Emma chuckled and she shook her head, “You are crazy.”
“Come on, let’s finish these drinks and go dance!”
“Woo hoo!” Emma shouted as well. The club scene was not a frequent one for her. It was a once in a semester kind of thing but she did enjoy it whenever she went. Before she turned twenty-one, she had always had club soda, never a rule breaker and several times had helped drunk Carrie back to her apartment as the girl had always had her way with the fake IDs. Once Emma had hit the mark and could take alcohol legally, she realized that she loved mimosas and wine.
Dancing, little drinking and a little more dancing later and the best friends settled at the bar again, enjoying their third round of cocktails and talking about everything and anything. Suddenly, Carrie’s hand holding her glass paused in the air and she motioned for Emma to draw closer to her. Emma leaned in, an amused look on her face.
“Now, remember that really tall dark haired guy from our Econ class last semester? The one that you are absolutely crushing on, you know the one you always go the other way when you see him?” Carrie asked. Emma reddened a little but she nodded. “Don’t look now but he is behind you.”
Emma made to look but her friend stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I told you not to look.”
“Sorry. How does he look? As hot as ever?” Emma grinned.
“You’ll find out soon. He’s walking over,” Carrie told her with a mischievous grin.
“You aren’t pulling my legs right? Like you did yesterday at the...” Emma was saying when he came into view. She sucked in a breath and she could not break the stare.
He smiled at her and said, “Hi, you go to North U, right? I think I've seen you around.”
“Uh huh,” Emma said with a nod. She could feel her face was red and she could not suppress the huge smile. She did not even know his name but after seeing him in a few classes the previous semester, she had developed a huge crush on him. They had not had any classes this semester but she had caught sight of him now and then on the campus and her crush had only grown. The fact that she was talking to him at that moment felt incredible.
He stretched a hand out and said, “Nice to meet you. I'm John.”
“Uh… I'm Emma and this is my best friend, Carrie.”
He turned to Carrie and flashed a smile, “Hi Carrie.”
Carrie climbed off her stool. It was her turn to flash both of them smiles. She said, “I think I’m going to get my groove on.”
Emma looked at her with uncertain eyes and as Carrie walked past her, she whispered, “Just relax and have fun. But if you feel uncomfortable, step away.”
In that split second, the friends nodded subtly at each other in understanding and Carrie sashayed off. Johnny took her seat and motioned to the bartender.
“Another for her and a beer for me,” John ordered.
“No, no, none for me, thanks. I don’t think I can take any more tonight,” Emma objected.
“So tell me about yourself, Emma. What’s your major?” he asked.
“Oh, uh… I am doing a double majors in Hospitality Management and Business and a minor in Communications. How about you?”
“Wow, that’s pretty impressive. You must have a boatload of work. You are probably too busy to have a boyfriend, huh?” he winked.
Emma laughed. “Is that your own stylish way of finding out if I have a boyfriend?”
“Well, you caught me. So do you?” He leaned closer as he spoke.
“No, I don’t,” Emma told him shyly.
“Well then, I am the luckiest man alive to be here with you.” He lifted his bottle to his mouth and took a long sip. When he set it down, he said, “I’m majoring in Architecture actually.”
“Well that sounds neat,” Emma said softly.
“Uh huh. Do you want to dance? I saw you earlier and baby, you’ve can dance.”
“Ha! I don’t know about that but sure, let’s hit the floor.”
*
