vexatious (infuriating sequel)

chapter eighty-three

"look who finally showed up!" sam slurs as soon as jake turns the doorknob and reveals us to the apartment full of sweaty young adults. i notice tara and devyn on the couch, but i divert my eyes as sam engulfs me in a hug. "hi!" i greet him and he just smiles and turns to colby. "there's my man!" he giggles like a child. they must've gotten an early start on drinking tonight, but for once i don't feel very judgmental towards them. i would rather be drunk right now, having to take in the sight of all of them together. there are a few faces that i don't recognize, and for once i feel a sense of seniority in the group.

"andro!" katrina calls out to me and i remove myself from colbys side to meet her in the kitchen. "shot?" she hands a red solo cup to me and i take it gladly. there is only a little brown liquid in the bottom, and i think back to the shots i took with julia in my room. they were awful, and if this is anything like those, i will embarrass myself by drinking it in front of everyone.

"ready?" she asks with a glimmer in her eye and hands me a bottle of water. i nod and drink the liquid quickly, not wasting any time smelling it like i did the other night. i quickly open the water bottle and fill my poor throat with it instead, because the liquid is way too bitter for me to handle.

katrina giggles at me after finishing her own drink, and i pass her the water bottle.

"drinking already?" jay's voice sounds foreign, and it takes me a moment to realize who it is. "yes," i swing my body around quickly to meet his eyes, which are low and red.

"you look stunning tonight, andromeda.." he slurs and my i shift my weight back and fourth on my feet, waiting for someone to fix this situation for me. that is old me, though. i don't sit around and wait to be saved anymore, i can handle this on my own.

"thank you," i say politely and turn to grab a bottle of what looks like the same alcohol i just drank. i pour a cup of it, and quickly down it even faster than i did the last.

"how have you been?" he asks, still hovering behind me and i weigh my options. i could continue to talk to him, but i really don't want to. i could walk away without saying anything, but that's way too rude for my taste. i could summon colby and have him get angry, but that doesn't sound fun either. i notice katrinas absence and begin to panic. i don't recognize the other people around me, and this is weird.

"ive been great, you?" i ask, turning away from him and staring at my empty cup. i could pour another shot, but i don't know if i want to be absolutely obliterated so early on in the night.

"who's this?" another man, whom i haven't met yet approaches the two of us. "i'm andro," i answer for myself. i hate when people ask who i am, but don't ask me directly. the man has light brown hair and deep blue eyes. he looks familiar but i can't place a finger on it.

"nice to meet you, i'm nick." he smiles sweetly at me. he doesn't seem like jay, and i wonder why he is friends with him. his skin is bare, no tattoo's, and his hair is neatly parted down the middle. he looks kind, what is he doing around these people? it makes sense that he'd approach me, because i'm the only one here that doesn't look like them.

"who do you know here?" nick asks, pushing jay out of my way subtly. i thank him with my eyes, and i can tell he knows what i mean. he nods politely, as if to say it was no problem.

"mostly everyone," i shrug, not quite sure how to answer that question. i met these people because i knew tara, but i wouldn't share that information with a stranger. that would lead to me having to explain what happened between us. this guy doesn't know me. he doesn't know the history i have with these people, and i'd like to keep it that way. "who do you know? i haven't seen you before."

"jay and brennen. you know them? jay seemed to be... extra close to you," he laughs lowly. he has a nice laugh, and his company is calm and appreciated. he seems like the least likely person i'd find here, but i'm glad i did. he is the kind of person i'd get along with. he is the kind of person i expected to befriend when i moved to LA.