Almost Perfect - Brian Katcher [75]
“Pleased to meet you, Logan.”
We shook. I tried to play the hand-crushing game, but he quickly yielded.
Laura didn’t realize I was about to throw down with this guy. “C’mon, Sage, there’s some people I want you to meet. Mike, why don’t you get Logan a drink and introduce him around.”
Laura took Sage by the hand and pulled her toward a group of laughing girls. She glanced at me over her shoulder, but I had something else to do at the moment. Mike and I stared at each other for a couple of seconds. I did not smile.
“So, Logan. You’re coming here next year?”
“Yes.” I folded my arms and leaned toward him, demonstrating that I was the taller one. I fought an impulse to beat my chest.
Mike nodded rapidly. “Nice, nice. Got your housing assignment yet?”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever consider going Greek?”
“No.”
Mike stood there, trying to make eye contact and failing. When someone waved at him from across the room, he took off like a shot. I’d kick his ass later.
It took me a moment to locate Sage through the haze of smoke. She was standing with Laura and two other girls. I couldn’t make out what Sage was saying, but when she bent and gestured at her shoes, I realized they were speaking Clothes, the universal female language. My friend seemed quite fluent. Since I only spoke conversational Clothes, I decided not to join them.
I was thirsty, and tradition dictated that I have a beer. The keg stood in a large common area, surrounded by a bunch of smokers. I grabbed a cup and tried to fill it, but nothing came out.
“Dude, you gotta pump it. Here.” A skinny guy in a backward cap filled me up.
“Thanks.” I was never much of a drinker and couldn’t identify the brand of almost orange beer in my cup. I chugged it.
“Dude, you with the Deltas?”
“No.”
“Tau Omega?”
I swilled the rest of the beer. “I’m still in high school. I won’t be here till next year.” I waited for him to blow me off.
Frat man emptied his cup, then refilled us both. “You ought to pledge with us next year. Kappa kicks fucking ass!” Around the room, guys raised their cups and whooped in agreement.
Huh. He actually wanted me to join his frat. I felt like much less of a hick.
“I’m Logan.”
“Dalton.” We smacked fists. “So, is that tall chick your girlfriend?”
Down the corridor, I could just make out Sage’s back. She was talking to someone, but I couldn’t tell who.
“She’s just a friend.” I downed my drink.
“Whoa, Logan,” said Dalton. “Take it easy. Beer before liquor, never sicker.”
I filled my cup again but just held it. The two beers I’d slammed suddenly hit me, and I felt less steady. I made my way back to the main room.
Whoever was in charge of the sound system must have been worried that people in Omaha couldn’t hear the music. I could feel the sonic waves echoing off my lungs. I couldn’t locate Sage in the hazy crowd, and she was not usually hard to pick out of a group.
Laura emerged from the shadows, grabbing my arm. “Hey, Logan!” she hollered.
“Have you seen Sage?”
She either didn’t hear or was ignoring the question. “Come over here. I want you to meet someone.”
She dragged me over to a couch held together with plywood and duct tape. A couple of girls sat there sipping mixed drinks. Laura propelled me to an empty cushion.
My sister leaned toward the nearest girl, one of the few female guests in jeans and a T-shirt. “Erin, this is my brother, Logan. Logan, Erin.”
Erin was short, even sitting down. Her brown hair was long and almost impossibly straight. She had such dark eyes that I couldn’t see her pupils. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, though that accentuated her naturally pretty face.
“Hi, Erin.”
Laura took a drink from someone else’s cup. “Logan’s coming here next year. He’s quite the track star. I’ll be right back.”
Erin scooted toward me, I guess so I could hear her over the noise. “Laura’s told me a lot about you.”
Normally, your sister is the last person you want to describe you, but this whole situation had setup written all over it. I glanced around, but still couldn’t locate Sage. What the