“Do not apologize.”
Before Alli can go into her speech about not apologizing again, a stranger walks up to us, nodding his head to say hi to me then looks back at Alli. There’s this contagious energy that surrounds him. “Alli! Come play pool with us.”
Alli looks at me first before answering her friend. “Um, maybe later?”
“No, go play pool.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Now, go kick some ass, chica.” I say, nodding with a smile.
Alli laughs, joining her friend as they head off to the pool table, leaving me to navigate the party solo.
I weave through the hype crowd of teenagers that are either tipsy or plain loud. There’s clusters of teenagers dancing, chatting about their vacations, summer flings or taking Instagram photos. I make my way toward the back door, craving some kind of peace from the buzz of the house. Stepping onto the deck, I’m greeted by a sudden gust of fresh air, a relief from the chaos inside.
The night sky stretches above, decorated with twinkling stars that contrast to the bustling event. Leaning against the railing, I take in the picture-perfect view of the lake, letting the natural beauty wash over me.
I let out a soft sigh. “Maybe parties aren’t for me,” I say to myself.
A voice from behind calls, “Not a fan of parties?”
I turn to find the guy from Boba Republic the other week standing there, his presence both surprising and oddly nice. Since I had assumed he was a college student, I never expected (though maybe secretly hoped) to see him here tonight. I feel myself blush at the memory of being caught blatantly checking him out.
“Hey,” I say, my tone relaxed. I’m lying, I’m not actually relaxed, but fake it until you make it, right?
I continue, “It’s kind of crazy inside. I thought I could get away for a bit.” My gaze wanders back to the lake, and my hand finds the hair tie on my wrist, making me pick at it anxiously.
Tyler leans against the deck’s railing next to me, in a casual stance. “Yeah, I get that. Parties can be overwhelming.”
Silence that settles between us, and it’s not awkward, surprisingly.
“It’s funny running into you here,” Tyler remarks, breaking the silence first. “I didn’t think I would see you again.”
I raise an eyebrow playfully. “Afraid of running into the boba girl at a party?”
Wait, why am I calling myself the boba girl? Smooth move, Serena, really smooth. You’re talking to the hottest guy you’ve ever seen, and that’s the best you could come up with? I can see those Skyline gossip pages now, Serena Inthavong, newest senior, also known as boba girl.
Tyler chuckles, his eyes filled with amusement. “More like surprised to see someone else who appreciates quiet corners at these things. Most girls are usually taking selfies or trying to play beer pong.
I chuckle softly. “Well, I’m not good at either one, so I’d rather not embarrass myself.”
“Too late, you’re already embarrassing yourself,” inner me says.
“Shut up,” I mentally retort back.
“Definitely not.”
I turn my body slightly to face him and lean against the wooden railing. “What about you?”
He raises a brow at my question, not following.
“I mean, why are you outhereand not inthere?”
Tyler tilts his head slightly, considering the question. “Honestly, I’m not into parties like that anymore.”
“What’s changed?”
“Priorities, I have responsibilities now.” He responds nonchalantly.
