The Agency

Sophia

    Sophia had just met Tyler.  Her friends hadn't exaggerated his appearance.  His presence was enough to justify the effort she had put into throwing this party.  Even if his personality failed to live up to the propaganda, he would still be an excellent diversion from her recent melancholy.

    "I'm so happy you came!"  Sophia very deliberately made a show of welcoming her friend Ashley.  Momentarily ignoring Tyler while he stood nearby was a monumental effort, but it was necessary.  If she gave her excitement free rein, Sophia was pretty sure she would just drag him into another room then and there.  Maybe she'd had a few too many drinks.

    "Wild party!  Do you do this every week?"  Tyler jumped into the conversation with a grin.  Sophia felt flushed, and thought about bolting.  But it was her apartment.  Her party.  She stood her ground.

    "Every week?  No.  More like every day!"  Sophia had to shout to be heard over the club music someone had cranked up.  Luckily her building was one of the nicer ones on Second Avenue in the Upper East Side, and the walls were pretty much soundproof. 

    Ashley was smiling from ear to ear, thrilled that her scheming was playing out so well.  She chimed in, yelling loud enough to be heard over the music and probably over the river as well.

   "At least we don't have to carry anyone home from the bar at these parties!  Sophia has the best couches to pass out on, I swear they cure hangovers!  Her bed is even better!"  Trust Ashley to be blunt. 

    In high school that girl could plot and plan and pull strings until she made an entire class do her bidding, without anyone suspecting who was behind it.  In college she had grown bored with finesse, and decided that bluntly hitting others over the head for shock value was more entertaining.

    Mercifully Ashley wandered off before doing too much damage.  Sophia was grateful, until she focused on Tyler again and realized there were no more excuses to distract herself away from him.  Nothing else to pay attention to except for his smile.  He had a nice smile.

    Desperate not to be caught staring, Sophia looked away.  She glanced over the living room.  Most of the furniture had been pushed to the wall, and she was happy to see that nobody was bored enough to be sitting down.  Nobody was drunk enough to be causing damage either, which was also good.  The perfect balance for any party.

    She looked back at Tyler and noticed his eyes.  They were bright green.  His gaze was piercing.  She was immediately certain that he had seen plenty of beautiful women, and equally certain that he had been unimpressed.   There was a hint of jaded detachment lurking in his expression.  Sophia would never have noticed it a year ago.  She wouldn't have had the personal experience to recognized that weariness in another. 

    She was staring again, and he seemed amused.  She braced herself for a joke at her expense, but instead he motioned her towards the crowd of dancing people in the center of the room. 

    Hours later when dawn was lightening the sky Sophia finally fell asleep, alone in her apartment.  She had a smile on her lips.