Page 71 of The Sun and Her Star

“Yes, I love it here,” I say.

“Where’d you say you were from?” she asks suddenly.

“Las Vegas. Or rather, Paradise,” I tease.

She blushes and gives me an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I forgot. When I’m nervous, I forget my own name. My father didn’t want me to come here. I had to threaten to cut off all my hair and never marry before he agreed. It just showed how little he knows me. As if I wouldevercut my hair. It’s one of my best features.” She strokes the long, thick ponytail that’s sitting on her shoulder and leans in to whisper.

“He’s sent his personal bodyguard Karim to shadow me. I can’t even live in the student housing because they wouldn’t agree to let Karim live in one of the rooms,” she complains.

“Why are we whispering? Is he here now?” I ask and look around the room to see if I see any shadowy bodyguard types.

“No. I don’t want anyone to know I have a bodyguard. They’ll think I’m rich and maybe plot to kidnap me.”

“Uh ... okay.” I can’t help but giggle. “I understand. I had a driver who was also sort of a babysitter.”

“You had a driver. Why? Who are your parents?” she asks, her eyes more assessing now.

“No one you would have heard of. My father owned hotels. And my mother didn’t like to drive. So, she hired someone to take me around.”

“Oh, okay. Well, my mama is here for a few weeks, but then she’ll go back home. And I’m so afraid Karim is going to scare off any potential boyfriends. But if I have a friend with me, maybe he won’t walk as close, and boys will approach us. Do you have a boyfriend already?”

“Yes,” I say and know that smile doesn’t reach my eyes.

“I can’t wait to hearthatstory. But not today. Today is about new beginnings and new friendships.”

“Wait, what story?”

“Why you said yes to having a boyfriend like you were saying yes to having diarrhea.”

“I did not,” I protest but I feel bad because I know she’s right.

I know it.

I wait a few seconds to make sure she’s done talking.

“You talk a lot. But, so do I. We can be nervous together. We’re both spreading our wings for the first time. We can support each other.”

“Exactly,” she says emphatically.

“We can talk more—”

The loud piercing sound of interference interrupts me, and we all wince and turn toward the stage as the orientation begins and listen to the head of our department give the orientation speech for the incoming class of new masters candidates.

“He’s cute.” Reena nudges me and nods to a man standing in the doorway.

“You think?” I pretend to take a closer look. “He is. I suppose. He’s nice, too. And smart.”

“You know him?”

“Yes,” I answer cryptically.

“Is he married?”

“No.” I giggle because she’s looking increasingly excited.

“How do you know?Lookat him. Men who look like that are always married. Usually to a hag who’s the nicest person on the planet and he doesn’t care that she looks like Medusa.”

I snicker. She’s got such an imagination.

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