Beautiful Life

by Bruce Thomas

"Well, it's never boring seeing you girls," Janet said taking my arm and started to lead me away back to our little table. She said goodbye to Sydney and the other girls whose names were Lauren and Dianna. "Sorry about them." She took a long drink of her latte. "I graduated high school with them and we all just never left the Big Apple. They can be a little..." She waved her hands in the air dramatically. "They seemed nice enough," I said drinking more of my coffee, the heat from the cup and the temperature outside warming my body immensely. I knew girls like that at home. Though of course, the version was a tad bit more extreme here in New York. Girls like that lived off their parent's money giving them the thought that they are more privileged than other people.

  I took a little note in my mind to not spend much time with those girls. To be friendly but not necessary friends.

  "Do I really have an accent?" I crossed my arms leaning back in my chair slightly.

  Janet tilted her head a little. "Sort of. Not heavy or anything, just you pronounce words differently than us here." She threw her empty cup into the trash beside us.

  A girl sitting on the other side of it glared at Janet over her magazine. "Hey watch it," she said getting up and switching to a farther table. "In fact," Janet said eyeing the girl, "it's refreshing."

  * * * *

  We set up everything in our room for most of the evening. Janet brought a nice size tv and a small couch

  with her so we spent a couple hours deciding where they would looked best in the living room. Her being the Interior Design major, I let her kinda take control.

  Pretty much we had our own separate space which was nice considering we were getting along well enough. I didn't feel the need to Annang out the red tape and mark off my territory. I was looking through netflix on my laptop with my legs tucked under me on my bed when Janet came dancing into my room after going to the Union to make a few changes on her class schedule. I looked up at her as she stood at the end of my bed.

  "Can I help you?" I asked innocently lowering the screen of my computer.

  "Don't even think about getting comfortable for the night, Miss Raine." She hopped onto my bed making me hold my laptop down so it didn't fall onto the floor. I looked at her quizzically. "We're going to a party." She wiggled her eyebrows.

  "And where is this party being held?" I asked my interest peaked. I swung my legs over the bed and started heading to my closet. I never really went to parties back home. They were mostly bonfires with alcohol that people stole from their parents liquor cabinets or stashes in the garage. I'm sure the parties here are way different and that made me a little nervous.

  "Upstairs." She was already walking out into the hall and into her room. "They're friends of mine. Super cool, I think you'll like them." Yeah, if they are anything like the three musketeers from this morning I'm sure we'll get along just swell. I shouldn't be like that. I just got here not even

  24 hours ago and I've already met people. I should be happy Janet was introducing me to other people attending the university and I could already tell that her and I were going to be good friends. I just wish the people here wouldn't look at me like I was trailer trash.

  Stop it, Anna. You're going to be fine here. You. Are. Good. Enough.

  I shook my head trying to swallow the bile crawling up my throat. I looked at my clothes that have been hung up in my small compacted closet, deciding on a pair of dark skinny jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt. I figured since it was hot this time of year this would be okay without me having to walk around like those girls last night with my cheeks hanging out. No one wanted to see that.

  I put the outfit on and tugged on a pair of short tan boots with a slight heel. I looked at myself in the mirror. My light brown hair hung in natural waves framing my too round face. My blue eyes looked too dull without any makeup on so I reached into my makeup bag and applied some foundation and mascara.

  I was finishing applying a second coat on my eyelashes when Janet knocked on my door and came in. I almost dropped the small wand of black gunk on my white front.

  She wore a short black baby doll dress with a pair of red pumps that matched her Annaght red lips. She looked like she just came off the runway from New York Fashion Week. "Oh, you look cute!" Janet gushed giving me a white smile.

  I bit my lip and looked back at myself in the mirror.

  She came up behind me and eyed my reflection. "Here," she said turning me around. "Lean down and flip your hair over." I didn't question her but did as I was told.

  "Hold your breath."

  Before I could take a deep breath she was already spraying. The taste of hairspray covered my tongue. She messed underneath my hair and sprayed a few more times. When she was done, I flung my hair back over my shoulders. I scrunched the ends making it look even more voluminous and textured. It was better.

  "There. Oh--" she reached into her sparkled clutch purse, "put on some of this. It will stand out against your tan." I took the light peach lipstick from her and, once again without questioning, I applied it on my lips. "You're hot, Anna," Janet commented walking towards my doorway.

  I scoffed. Please, I've never been called hot in my life. Sure I've been called pretty by a few people but it was mostly by family members. But no, never hot. I found my hips too big along with my stomach and my thighs massive. I used to get called names when I was little but I soon grew out of the "baby fat" stage and just became...there. "You're curvy Anna," Katy had told me time and time again. "Just rock it."

  "Come on, it's already 9. The night is young!" Janet hurried out to the front door. I picked up my brown leather shoulder bag and followed her out. =================

  3

  We took the stairs to reach the top level of the dorms. The whole while Janet complained about why tonight had to be the night that the elevators in the building weren't operating. Bystanders passed us in the stairwell smelling strongly of cigarettes and bourbon. I pushed myself up against the wall while they traveled down. One thing I have learned thus far being in this city, even though I have barely stepped outside of campus, was that people were not as friendly here.

  At home, you could be walking down the street and a random stranger would say hi to you. Here, if someone you didn't know approached you, you better take out the pepper spray and hope to God you can find their weak spot.

  "It should be right around the corner... Ah!" Janet waited for me to catch up to her. She grabbed my hand lightly tugging me along.

  "Welcome to the party ladies." An intoxicated guy with his baseball cap on backwards waited in the entrance. His eyes lingered on Janet as she smiled at him.

  "Hey there, Elmer," she said leaning in to give him a hug. "Nice to see you grace us with your presence, Becs," he smiled down at her with the lopsided grin. Elmer's eyes then found me and his smile grew wider. "And you brought a plus one. Who I've never seen before, at that."

  "Oh, Elmer, this is my roommate, Anna. Anna, this is Elmer Stensland." She pronounced every syllable of his last name as if he was the prince of England.

  "Owner of this incredible party lounge," he added onto his introduction.

  He ushered us into the apartment after shaking my hand which was difficult

  seeming he insisted on keeping his red solo cup in his grasp and his other hand placed on the smalls of Janet's back.

  "There's beer and other stuff in the kitchen and I think Sydney and the other girls are by the sofa. What ever you do, have fun," he looked over at me and lightly nudged my shoulder, "and loosen up." I smiled at his goofy grin on his face. I could practically see Janet swooning from the corner of my eye. "Isn't he just charming?" She cooed grabbing onto my arm to support her weight.

  Before I could answer her, she started tugging me towards the heart of the dorm. Choruses of greetings towards Janet's arrival erupted from a group of people sitting in a small circle, some on the couch and others on the floor.

  "Hey Raine!"

  I looked towards the couch, surprised, to see a familiar face smiling up at me.
>
  "Hey Dakota. Long time no see." I watched him get up from the couch and step over Lauren in the process. She didn't even look up to acknowledge me, not that I expected anyone to. "You look nice," He said rubbing a hand over the scruff on his chin. "Can I get you something to drink?" "Sure. Thanks," I accepted politely.

  He squeezed my shoulder when passing me and I felt Janet's fingers tighten slightly around my elbow. I looked over at her to see she was smirking at me with a brow arched and a you-are-so-going-to-explainlater look in her caramel colored eyes.

  I shrugged my shoulders as my response and turned my attention back to the group sitting before us. "Well, does anyone else know Anna before I introduce her?"

  Janet asked nudging my hip with her own.

  I looked around the circle to see about eight faces looking directly at me. I could feel the hotness tingling up my neck and resting on my cheeks from their stares. There was another girl, other than the three barbie dolls I met this morning, sitting around the circle. She had cropped brown hair that hung right above her shoulders and pretty green eyes that were covered by slim framed glasses. She looked sort of nerdy to me and I liked her without even knowing her name yet. She stood out like a sore thumb amongst the group of people.

  She smiled up at me and said hello. I smiled back at her and turned to the voice that was talking. "Why don't you come have a seat by me, Anna." A boy with a clean shaven face and spiked hair patted the seat next to him on the couch.

  I hesitated and Janet noticed. She pushed me forward towards the couch directly putting me in the center of the circle.

  "I'm Bruce. I don't bite," he said. I don't know if he realized it from his lack of soberness but he was definitely invading my bubble. I suppressed the urge to get up and move.

  I scooted slightly away from his leaning posture once I sat down. "Bruce, back off! There's something called personal space." The girl wearing the glasses popped up from her spot on the floor and gracefully smudged her way in between the guy and myself. I silently thanked her with a small smile.

  I felt the couch cushion dip beside me a few seconds later. Dakota handed me a red cup identical to what everyone else had in their hands and winked at me. Once

  again, I felt the blush cover my cheeks. Seriously Anna, what are we thirteen?

  "Anywho," Janet sang taking a seat in between Diana and Lauren on the floor. I was going to ask her if she wanted to take my spot on the couch since she was wearing a dress but, like I've noticed over that past couple of hours from meeting her, she was talking again.

  "This is Anna, my roommate this year." Another round of 'hellos' erupted through the circle. I quickly said 'hi' hoping someone would change the subject and get the attention off me.

  As if on cue, Elmer made his way into the circle Annanging over an unoccupied chair setting it next to Janet and pulling her onto his lap. She squealed but didn't protest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and plastered on a lazy smile.

  "I'm Anne," said the girl with the glasses next to me on the couch. "What are you studying here at NYU?" "Just Liberal Arts for now," I answered.

  I noticed how Bruce was now propped on his hand halfway asleep.

  "Oh cool. I'm studying Biology."

  Ew science. That was not one of my strong points. I duly noted to ask her for help with my science course this semester.

  "Hey," Sydney chimed in making all eyes turn on her in the circle. I could tell she loved this. She gingerly flicked her perfectly highlighted hair off her shoulder. "Let's play a game."

  Dakota groaned. "A game, seriously?"

  Sydney's mouth fell open. "Okay, fine, no game. How about we just ask Anna a couple questions." "Yeah," Lauren encouraged. "It will be a way for us to get to know our new friend." I noticed the way her eyes

  twitched when she called me her friend.

  I was happy I hadn't taken a drink of whatever Dakota put in my cup because I'm sure I would taste it coming back up. My stomach turned. "Okay, what do you mean," Janet said excitedly. The others in the circle agreed too.

  "Just simple questions. Like your favorite color..." She smiled over at me with an innocent shrug.

  There had to be people here they didn't know other than me. I hated to be the center of attention. Couldn't they question someone else? I really wasn't that exciting. "How about you Anna, you okay with playing? It could be fun!"

  "I'm really not that exciting," I awkwardly offered, looking around the circle sympathetically. I found myself outnumbered. I nodded my head slowly, looking down at the content of my drink.

  "Okay, everyone ask Anna a question then! Are you in, Fred?" Sydney asked looking over to the end of the circle to a guy sitting in a recliner. She batted her false eyelashes trying to look cute. For the first time since I sat down I looked over to see a guy wearing a v-neck t-shirt and dark washed jeans with a beer can in his hand. He had short wavy hair that didn't want to decide if it was brown or blonde that swept over his forehead. By the way his body folded out into the chair he could easily be close, if not more than, six foot, his body lean.

  Without realizing, my mind went wandering. I found myself betting he had a nice set of abs under the loose faAnnac of his navy shirt. I looked at his face only to see that he was glaring at me.

  My breath caught in my

  throat. My stomach tightened at his harsh gaze, his eyes too dark to figure the color.

  "Whatever," he muttered turning his eyes back to the rest of the circle and leaning casually back into the recliner like he really didn't care to be here.

  No one seemed to notice the harsh look directed at me from the guy. I started to think that I imagined it.

  "Yay! Okay, me first." Sydney leaned forward placing her hands on her knees. "Anna," she said turning to me. "Why are you here in New York?" School, obviously. "Change in scenery." I sounded like a broken record.

  "Favorite movie actor?" Dianna asked, putting in her input that no one beats Bradley Cooper.

  Lame, I thought to myself but I almost wished all of them would continue easy one like that if this little "game" continued. No doubt people would soon get bored with me.

  Patrick, a guy sitting on the other side of Bruce chugged his drunk while Elmer laughed at him. I heard him wish he would have gotten beer in his cup instead of hard liquor. Once he was done with his drink he stood up and pushed Bruce off of him. Clearly I was boring people already.

  Questions continued to fly my way such as even simpler ones like, what was my favorite color, and if I've ever wrestled a pig, which I couldn't help but force a smile.

  I could feel my heart starting to pound as it made it's way around the circle. I was surprised to see that I held everyone's attention. "Okay, um, Fred, your turn to ask Anna," Sydney instructed.

  I forced myself to meet those dark eyes once again. I couldn't decipher

  why he looked at me like that when I first saw him.

  I could hear my subconscious telling me to run. This wasn't going to be easy peasy like the others. This kid meant business. Why did I come to this again?

  I took a deep breath and waited for the blow. I saw him roll his eyes.

  "Alright." His voice was low and velvety like he was trying to intimidate me. I took a deep breath trying to show him that he did not. He scooted closer to the end of the big chair and rested his forearms on his thighs.

  "How many guys have you been with?"

  I swear my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. What kind of a question was that? Why would he ask such a personal question in front of a room full of people. I could feel every pair of eyes turn to me. How was this getting to know me?

  When I didn't answer he tilted his head to the side in a domineering way. "Are you a virgin or something?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

  "Pass." I shifted uncomfortably on the couch, my pants seeming to have become itchy against my skin.

  "Oh no, Annaanna, there is no passing. This is finally starting to get interesting," Elmer sing-songed, shifting Janet on his
lap. She looked at me with an uneasy expression on her face. I brought my eyes back to meet the hard gaze of the guy across the circle. I wasn't going to let him intimidate me. He didn't know me. None of these people did, therefore why care what they had to think.

  So what if I was limited in the area of kissing boys or have never dated. I learned at a young age that people leave. It didn't matter what they say to make you believe they were different or that they cared, nothing lasted forever and I wasn't about to give someone my heart just to have them crush it and leave it broken when they made a run for it. So no, I haven't given it up to any irrelevant guy.

  My tongue felt too heavy in my mouth. Should I lie? I bet that would wipe that arrogant smirk off that guy, Fred's, face. I was never much of a liar and I didn't want to become one now, no matter how much I wanted a different life here in New York.

  "Yes," I stated narrowing my eyes at him daring him to say something else to harass me. I watched the angry boy's lips pull up into a know-it-all grin. He picked up his beer and took a swing without breaking eye contact with me. I was the first to look away in disgust, my eyes darted straight to my cup.

  "No way," Sydney said looking around the circle. "I don't think I've ever met a virgin before." Well I feel honored for gracing you with my presence.

  Anne nudged me lightly with her knee and smiled sweetly before turning to assist Bruce in keeping his head up.

  I finally decided to take a sip of my drink. The harsh burn of alcohol slid down my throat and I took another gulp welcoming the dazed feeling that would soon take over my mind.

  What a jerk. I looked back over at him just so I could glare in some sort of way that would make him see just how much I did not appreciate his little inquisition but he was already leaning over the seat to Bruce, who decided to make himself present for him to give the order next in this stupid childish game.

  I

  watched warily as Bruce let out a laugh, his eyes landing humorously beside me on Dakota. Fred settled back into his spot with an antagonizing smirk on his face while his eyes set on me once again. "Hey Long," Bruce shouted with much enthusiasm. I dragged my eyes from across the circle, trying hard not to close them and pretend I wasn't there. Janet was already looking at me, a toothless smile plastered on her face while she brought her drink to her cherry red lips.