I immediately regret coming to this party. I didn't even know that Tate went to this university. Just seeing him has brought back that awful memory. I try to get away, but Jen won't let go.
"Jen. Seriously. Let go," I say.
"Why? Ugh fine but go get me a drink," Jen says, which means I'll be the one driving tonight.
I head to the bar and grab myself a water bottle and get Jen a wine cooler. She likes them because they don't give you a horrible hangover the morning after. I head back and hand her the drink, warning her to not turn her back on it. The last thing anyone needs is a drugged drink. I go sit down on the couches and start to go through my phone. It's going to be a long night.
I look up and wish I didn't. Tate made eye contact with me and he's heading my way. Crap.
"R? What are you doing here?" He says, like nothing ever happened. The nerve of this kid.
"I'm with a friend. I go here, what about you... Terry, right?" I pretend to have forgotten his name.
"It's Tate. Wow, you really don't remember me, R? Ouch," he says. I just shrug my shoulders. "Anyways," he continues, "I go here, too! What a coincidence that we ended up at the same school." Ugh. I really hate how he acts so familiar with me.
"..Yeah. What a coincidence..." I try to sound uninterested so he backs off, but he just continues.
"So, how have you been?" He asks.
"Look, can you just leave me alone, please? After what you did to Sara, I can't stand to look at you," I say.
"Dang, R, you're just as blunt as ever," he says, and I think he's getting angry. I get up and start to head back to the bar, but he grabs me by the arm.
"Will you just let me explain myself?" He says.
"Nope, now get let. me. go," I seethe.
"Not until you listen to what I have to say," he's angry too, but he has no right to be. I do not have to listen to him.
Someone grabs his hand and tears it away from mine.
"She said back off, creep," this mystery man says.
"Who are you?" Tate questions.
"I'm her friend," he replies, "So just go away."
Tate goes back to whatever he was doing before. I finally look up at this man. He has light brown hair and the warmest brown eyes I've ever seen. He's tall, maybe about 6'4", and you can tell he works out. What really stands out to me is the raw emotion and kindness he displays. I don't think I would have tried to stop something like that if I saw it. Something in me moves. I've just felt a new emotion, though I don't know what it is. I look at him and he feels familiar, but I'm certain I've never met him before.
"Thanks," I murmur.
"It was nothing, miss. It just makes me so angry when I see people doing things like that. You obviously were uncomfortable around him and didn't want to be around him, yet he still tried to grab you and wouldn't let you go. People like that piss me off. I'm Elijah, by the way, but most people call me Eli," he says, offering his hand to shake it.
"I'm Rosalyn, but everyone calls me Rose," I respond, shaking his hand, "but really, thank you, Eli, I really appreciate your help."
"Well, I'm sure you could've handled it yourself, Rose, but I just thought I'd lend a hand, although it's more like I removed a hand," he smiles, showing his dimples. I giggle.
"Do you go here?" I don't know why I'm still talking to him; there's something in me that's wanting to get to know him.
"Yeah, I'm a junior, and you?"
"I'm a sophomore," I respond.
"What's your major?" Eli asks.
"Psychology. I want to better understand human emotions. What about you?" I say.
"Sociology," he responds, "I've always wanted to be a counselor."
"You seem like you'd be good at that job," I laugh.
"Thanks."
Eli and I keep talking. We talk for two hours at least, and ,with neither of us wanting to end our conversation, we exchange phone numbers. Jen and I drive home.
"Who's the hot guy you were with?" Jen asks, her words a little slurred, probably from being a little buzzed.
"Eli," I say, " his name is Eli," and a smile settles on my face.
