“No,” Larissa replied and cracked her eyes open. “I’m sorry. I got stuck at the library, trying to find a journal from 1996, which they said they had there when I checked online, but clearly, it wasn’t there. It took me some time to find out where it was, and it turned out it had just been misshelved. Then, I had to make copies of it.”
“You couldn’t justreadit online?”
“No, it’s only available in a physical copy at the library. It’s older than the ones they have online.”
“Why did you need it if it’s so old?”
“It was referenced in another, more current one that I’m using for my paper, and I went down a reference rabbit hole. I like to be thorough.”
Harlow tried not to think about how that thoroughness would translate to the bedroom as she recalled Larissa telling her about how her previous three lovers had told her that she was good at sex.
“Anyway, I just need, like, ten minutes. This thing isn’t crazy formal, right? I can wear a regular dress?”
Harlow took in Larissa’s messy bun and her adorable glasses, along with her jeans torn at the knees and the gray hoodie with the name of the university in purple and white letters on it, and she fell a little more in love with her then, for some reason. Larissa’s pink socks helped, too, and Harlow shook her head and smiled.
“What? Did I get that wrong? I need to dress up more? I thought it was–”
“No, a regular dress is fine.” She swallowed and added, “Well, itwouldhave been fine, but I forgot to tell you that they changed their plans.”
“Plans?”
“For the winter party. They… decided that the summer event is for a plus-one or families, but that the winter one is just for employees.”
“Oh,” Larissa said, looking disappointed.
“Yeah, sorry. They just told us yesterday,” Harlow lied. “Budget cuts, I guess. Anyway, I have to go alone, unfortunately.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that before now? I rushed home thinking I’d be too late, Harlow.”
“I’m sorry. I forgot until you got here. I’ve been scatterbrained lately. Totally my fault. But look at the bright side: you don’t have to go to this lame work event as my plus-one anymore. You can just keep working on school stuff or your book.”
“Yeah, right,” Larissa said softly. “Okay. I guess I’ll just go figure out something for dinner and get to that, then.” She turned to go but turned back. “Have fun,” she added.
“I’m sorry, Larissa. I really did just forget.”
“It’s fine. Have a good time.”
Larissa walked away, leaving her still sitting there with a towel clutched to her body, wondering why Larissa had been so interested in going to this stupid party to begin with.
???
“Hey, Harlow. How have you been?” Rick asked.
She had seen him the day before at work, so she wasn’t sure how to answer the question that made it sound like they hadn’t seen one another in years.
“Good… since yesterday,” she said and took a sip of her beer, which was free, along with wine, but the hard stuff, they charged for.
“Good. Good. Where’s your girlfriend tonight? I saw you walk in alone.”
“Um… I’m single. I don’t have a girlfriend right now. We broke up.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” he replied. “She seemed really nice. Larissa, right?”
“What?”
“Her name. Larissa, wasn’t it? Did I get that wrong?”
“No, her name was Alicia. You’re thinking of my best friend, Larissa. She’s been to a few of these things over the years.”
