A Song For Another Time - A Hikaru Hitachiin Story

Chapter Fifteen - Fill Another Cup Up

The music from the party reached Rose's ears before she caught sight of the overly extravagant house she knew belonged to Lance. With its thick, white Roman columns and navy blue shutters, his parents had known from the moment they set eyes on it that it was going to be the perfect house for their "angelic son" to spend his college years. They had stars in their eyes as they dreamed of him studying in the library and holding elegant dinner parties in the dining room. They would surely be exploding out of their designer suits if they saw the state of it on the Friday night after Thanksgiving.

Toilet paper clung to every uneven crevice of the roof line and slung to each nearby tree. On the lawn were scattered red solo cups and half a dozen metal kegs. To the right, a certain popular cheerleader was trying to imitate the elegant Greek marble fountain on the lawn by doing a one-handed keg stand.

Rose rolled her eyes as she walked up to the house. This was just something she would never understand - how people that have everything could disregard the beautiful things around them and lay waste to their own empires.

She slowly ascended the steps outside the door, mentally preparing herself to talk to other human beings. If she was lucky, there might be a dog inside. If she was unlucky the house would be mostly filled with frat boys.

She held her breath as she opened the door and took a peek inside. It wasn't her lucky day.

To say that the party goers were likely breaking the fire code would be an understatement. The house was packed so tightly Rose felt she might as well turn around and head home rather than fight her way in the door. She was just about to turn when a strong hand, attached to a toned arm adorned with a high school letterman jacket, grabbed a hold of her wrist and began pulling her through the crowd.

"I didn't think you would come," a gruff voice spoke - more to the space in front of him rather than the short girl behind him.

Rose shrugged the best she could with one arm being occupied and replied, "Life's full of surprises, I suppose."

Being tugged along seemed more efficient than pushing through the crowd on her own, so Rose decided to just go with the flow. As she made her way from the front door to the rear of the house she watched the crowd around her, taking in all the sights: the girls in short dresses, the boys in letterman jackets pushing said girls up against the wall, the couples dancing in the living room, the man in the black leather jacket leading a redhead in hot pink leather pants up the stairs.

Not surprisingly, the kitchen was rather tame compared to the rest of the house, though the music was only slightly softer. Lance finally let go of her wrist as he bent down to open the pull-out freezer. He filled a red cup with ice before setting it on the kitchen island and turning to Rose.

"I'm going to make you my famous Long Island," he said with a smile.

Rose momentarily shifted uncomfortably before placing her hand on the crook of his arm and smiling at him softly.

"How about I start with something less intense," she said, reaching past him to grab a Corona off the island. She had no intention of drinking the pale yellow liquid, but if it got her out of a custom-made concoction, she would gladly water some plants while she peeled the label.

"Aw, but that's no fun," Lance pouted, reaching for his bottle opener nevertheless.

"Tell you what," Rose said with mock sympathy in her voice, "Let me get through this and then you can show me your mixology skills with all the pomp and circumstance."

"It's a deal," Lance said, beaming at her.

He turned and walked away, noticing Caleb waving him over. When he was finally out of the kitchen, Rose leaned her back against the kitchen island and sighed. She had never really intended to keep her age a secret while at college, but she had always thought it best to not explicitly leave herself vulnerable. Showing any sign of weakness must be strictly avoided. That was something she had learned early.