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THE NEXT EVENING, Genevieve stood in front of her long mirror, giving herself one last glance over with a look of approval. She felt a rush of excitement as she adjusted her short black skirt, which she had bought specifically for this occasion. When she turned to her roommate, the girl shrieked, her voice drowning out in the upbeat music playing from her speaker.
"Okay, you look hot!" Annika called from her bed, kicking her legs.
Genevieve laughed, brushing her fingers through her hair. "Stop, that's all you."
Annika hopped off the bed, already dressed and ready. "You're making me blush. Are you ready?"
Genevieve grabbed her phone, checking the time. The mysterious text was still on her screen, a little reminder of what was ahead: Back-to-school party. Don't be late.
"Of course."
"Alright, let's go!"
The two girls stepped out of the dorm and into the evening, the sounds of distant music and laughter already filling the campus. Genevieve took a deep breath and made her way toward the off-campus house.
"This is exactly what I imagined," Genevieve said, practically bouncing as they walked. "I love this city so much."
Annika grinned. "Right?"
As they got closer to the house, they could hear the music thumping through the walls, the glow of lights spilling onto the lawn where groups of students were already hanging out, red cups in hand.
"Now this," Annika said, "this is what I'm talking about."
"Come on!"
They pushed through the front door, and immediately, they were welcomed by a fully packed house, the rooms filled with people talking, drinking, and dancing.
"Drinks first," Annika said, grabbing Genevieve's hand and pulling her toward the kitchen. "We need to start this night off right."
"Obviously," Gen replied, letting herself be pulled along.
As they weaved through the crowd, her eyes landed on someone familiar, standing against the far wall. Ethan Landry, the only other person she'd met at this school.
The boy wasn't in the middle of the crowd, but off to the side, watching everything with a quiet interest. His hands were tucked into his pockets, and his eyes were scanning the room. He looked just as quiet and mysterious as he had in class, but there was something about the way he was observing everything that made Genevieve curious.
She nudged Annika. "Hey, there's that guy I was telling you about from Film Studies. Ethan."
Annika followed her gaze. "The quiet one?"
"Yeah. I'm gonna go say hi."
"You better take this shot with me first!"
Looking over to the girl, Genevieve giggled and took the shot glass out of Annika's hand, gulping it down quickly beside her.
"Woohoo!" Annika cheered.
With a smile, Gen then made her way toward Ethan with a surge of confidence. The boy noticed her approach and straightened up a little, his eyes locking onto hers.
"Hey!" Genevieve called over the music, flashing him a smile. "Didn't expect to see you here!"
"Yeah, I'm not really one for parties, but...I figured I'd check it out."
"Well, I'm glad you did."
Ethan chuckled softly, glancing around. "Yeah, me too."
Before the conversation could stall, Ethan gestured toward a group of people sitting on the couches nearby. "Hey, you should meet my friends."
"I'd love to."
Ethan led her over to the group, where a few people were talking and laughing, clearly comfortable with each other. They looked up as Ethan and Genevieve approached.
"This is Genevieve," Ethan said, introducing her. "We have Film Studies together."
A girl with dark hair and a small smile waved. "I'm Tara, it's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you too," Genevieve beamed. "I love your outfit!"
"Thank you," Tara replied.
"Isn't she a sweetheart," another girl called, eying Genevieve before reaching out her hand. "Mindy."
"Hi Mindy," Gen replied with a smile.
"And this is my twin brother, Chad," Mindy introduced, gesturing to the boy beside her.
"Nice to meet you, new girl," Chad spoke up with a wink.
"You too. Thanks for letting me crash your group," Genevieve replied, sliding into a spot on the couch next to Ethan. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"
"Well, the plan is to have fun, drink, and see where the night takes us."
Genevieve laughed, already feeling like she fit in. She could tell this group had a close bond, but they didn't make her feel like an outsider.
Soon after, Annika had joined her, and it didn't take long for her to strike up a conversation with Mindy. They immediately clicked, sharing jokes and movie references back and forth as if they'd known each other for years.
Genevieve couldn't help but notice how giggly Annika had become, her eyes lighting up as she talked to Mindy about horror films and their mutual love for the Stab series.
Beside her, Ethan leaned in, his breath hot against her ear as he spoke, "Looks like your friend found her match."
"Oh, definitely."
"They're both horror buffs," Ethan continued. "Mindy's been waiting to find someone who can keep up with her film obsession."
"Well, she found her person," Genevieve said, laughing. "I can't wait to find mine."
Something about her words made Ethan redden slightly, and he felt a smirk rise.
"So, are you enjoying the party?" he asked.
"I am," Genevieve replied, her smile widening. "This whole night has been...kind of perfect."
Ethan's lips curled into a small smile, and he nodded. "I'm glad you came."
