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her eyes at me and continues chatting away with some guys that are flirting with her. I'm left with no choice but to hold the stupid cup. I glance around the room, realizing there isn't anyone here that I know or that I even want to talk to. Why did I let her convince me to come here?
              I start searching for a bathroom to hide away in until it's time to leave when I spot Holden leaning casually against a window, watching the newly bare tree branches dancing in the wind outside, seemingly oblivious to the girls who are desperately trying to engage him in conversation. He acknowledges them every once in a while but he always returns his gaze out the window.
              Finally the girls give up and walk away. I watch him pour the contents of his cup into an abandoned one on the end table closest to him—which is both gross and really weird.
              He must feel my eyes on him because he looks up and grins sheepishly at me. I wave awkwardly and he walks over to me.
              “Hi,” he says.
              “Hi,” is my lame response. “Um, what was that?”
              “What was what?” He feigns ignorance.
              I cock an eyebrow at him and wait for him to respond. He sighs loudly in defeat.
              “I'm pretty sure those girls slipped something in my drink,” he says in an attempt to justify his actions, throwing in a smirk for good measure.
              “So you decided to drug some other unsuspecting person? Nice.”
              Ignoring my question he says, “You seem like you're looking for a place to hide.”
              “Yeah, I guess this isn't really my scene.”
              “Wanna get out of here?”
              “Yeah, but I sorta came here with someone.”
              “Boyfriend?”
              I swallow painfully before shaking my head no.
              He seems to just know without me actually saying the words that 'boyfriend' isn't exactly a good topic of discussion and moves on without pause. “How do you think you're going to do in Bio this semester?”
              “Ugh. I don't know. I hate science.”
              “Really?”
              “Yeah, it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me so I'm dreading the first test.”
              “Well, I can help you study if you'd like.”
              “No, that's okay. I'm sure I'll manage.”
              “Hilburn can be a bit of a dick so don't hesitate to ask me if you need help, okay?”
              “Thanks, but like I said, I'm sure I'll be okay.”
              I see Olivia dancing on the make-shift dance floor in the living room with Beck. Holden follows my gaze and says, “You know, I don't think she'll even notice if you leave for a while. I could really go for some ice cream right about now.”
              “Ice cream? It's freezing outside.”
              “It's never too cold for ice cream. You in?”
              For a second, I consider taking him up on the offer, if only just to get out of this buzzing house. But I shake my head. “Nah, I think I'm just going to head home.”
              “So soon?”
              “Yeah.”
              “Do you need a ride?”
              “No, I'm just going to walk back to the dorms. My bike is there.”
              “Your bike? Didn't peg you as a biker chick. I ride a CBX.”
              “No, I mean—I'm not. Unless you count bikes of the non-motorized variety.”
              “Not quite the same thing.”