The Tutor

Chapter 8: Trying to be Friends

"This was a bad idea, take me home, okay?"

"Come on, Mimi-chan, you're acting like a baby." Nick kept his voice mild.

They were stopped at a red light on Olympic Boulevard. It was a warm July evening, and Nick had brought his convertible BMW out for a drive. He was enjoying driving a manual for a change of pace, feeling the breeze in his face, and being out.

He'd convinced Sumire to go to a party with him, and she was having serious second thoughts. She sat next to him, ramrod straight, gripping the armrest on one side and the door handle on the other. She was wearing her usual blue jeans and long sleeved shirt, though the shirt did have a few sparkles on it to make it bit festive. It was her only concession to the occasion, however, as she seemed to be wearing no make-up whatsoever, and her hair was up in its usual bun, from which a few wisps had escaped from being in the convertible.

"I'm just not a very social person," she responded. "Seriously, please, take me home, okay? I don't want to go."

"It's not even a real party," Nick coaxed. "Not like a Hollywood party or whatever, I swear. It's just a small get together of people I went to college with."

The light changed and they drove on.

"You went to college?"

Nick looked over at Sumire, eyes narrowed.

"Wait, that came out wrong," Sumire apologized. "What I meant was, 'I didn't know you went to college around here,' how's that?"

"Better," Nick answered. "Yes, I went to USC, as a matter of fact, paid for with my modeling money. Anyway, a couple of us are repped by the same agency that's sending me to Japan, and I think that Morgan, the assistant of the guy who hired you, is going to be there, plus a few other people associated with the movie, so we can probably talk a little business. We usually end up shooting a little pool, too. Didn't you say you like that?"

Sumire nodded. "I know, it's a weird skill to have, but I learned one summer from one of my stepdad's nephews when we visited them. I mean, I'm no pro, but I can hold my own, I guess."

"So we'll go, stay a while, and leave if you're bored, okay?" He looked over at her again. "Okay?"

Sumire took a deep breath and nodded.

She was reassured when they pulled up in front of a nondescript house in Hollywood that looked fairly normal. It wasn't lavish or lit up or noisy.

The door opened to Nick's knock, and he was embraced by the good looking blonde woman who stood in the doorway.

"Nicky! So glad you could make it!" she exclaimed. She ushered them in with a hand that was holding what looked like a margarita glass, leading them to a large room that looked out into a backyard with a lit up pool.

"Everyone, this is Nicky, as I'm sure you all know," she sang out with a smile. "And this is--" she paused, looking from Sumire to to Nick interrogatively.

"This is my friend Sumire," Nick said easily, touching her elbow.

"Hello, everyone," she managed with a small smile and wave.

The fifteen or so people in the room nodded back, hoisting their drinks in greeting.

"Come on, guys, let me get you something to drink," the blonde said, giving a come hither motion with her neck in the direction of the open concept kitchen.

"I'm Carol, by the way, Wayne's girlfriend," she said to Sumire. "Wayne went to school with Nick. He's the one in the red shirt in the living room."