I laughed and took them off her plate. “Great, double for me.”
“Okay, so about the trip. Logan, as you may have guessed from his suit and his flawless behavior, works in the Legal department. You know the guy in college who was the biggest party person, but always got straight A’s and never missed a class or something?”
She nodded.
“Well, that’s Logan. He’s the one who reminds us of the things we’re not allowed to do in other countries.”
Hazel tilted her head, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “So... he’s the guy making sure no one tries to flirt with the queen while tipsy?”
I froze, my stomach twisting.
“I can’t believe Alex told you that,” I groaned, running a hand through my hair.
Hazel leaned back, still grinning, and gave me a teasing look. “I mean, that’s... impressive. And kind of hilarious.”
“Well, anyway, yeah. Logan takes his profession very seriously. He can defend our rights even when he parties,” I continued. “His wife, Norah, is a designer at an architecture firm, so you can always ask her about any ‘I want to have this big tennis table but I don’t have the space’ kind of things.”
“Is that what happened to you? No room for extra-curricular activities?” she asked, stuffing her mouth with sushi, a loose strand of hair falling down her cheek.
“That is of no importance to you. Don’t interrupt me while I’m in the middle of the story.” She laughed at my attempt to avoid the question.
“Then we have Alex, whom I’ve known since college. We partied together, ate cheap noodles together. He’s my brother from another, however mentally functioning mother. He’s in Marketing. His girlfriend Ava is a chef, and she’s always trying to feed us new foods. Very loud and cool, but don’t you ever ask her to make peasant food, like, for example, a grilled cheese sandwich. She will banish you from the group forever.”
“Of course, of course. Noted. I’m a Fillet Mignon and Lemon Soufflé girl myself. Continue.”
“And then we have Ethan, who works in Sales with me. He’s the most positive in our group. A very happy person. He’s thekind of guy who’s happy for the rain because, and I quote, ‘the trees will finally have something to drink’.”
“Well, he sounds the most sane one so far.”
“He’s married to Summer, a music teacher. They’re all great and I love them to death, but they involve themselves too much in my dating life, trying to find me a match. It’s just not me.” The air grew heavier, and the conversation felt more serious.
“So I’ve heard.”
The setting sun shone through the windows, landing on the wall, which caught Hazel’s attention. She admired the colors on the wall and then looked at me with wondering eyes.
“So what about you? Since you’re taking me as a guest there, I should probably learn something about you, too.”
“There’s not too much to know. I studied Business at Columbia University with Alex. I work in Sales and I’m damn good at it. I wear a suit to work because I actually like it. I love boxing, and I party from time to time.” Hazel laughed loudly at the last part, trying to chew through a mouthful of rice.
“I have two parents who can’t stand each other but refuse to divorce. No siblings, so my chosen family is my real family.”
She quickly composed herself. “That must’ve been lonely. To be all by yourself.”
I noticed the slight crease of concentration between her brows, the way the light hit her cheek just right. She carried a careful calm that made the rest of the world feel a little steadier. And from all the things I just said to her...
“It wasn’t ideal, but there was no abuse or anything. I was just a normal kid,” I replied, remembering all those weird moments when nothing truly bad happened, but rarely was anyone genuinely happy.
She nodded slowly, almost imperceptibly, and I realized I’d been holding my breath.
“What about you?” I asked, standing up and walking to the fridge for a drink.
“I’m 25. Like I said, I’m an English major. Brown University.”
Wow. That’s impressive.
“My best friend in the world is Mady. She’s engaged, and I’m the maid of honor. I love reading, as you may have guessed, and I always change my answer when someone asks my favorite season.” I smirked at her playful honesty, enjoying these small glimpses into her life.
“What about your parents?” I asked.
