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“I’m not really the partying type,” I say softly. Gosh, I sound so fucking lame. “I don’t have anything against it, I’ve just never done anything like that before.”
“What better time?” Percy asks. “Let’s be a little stupid, try a bunch of shit, and do our best to keep each other out of trouble!”
Okay, so they’re both super excitable people. How the hell have I surrounded myself with these types of people? Do I have a face that screams ‘please help me be more social’ or something?
“I guess you’re not wrong,” I say softly. “Believe it or not, this is my first time away from home.”
“Really?” Wanda asks with wide eyes. “You seem so old and cultured?”
“Wanda,” Percy hisses out, shoving his elbow into her side. “It’s rude to call someone old.”
“Sorry, Thane.”
I chuckle. “It’s fine. I was umm, really busy growing up. My parents weren’t around a lot. I just never had time to do all those things. Hell, I’ve never even kissed someone before.”
Percy and Wanda stare at me for a moment before turning towards each other. Then they look at me again. “I don’t want to overstep,” Percy says before Wanda jumps in.
“We could help with that.”
Percy nods. “It would be a hardship but one we would be willing to fulfill.”
“To help a friend, of course.”
“By the monster gods,” I say, burying my face in my hands, feeling my ears heat with embarrassment. “Stop it! We just met and you’re already trying to steal my lip virginity.”
Percy snorts milk out of his nose, making a mess on the table between us. Wanda cackles, patting Percy on the back.
“Never call it that again,” Percy begs, making all of us grin with amusement.
“I heard there’s going to be a house party at the frat house next weekend,” Wanda says. “You should come along with us. We can go as a group. It’ll be super fun and it can be something off your college experience bucket list.”
“I don’t have a college experience bucket list.”
“You do now,” Wanda says proudly. “Or rather, I’ve made a list in my head for you.”
“That’s really unnecessary.”
“We’ll work our way up to the big stuff,” Wanda says, nodding her head. Percy watches her, a fond look in his eyes. When she looks up at him, he quickly looks away.
Huh. That’s interesting.
“I’ve got class,” Percy says, standing up. “I’ll talk to you guys later.”
“Wait. Let me walk with you!”
“You sure?”
Wanda hums. She looks at me. “We’ll talk later, Thane!”
I finish up my lunch, return my tray, and then head outside. The air is crisp and bright. I roll up the sleeves of my hoodie as I walk down towards the river.
I find a spot away from other people and sit down. The sound of the river makes my chest warm and my body relax in a way that’s hard to describe. It reminds me of the little brook near my house where I grew up. It reminds me of my safe space.
Pulling out a notebook and a pen, I stare out at the river, trying to think about ideas for my creative writing class. Exactly one thousand words about anything. I almost think having some sort of theme would help me narrow things down and help me sprout an idea. Right now, I keep coming up with nothing.
A few people swim in the river. They look so happy, so free.
That freedom makes something dark clench within my chest. It’s jealousy. What must it be like to live in such a free way? What must it be like to have fun without all the worry and responsibility of parenthood and house care and financial worries? What would it be like if I’d been allowed to just be a kid?
