Page 11 of New Year

“Pleasure is surely mine, yeah?” He raises an eyebrow and holds out a hand. I’m too numb to feel my hand reaching out, until it’s engulfed in his warm fingers. He gives it a little squeeze before he lets go, but his eyes stay locked on mine.

Fuck. Is he pissed? Am I?

What is even happening?

I remember my shameless behavior towards Oliver, and I break eye contact. That’s when I see the little frown on Chase’s face as he watches us with confusion. Before I’m forced to explain, Daria comes breezing over, Colin at her side.

“Hola, chica,” she says, giving my hand a little squeeze. “This is Colin Finnegan, of the Finnegans, who I’ve told you all about. Colin, meet my friend Sky.”

“You told her about me?” he asks, grinning at her. “Hope it was all good.”

I’m hoping he’s too enamored by Daria to even look at me, but no such luck. He turns to me, and then keeps looking for a moment too long.

“Well, hello there,” he says, his big roguish grin stretching even wider. “Fancy meeting you here. Your little friend around?” He looks around like she might be hiding right behind me.

Chase leans back, his gaze moving from Colin to Oliver to me, not even pretending he’s not trying to figure out what’s going on.

“You’ve met?” Daria asks, giving me a stormy look.

“No. Yes. I mean, she’s not here,” I say. “I’m going to go eat now.”

I want to run away and escape the prying eyes. I wish Chase hadn’t called me over today, or that I’d never sat here at the start of the year, or that I’d never been born. I was clearly put on this earth as a joke.

I sit down next to an empty seat, then regret it the very next second when Oliver slides in next to me.

“Did I do something?” he asks in that annoyingly cute accent.

“You said you were in college,” I hiss.

“No, I did—” He breaks off and glances at Colin, who’s still standing with some others from our group, getting lots of attention for being a hot new guy. “Oh,” Oliver finishes with a grimace.

“Whatever, it’s fine,” I say, focusing on opening my sandwich.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t want to talk about it. Why do people always have to talk about things? Why can’t we just move on, and let things stay where they should, in the past. Like they never happened.”

“Is that what you want?” he asks.

I nod.

“Got it,” he says. “Never happened. Just a weird dream. Never met you before in my life.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “A dream.”

I almost believe it. It feels like a dream or something I saw in a movie or heard from Daria. I mean, I would never do something like that. I’m shy, I’m awkward, I’m anxiety ridden. I barely know how to hold a conversation with a boy. I would never try to seduce a random stranger after I’d only known himfor three days. I won’t even let my boyfriend put his hand up my shirt.

Ex-boyfriend,I remind myself as Todd walks in with Elaine.

Things just keep getting better.

“Alright then, I’ll just be eating over there where people can see me when they’re awake,” Oliver says, standing and walking off.

Shit. I didn’t mean to offend him. I replay my words, then turn to say something, but I’m too late. He’s already sitting down at a table over near the end of the room with a couple guys who look like rejects from theBig Bang Theorycasting call.

I turn back to the table, my face hot with shame. I wasn’t trying to be a bitch or even scare him off. I’m just used to guys who push, so I’m used to being on the defensive. I’m not used to sensitive guys—or girls, for that matter. It’s better if he stays away from our group, since I’ll probably hurt his feelings by accident again and the others will eat him alive.

I manage to avoid the questions until after school, when Daria grabs my arm and hooks it through hers as we walk towards the gym. “So,” she says, drawing out the word. “How do you know Colin? And how come you didn’t tell me?”

---