“This is my boyfriend, Brandon,” Angela introduced proudly, looking up at her man in admiration.
“Hey,” Jacob replied, shaking hands with the tall, dark-skinned man. “Nice to meet you.”
“Yeah, you too,” Brandon replied, his other arm still slung tightly around Angela’s waist, holding her close to his side as she chugged the last bit of her drink. Letting go of Jacob’s grip, he turned his attention back to her. “What do you say I take this beauty to the dance floor?” he asked, giving her attire a long, appreciative glance.
“Um…,” Angela hesitated, glancing back at Callie with a hopeful expression.
She rolled her eyes again. “I’m fine, Ang,” she dismissed. “Have fun.”
Brandon was already pulling her toward the crowd of closely-packed bodies jumping and moving with the music. She gave Callie and Jacob a quick wave, leaving them alone.
Angela’s exit left behind a moment of uncomfortable silence as Callie sipped her drink and bobbed her head gently to the music. Jacob stood a few feet in front of her, tapping his foot against the dirt and glancing around at the twinkling lights in the tree canopies he hadn’t noticed before.
He turned back to Callie, taking in her dark hair in its usual smooth, straight style, and her dusty pink, lace dress.
“I like your dress,” Jacob offered, making conversation.
“Oh, thanks,” she smiled, absently wiping the lipstick from the rim of her cup. “Do you want something to drink?” she asked.
“Uh… what’s in it?” he asked, appraising the punch bowl on the table.
“I don’t know,” she frowned at the cup in her hands. With a guilty grimace, she added, “I guess it’s probably not the smartest thing to drink something when you don’t know what it is.”
Jacob chuckled. “Probably not, no.”
She glanced around to ensure nobody was looking, then timidly slipped her cup back onto the table. Crossing her arms, she looked out at the crowd, and Jacob followed her gaze to where Angela and Brandon were moving together by the fire.
“I didn’t realize she was so… outgoing,” Jacob noted as Angela pressed her backside more firmly against her boyfriend, pushing his hands from her waist to her hips.
Callie chuckled at the choice of word.
“She can be. When she’s not stuck babysitting me,” she rolled her eyes again. “She’s probably glad you came, so she doesn’t have to feel bad about ditching me.”
“Not a dancer, huh?” he inquired.
She turned to appraise his expression. “Are you… asking?” she nodded toward the makeshift dance floor with a look of nervous anticipation.
“No!” Jacob barked a laugh, and her face fell. “Er… I just mean, I’m not much of a dancer,” he clarified to spare her feelings.
“Oh,” she nodded. “Yeah, me either,” she dismissed with a shrug.
“So…,” he began, shoving his hands in his pockets and appraising the rest of the crowd. “What exactly are we non-dancers supposed to do at these things?”
“I don’t know,” Callie shrugged again. “Drink. Talk.”
Jacob nodded. Sounds fun.
“What time is it?” he asked.
She laughed. “Am I boring you, already?”
“Oh, no,” he replied quickly, not wanting to hurt her feelings. “I’m sorry. I’m just not really much of a party person.”
“It’s okay,” she smiled. “I’m not either, but Angela has a hard time taking ‘no’ for an answer sometimes.”
Jacob smirked, looking back at her friend. “So, you guys both grew up around here?”
“Mhmm,” Callie nodded, playing with the tips of her hair. “Angela wanted to go somewhere out of state, but Westbridge was my first choice. I didn’t want to be too far from my family, you know?”
He didn’t, but he nodded anyway. He could sense the next instinctive follow-up question on the tip of her tongue, but he didn’t want to have to explain in more depth what it was that drew him to Ohio – or, more accurately, drew him away from New York – so he interjected with the first college-y question that came to mind.
“What’s your major?”
“Nursing,” she answered. “You?”
“Haven’t decided yet,” he said. “But Nursing is pretty interesting. What made you choose that?”
“Nurses are the backbone of the medical field!” she exclaimed. “And I’ve always enjoyed school and working, so I kind of like the long hours. I think it’ll keep me busy, and I like the idea that I’ll always be learning something new.”
Jacob nodded.
“Plus, of course it’ll be satisfying to spend every day helping people. I mean, two of my aunts are nurses, and the stories they tell,” she shook her head in awe. “I just can’t wait to be a part of that, you know? It’s challenging and exciting, and it’s so important.”
“Hm,” Jacob muttered, wondering if he would ever feel so strongly about a career path.
“Or… something. I don’t know.” She blushed at her sudden dump of information. “Sorry, I’m talking your ear off,” she cringed.
“No, not at all,” Jacob reassured her. “I think that’s really cool that you have something you’re so passionate about.”
“Thanks,” she smiled under her flushed cheeks, pushing her hair behind one ear.
Jacob tried to ignore the anxiety – and if he was honest, jealousy – rising in his chest at the notion of a girl nearly 15 years his junior already having her life together when he felt like he was just beginning his. He looked around the crowd, appraising all of the young, freshman faces that surrounded him, and as he often had in life, he felt like an outsider.
“So, what are you passionate about?” Callie asked, as if on cue to drive home the nagging voice in the back of his mind screaming that he didn’t belong here.
“Um,” he muttered, trying to stifle his inner critic long enough to even ponder the question. “I, uh… I guess I’m still figuring that out,” he reluctantly admitted.
Callie gave him a warm smile. “Well, that’s okay,” she replied with a dismissive wave of the hand. “I think we all are. I mean hell, that’s what freshman year is for, right?”
Jacob grinned at her kindness. “Yeah, I guess so,” he shrugged, accepting the encouragement. Of course, there was still the sobering fact that he was over a decade older than everyone else in his position, but Callie didn’t seem to be aware of that. Or at least if she was, she didn’t show it.
“Thanks,” he said.
She raised her eyebrows. “For what?”
“Oh, um,” he muttered. Regretting the sappy sentiment, he changed paths and said, “For inviting me tonight. It’s been fun.”
“Oh. Well, I think Angela invited you,” she clarified.
Jacob thought back to that morning. “Right,” he said.
Callie shook her head at herself. “But, I mean, you’re welcome,” she offered anyway. “I mean, I’m glad you came.”