I grin and lean my head against his shoulder.
A few minutes later we pull up in front of the hotel and head inside.
It’s fun to see college boys in suits.
There’s a luge shot challenge, where you chug an ice-cold shot off a block of ice. I also note the chocolate fountain, which I will definitely be hitting up after dinner.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but the feel of their formal seems more like a really fun prom where drinking is allowed.
We sit at circular tables with assigned seats like it’s a wedding.
At our table is Ryan, Jennifer, Roger, Ian, and one other senior and his date.
“Drinks are at the open bar,” Luke informs me. “Can I get you something?”
“I’ll take an old fashioned.”
“Be right back.”
Luke kisses me on the cheek. When he gets up to walk away, yes I stare a little. I do have a weakness for men in suits.
A minute after he leaves, a guy sits down next to me.
“Hi, I’m Josh. We haven’t met.”
Josh has dimples, he’s cute, and also a huge douche. I smile, and turn my head just a little. Thing is, I definitely had Josh in my translation of poetry class last term. It dawns on me that he simply doesn’t recognize me right now.
“I’m Skylar. We had a class last term. And junior year, too.”
He squints, clearly thinking hard. “We did?”
I notice that Jennifer and Ryan are both observing my conversation, and I see an opening to test a move Luke and I have discussed.
“You might know my boyfriend, Luke Rutledge.”
The guy laughs.
Literally laughs in my face. “Luke’s your boyfriend? As in…Luke is being monogamous?”
“That’s right.”
He crosses his arms. “I don’t believe it. Luke would never settle down. Let alone during second semester, senior year of college.”
“She’s got him wrapped around her little finger,” Jennifer chimes in.
I cringe a little at the tone of her voice. How does she always seem to have the ability to make a commitment sound so sinister?
“How long have you two been seeing each other?” Josh asks.
Luke arrives and hands me a drink, then stands behind me.
“What’s up, Big Tuna,” he says to the guy.
“Aw come on, I thought we were done with that.”
“We’re never done with your pledge name.”
“Is this…really your girlfriend?” Big Tuna asks Luke.
I internally facepalm, nervousness ripping through my gut suddenly.
“Why is everyone so skeptical that we’re dating?” Luke asks.
“Because she’s nowhere near your type,” Jennifer rings in, then turns to me. “No offense, Mrs. She’s All That. You look good tonight but everyone knows Luke is all about athletes and…”
Luke interrupts her. “Guys, what the fuck? This is very disrespectful to my date.” He actually sounds pissed. “Big Tuna, piss off. We’re about to get started on dinner.” He turns to Jennifer. “Thanks for the update that my date looks hot as fuck tonight. For your information, Sky has always been hot as fuck, you’re just noticing it for the first time tonight. Congratulations to you.”
A surge of warmth spreads through my body. I’ve rarely seen Luke even slightly pissed, at anyone, and the fact that he’s doing it to protect me in a social environment I’m not familiar with is so sweet.
“Yeah, okay,” Big Tuna, AKA Josh, says. “My date’s going to be pissed to find out about this, though.”
“Sorry about him,” Ian says as soon as Josh leaves. “Sophomores. They’re still so immature. And I think he’s a little jealous because Luke spent so much time with him last year. And obviously you two are fairly serious if you’re invoking the ten-minute rule.”
I scrunch up my face. “What’s the ten-minute rule?”
“Glad you asked,” Ian says. “Roger, want to fill her in?”
“The ten-minute rule is something Ian and I came up with to subconsciously know the strength of your commitment.”
“Explain.”
“It’s easier if I start by explaining when it’s violated. Have you ever been chatting with a guy, and things are going well? You might have talked for two or more hours. And then, suddenly, when you’re about to get in the cab, he’s like, ‘So I was out the other night with my girlfriend/wife.’ Like they wait until the last possible second to drop the huge fact that they have a significant other.”
“Oh my gosh, yes! When I did my internship in Chicago last summer, that would happen all the time.”
“Right. So…basically, that means the guy, or girl, mind you—isn’t that jazzed up about their boyfriend or girlfriend. Think about it.”
“Where does the ten minutes come in?”
“The ten minutes comes in because someone who is really pumped about their significant other will make it clear that they have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Not because they have to, but because they’re excited to talk about them. And they’ll do it within the first ten minutes of conversation.”
“How did you come up with this rule?”
“Let’s just say Roger may or may not have accidentally hit on my freshman year boyfriend, who never told Roger we were dating.”
“And we may or may not have made out,” Roger adds.
It’s not lost on me that Jennifer is quiet during this whole conversation, fidgeting a little with her straw and sucking down her drink quickly.
“I’ve heard you guys talk about this rule before,” Luke says. “It’s not like an absolute. But it’s a guideline. Mentioning it within ten minutes exactly isn’t the point. The point is, someone who is fucking pumped about their relationship is going to tell people about it.”
Jennifer finally chimes in. “All those fuckboys love keeping that secret when they’re out at the bars.”
“Oh yeah? Who are the fuck boys out there? You know any?” Luke says, and I squeeze his leg to try and convey to him that his voice is dripping with vitriol and it’s fucking obvious.
“Oh I don’t know…you, for instance.” Jennifer’s tone is accusatory, and I can sense the tense vibe rising at the table.
I want to call her out, because I see exactly where Luke’s line of questioning is leading. Jennifer seems to be exhibiting textbook projection right now, accusing Luke of something I know she does.
“Well, that was fun!” Roger says, clapping his hands together. “Here comes the food!”
The moment passes and I catch a glare from Jennifer when all of the guys’ attention is on some game at the TV above the bar.
My heart doubles in speed. The look is a reminder to me that there is something very conniving with this woman.
The next course for dinner is served, and I purposely eat a little lighter than maybe I would on a normal night.
If tonight is first-time-sex-night in the hotel with Luke, I’ve got to keep my head on my shoulders. As good as it’s been without actual sex, I can’t imagine what it will feel like when we go all the way.
Dessert is still on the way, but the crowd is a little dispersed right now. Jennifer’s gone from the table.