girl with long copper hair a few rows behind me, stood up.

“Are you sure about this?” She directed the question at Lysander. “It’s just that you and I have talked about this for awhile and—”

“I want to swap.”

He wouldn’t look at her.

The speaker hissed. “Fuck a duck, what’s got into you tonight, Sander? Let it go, for god’s sake. You’re already on thin ice. I can’t cover for you indefinitely.”

“She’s not one of us. Trust me on this. I can control her, mitigate any damage. Jake doesn’t have enough clout with the faculty if she loses her shit.”

The speaker grumbled. “We’ll never get down to business at this rate. Look, I’m sorry, Jake, but the bylaw does permit asenior member to initiate a swap at his or her discretion that overrides the Draw. You’ll have to comply, I’m afraid.”

“It’s never happened before,” Jake said mutinously. “We all know the rule is there but senior members have never taken advantage of it. Not cool, man. It’s a bait and switch and it’s not going to make the membership too happy if it becomes a habit.”

“It won’t,” Lysander said tersely. “I’m doing this for the good of the Club.”

“Fuck it. She’s yours. Shit, what a waste of my fucking time. Aphrodite!” Jake snapped his fingers angrily. “Over here! It’s you and me now.”

I was abruptly replaced by the girl with the copper hair. Lysander avoided my eye all of a sudden and I didn’t know what to do. Fortunately, the speaker assumed control of the situation.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the mandate of the Adventurers Club is to explore human sexuality in a myriad of ways with a myriad of partners. We meet once a month, the Draw is held and you have one month with your new partner to embark on an adventure as often as you wish. Consent is mandatory. There are no ties, obligations or the toxicity that comes with monogamous relationships. If you suffer feelings of jealousy or possessiveness, take it as a sign that the Club is not for you.”

He took a brief pause before quoting Shakespeare: “To taste the fruit of yon celestial tree, or die in the adventure. You have your partners. Meeting is adjourned.”

He slammed the podium with the gavel and swept off the stage. His two subordinates in the letterman sweaters followed after him.

The room emptied out quickly until it was just Lysander Stark and I standing opposite each other with a sea of chairs between us.

His eyes found mine.

Locked.

I couldn’t move.

I couldn’t breathe.

“Do you want to come with me? I need your consent.”

His voice rumbled across the distance between us.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To my place. I have lodgings on campus. In the oldest part of the building. Across town. We have to walk.”

“Then what?”

“We begin our adventure.”

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