Fell In Love With My Roomy Chapter 17

The party seems to be going smoothly so far, with lots of fun and minimal issues. I've struck up a great rapport with Abby, and I'm gradually making new acquaintances and forging new friendships.

Kyle finally arrives home from work and immediately heads to the dining room to join a game of beer pong.

From the living room, I can hear commotion, and Abby seems to notice it too. We both turn our heads to investigate.

"Try not to look now," Abby mutters, disgruntled, as Piper and her entourage saunter in. They all look stunning in short skirts, halter tops, and glistening gold jewelry. A cloud of perfume appears to follow them wherever they go.

"If you don't like them, why invite them?" I inquire of Abby, who chuckles.

"Because dealing with their anger and drama would be worse than just tolerating them," she explains with a shrug as they head towards the ping-pong table. I roll my eyes in response.

"Elle!" she calls out, and I spot a blonde girl with wavy hair stacking empty cans on the kitchen counter. "Come meet the new addition to the guys' house!" Abby wears a welcoming smile and rushes over.

"Hi, I'm Ellis!" she exclaims, giving me a quick hug, and I return the gesture with a smile. "It's great to meet you! I had no idea you were a girl."

"I've been hearing that a lot lately," I laugh, and Ellis joins in. She's tall with wavier blonde hair than mine, clad in a macramé top and loose-fitting, low-rise jeans, radiating an aura of ease. "I'm Julianna."

"This is going to be so much fun! A new girl in the group who isn't anybody's girlfriend or secret fling," she enthuses, and I share in her laughter. "Sydney is my girlfriend; you should meet her." She scans the room with pursed lips. "She's here somewhere, so I'm sure you'll cross paths soon."

"How long have you known each other?" I inquire, and she offers a nonchalant shrug.

"I think it's been about four months?" She glances at Abby, who confirms with a nod. "She's cool, and you'll like her."

"I trust you," I smile, and Ellis continues to scan the room, indicating she's still on the lookout for Sydney.

"You should get to know them," she advises, bringing two guys over, causing my heart to quicken its pace. What's with the water around here? These guys are also striking.

"This is Darren, Julianna," she introduces, giving a friendly smile to the gentleman on her left. He seemed to be around five feet five inches tall, with dark skin and a bright, inviting smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he kindly offers. I nod and extend my hand for a quick shake.

"Hi, I'm Chase," the taller of the two says, introducing himself. He sports short, bouncy curls atop his head, and his eyes are a deep brown hue. He's taller than me but not exceedingly tall for a guy, likely just under six feet.

"Hey," he says amiably, flashing a smile, to which I reciprocate.

"Hi," I respond, shaking his hand briefly. I notice that, like me, he appears to have spent a lot of time outdoors in the sun over the past few months, as his skin boasts a healthy summer tan.

"Do you need a drink?" he inquires, to which I simply shrug.

"Sure," I respond, and when I turn to inform Abby that I'll be right back, I realize that all three of them have disappeared. That's peculiar. Chase appears to be easygoing and affable, a welcome change. He reminds me a bit of Mark, someone easy to converse with and who puts me at ease.

"They ditched us," he remarks, shaking his head and sighing. "I'll grab you something this way." He points toward the fridge and gestures for me to follow. As he opens the fridge, I spot Kent and Piper engaged in conversation on the other side of the room.

He leans in and says, "I don't hook up like Piper does," dispelling an untruth.

"What do you feel like doing?" he asks, to which I sigh and shrug it off.

"Beer is a good choice," I reply, and his eyebrows raise in response.

"She's got good taste," he remarks, handing me a can of Coors Light. I chuckle. "I can see what you mean."

While "taste" isn't a word I'd personally use to describe Coors Light, everyone has their own preferences. I laugh and pop open the tab, and he does the same, clinking his freshly opened can against mine.

"Spot on, Julia," I confirm when he asks. "Tell me something about yourself."

This question is a breeze for me, given my naturally talkative nature. It provides the perfect opportunity to share whatever comes to mind and eases my nerves, as I tend to be an anxious person.

"I'm going into my fourth year, majoring in early modern studies. Right now, I'm working on my honors thesis with my favorite professor."

"Who's that?" He inquires. "I'm a classics student, so I've taken quite a few courses that overlap."

"It's Dr. Binkley," I respond, and he grins.

"She's great. We discussed my paper a lot over Zoom last year, and she gave me plenty of guidance to complete it." I return his smile.

"Yes, she's wonderful. I'm looking forward to hearing her feedback and engaging in more discussions with her." I admit, running a hand through my hair. I hesitate to mention that I admire her for being a strong, research-driven woman. While there are certainly helpful men in the history department, I've always felt more comfortable around her. "You're in Classics, right? How's that going?"

"It's decent. I'm not aiming for an honors thesis, but I enjoy the subject." He shrugs.

"That's good to hear. I actually took a Classics class during my first year to fulfill one of the humanities requirements," I share.

"Which one?" He asks.

"The one on 101 myths," I reply, and he smiles.

"Oh, that one was fantastic," he agrees, and the curls on top of his head bounce a bit. "I took that class too."

"Did we go to the same school?" I jest, raising an eyebrow.

"11:30 to 12:30 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?" he inquires, and I confirm it was indeed the same schedule. "Damn, I must've missed you."

"There were like 200 of us; I won't hold it against you," I say, glancing down at my shoes and laughing. But when I notice his choice of footwear, I pause and consider. "Hey, those shoes are pretty cool."

"Thanks, they're the popular ones," he replies, momentarily forgetting that we have the same shoes. "Gotta give Julianna some credit." He laughs, and I grin. "So, do you think we could study together on campus sometime?" I readily agree.

"Yeah, let me grab my phone," I reply with a smile. I feel genuinely happy. Julianna, you've made friend number two. Plus, since we're both in the same department, it's convenient for us to study together and exchange ideas.

As I glance back into the room, I spot Kent pushing Piper against the living room wall, their tongues entwined in a passionate kiss. It churns my stomach to witness. Ew.