“Yes. No. What do youwant?”
“Just listen to me. I’m going to say this once and then trust me, we never have to talk about itagain.”
I look into his eyes. In this light, they’re the color of strong black coffee, and they are making me just asjittery.
He leans in towards me, his face inches from mine, and serious. I stare right back into his eyes, glaring at him. “I went to your dorm room because I was looking for you. Obviously. I kept texting you after you left the party that night and you never responded. I was trying to apologize for being an idiot, but all I really wanted to do was…be with you. I waited for you in your room, Brianna said you were coming, and then she climbed on top of me and…I was frustrated and she was hot and she was all over me, so I had sex with her. That’s what happens when you’re a single guy in college and a hot girl straddlesyou.”
I take a step back. “Yeah. I getit.”
“I regretted it almost immediately. I know it made things awkward for you, to say the least. It’s not like I wasn’t aware of what a mess I’d made of things, but you just wouldn’t let meexplain.”
“You really didn’t try veryhard.”
He laughs and shakes his head, throws his hands up in the air. “You’re right. I didn’t. I really liked you. And you were the only person I knew who was planning on moving out to LA, and I wanted to…I don’t know, I wish things had been different.” His eyes search mine. Whatever he’s looking for, he doesn’t find it. He exhales and straightens up, removing some invisible piece of lint from his shirt. “So. Guess we’re done talkingnow.”
“You still haven’t said you’resorry.”
“Iknow.”
Asshole.
He gestures for me to leave him. “By the way. I saw you hiding behind that tree in Griffith Park lastyear.”
“Youasshole.”
“I just didn’t want to embarrassyou.”
“I wouldn’t have been embarrassed I would have beenannoyed.”
“Uhhuh.”
“Oh my God I hateyou.”
“Uhhuh.”
At that moment, the wedding videographer comes over and points the camera, with its LED light, in our direction. “Hey! You guys got a message for the bride andgroom?”
“Um…” I seem to have forgotten how to say anything other than “you asshole” or “I hate you.” It feels like my mouth is moving, but no words are comingout.
Scott steps forward and puts his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to the camera. “Hey! Congratulations! You guys are the best and we’re so happy for you! This has been such a classy wedding—Duffy and I aren’t sure what we’re doing here. Thanks for inviting us, and we’re only stealing food because you guys aren’t making us enough money. Obviously kidding—go have a honeymoon, you beautiful people! Stop working so hard.” As soon as the videographer leaves, I push him away, and hedisappears.
I know he thought he was being my knight in shining armor by speaking for me and using “we” but I’m considering asking the videographer to delete that footage so there’s no evidence that we were ever anywhere near each other. I don’t think I’ve ever been so repelled by anyone in my life—not anyone that I’ve actually met. Why do I care so much? My eyes arestinging.
When I get back to the courtyard, the DJ has announced the father-daughter dance, and I stay standing at the back of the room, watching them untilWhat a Wonderful Worldhas ended, and my mascara has run all over myface.
I find the ladies room, get my shit together, and head back to the table to retrieve Maya, but she is headed towards the already crowded dance floor with Sam. I don’t see Scott anywhere. Maya sees me, whispers something to Sam, and comes over tome.
She takes both of my hands, she is grinning, her voice sing-song. “Where have you been? You and Scott justdisappeared.”
“It’s not like that. Trustme.”
“What is itlike?”
“Nothing. It’s like nothing. We can go now if youwant.”
“You never told me he wasengaged.”
“Whowas?”
