Page 78 of Freshmeet
Wincing, Sarah poured sake into two tiny white cups. “Ouch. Why do people do that? Break up with me before I spend the time getting ready.”
“Right? She was ready for bigger and better than a construction worker who wasn’t in college. Too bad she told me after racking up a hefty dinner bill.”
“The worst.”
“And it was Valentine’s Day.”
“Now I know you’re lying.”
“Nope. My last date was on Valentine’s Day almost five years ago.” I laughed and took a sip of sake. I wouldn’t call it smooth, but it was good.
“I can’t believe no one has snatched you up since.” She took a drink and winced. “Wow. That’s something.”
I smiled as she delicately took another sip. “I could say the same for you.”
“I’m sorry?” she said as she considered the small cup.
“I can’t believe you’re single.”
“Oh.” Pink tinted her cheeks, and she dipped her chin. “After being ghosted a few times, I became . . . more selective. Some might say picky.”
Frowning, I waited for her to continue. At my silence, she looked up, worrying her bottom lip. “The nickname princess might have been used a few times.”
As much as I wanted to disagree, I could see where someone who didn’t know her would think that. But that was the thing—once you knew her, there was no doubt she was as real and feeling as they come.
“I don’t really care what those people think. I know I’m not some prissy little princess.”
I reached out and stopped her fingers from tracing the condensation on the table. Holding her hand in mine, I squeezed. “Sarah, you may be difficult when you’re drenched in someone’s drink.” She gave me a closed-lip smile. “But you’re not some little princess. You just don’t waste your time on randoms.”
“Exactly! People have this idea of me, and I’m sure I don’t help prove them wrong, but sometimes I get so frustrated. These rich guys want me because they think I’m some pampered princess. I remind them of their moms or some weird Oedipal thing. And then, people who know me think I’m a people-pleasing pushover.” She scoffed and took a drink of water. “You saw how surprised Meg was that I popped off.”
“And here’s your first round of rolls. Do you guys need anything else?” Kat set down a plate with half our rolls and a plate of gyoza we hadn’t ordered.
“No. Thanks, Kat.” Sarah smiled at her straight-faced roommate, and we both watched her walk away without saying anything.
“You guys don’t get along, do you?”
Sarah broke her chopsticks apart. “We do. It’s just taken some time for us to understand one another. She thinks I’m too nice.” She took a bite of gyoza and moaned, her eyes closing indelight. Swallowing, she gave a pained smile. “Enough about me. What’s your deal? No girlfriends in five years?”
I bought myself some time by eating one of the rolls topped with raw fish. How do you tell the girl you want to date that you had no interest in relationships until you met her without sounding unhinged?
“I guess I never met anyone who made it worth taking the risk.” My mouth went dry. I’d said the first thing that came to mind. I hadn’t meant to be that honest.
“I get that.”
“It doesn’t help that all the women I came across I’d either known my whole life, were friends with my ex, or were coeds not interested in a ‘townie’ like me.”
“That townie word,” Sarah said with clear distaste. “People suck.”
I shrugged. “It is what it is.”
“But now you’re a student.” She somehow maneuvered an end piece of spider roll into her mouth without smudging her lipstick or getting sticky sauce on her chin.
“I am, but the most annoying thing happened.”
She covered her mouth and mumbled, “What?”
“I met someone at the first party I went to, and she kind of ruined other girls for me.”
