Page 96 of Just for Fun
My eyebrows raise in surprise. I wonder how obvious I made it look that I was overwhelmed by the amount of attention I received today.
“Kyle has wonderful friends,” I tell Alex.
He snorts. “And you made that decision based on what?”
“Since I only met everyone today, my decision is based on my interactions with them today.” I sound annoyed, and for good reason. I don’t like this guy at all.
“Right, right.” He takes a sip out of the glass he’s holding. It looks something like whiskey, and I wouldn’t even be surprised to find he was drunk.
I turn my back to him and continue looking over the pond, hoping that he’ll get the hint and just go away. I have no idea why he is so fixated on me, but he’s been throwing snide remarks my way all night long.
“I told him he used too much color on those drawings,” he continues, completely refusing to take the hint. “But now I understand why he did it.”
I know I shouldn’t ask, but curiosity gets the bets of me.
“Why’s that?”
He hums with enjoyment, as if he knows me.
“Because he needed to make your face more interesting than it is in real life. You’re too…”
“Plain?” I turn my head to look at him. “So you said already.”
“I’m sure you have a wonderful personality.” His tone implies otherwise. “But gamers buy their games based on looks. Once they played the game a time or twenty, they start caring on whether you’re nice on the inside.”
I turn all the way around and lean back against the concrete banister. Crossing my arms over my chest, I look him up and down.
“So, what you’re saying is that you think I’m too ugly to sell your video games.”
“No, no, no, you misunderstood.” He takes another long sip of his whiskey. “It’s not me thinking that. We put test these things out with focus groups, and…”
“And I’m too ugly to live in virtual reality?”
Alex busts out laughing. It seems to be a genuine laugh, which is surprising, but I can’t trust it.
“You really are funny.” He points at me with the finger of the hand holding the glass. “I can see why Kyle is all over you.Between the sense of humor and you being a virgin and all, he felt like he hit the jackpot. That’s only because the women he normally sleeps with are loose as fuck…”
He continues talking with no care in the world whilemyworld is crashing all around me. Kyle told his friends about me being a virgin. I don’t even know how to respond to that. It is humiliating beyond belief, and I am grateful that I will never have to see these people again past tonight.
This whole idea with theHolidatesapp has been a disaster from the beginning. I should’ve never signed up for it. And all for what? A dare from my brother? I should’ve just been an adult and confirm to him that I was truly incapable of finding a man who could have true feelings for me.
My pride didn’t let me do that, though. I wanted to prove to Owen, to my mother, and also to the world at large, that I was an adult who did adult things. That just because I loved alone and didn’t have much of a social life, it was by choice, and not because I didn’t have anyone to do it with.
I don’t even see the point in having a partner. After all, look at all the things I’ve done since meeting Kyle. They are bad things that I would’ve never considered before. Like for example, calling in sick, lying to my boss in exchange for a few days off. Then, there was the fact of me canceling lunch with my brother.
That weekly lunch has been my constant for a few years now. Owen always kept his word by me, and the only times we didn’t meet was when he was out on a call. But I blew him off so I could have more time with Kyle.
Kyle… The man I thought I was falling in love with, who had no problem sharing with everyone about my personal business, like the fact that I was a virgin.
There is no way I can go back in and look these people in the eyes know that they all know. Our interactions were awkwardbefore, but I won’t be able to carry a conversation at all now that I know they know.
Oblivious to all the emotions that I’m going through, Alex is on a roll, explaining to me all the ways that I am not good enough for Kyle. I turn my back to him again, then dig into my small purse until I find my cell phone. I pull up the browser and do a quick search of a car service. While I am familiar with the names, I’ve never used a car service before, and the signup process looks cumbersome.
With Alex’s voice still as a continuous background noise as he tells me all the ways that I’m not a good fit for his friend, I decide to ask my brother for help.
“Hey, sis!” He answers at the first ring, sounding happy to hear my voice. “How’s the fancy wedding?”
“It’s okay.” My voice is shaky, and I have to force myself not to cry. “But, Owen, I need… Uh…”
