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“Thanks.” A
“Well, here are some welcome packets. Tonight, we’re just going to have di
“Okay, thanks.”
We both took the packets and were about to go and introduce ourselves to the other students when Henrietta grabbed us both by the shoulders.
“Oh, I almost forgot to remind you. Classes start tomorrow, bright and early. Please know that attendance is monitored and you will fail if you don’t attend eighty percent of your classes.” She looked at us sternly, but it was hard to take her seriously as she was hiccupping. “Oh, yeah. There will be a ball at the end of the year, so start thinking about dresses and dates. You’re both pretty girls, so I don’t think you’ll have problems snagging a date.” She paused for a moment and looked at us thoughtfully. “Oh, and one more thing. I almost forgot. There are two professors overseeing the program this year. They will have two special get-togethers at their houses at some point during the term. Make sure you show up. It looks really bad if you don’t.”
“Okay, thanks.” I nodded and nudged A
“See you later, girls.” She gri
“Bye.” I waved at her and was about to whisper something to A
“Hello.” He reached his hand out towards me. “I’m Sebastian.”
“Lola.” I shook his hand and was pleasantly surprised that he didn’t squeeze it too hard or too limply like most of the guys I knew back home did.
“A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.” He gave me a dazzling smile and I blushed and tried not to remember how Xavier had responded to my name. Lolita, indeed.
“Thank you.”
“Are you American?”
“Is it that obvious?” I laughed. “I’m starting to feel like the redheaded stepchild.”
“No.” He shook his head and his dark hair fell in his face. “I was just curious.”
“Are you English?” I looked at him in surprise. He definitely had an English accent, but I wasn’t sure why he would be in this program if he were from the country.
“No.” He made a face. “God, no.” He laughed again. “I’m from a small country near Belgium. But I was educated in English boarding schools.”
“Oh.” I still looked at him curiously.
“I suppose you wonder why I’m in this program?” He made a face. “My brother convinced my mother it would be good for me because I sort of played around a bit too much last year.”
“Oh, that sucks.”
“Not really.” His eyes sparkled at me. “I’m quite glad he played the overbearing bully this time.”
“Oh?” I laughed nervously as he leaned in towards me.
“Yes.”
“Lola, you coming?” A
“Sorry, I have to go.” I smiled at Sebastian, and he looked at me in disappointment.
“What are you studying, Lola?”
“Art history.”
“Really?” His eyes gleamed and he shook his head. “I heard the professor’s an asshole.”
“Oh no,” I groaned. “Just my luck.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be in the class as well.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. This way my brother really gets to watch my every step.”
“Huh?” I looked at him in confusion, but then A
“Come on, Lola.” She nodded towards the tall, blond surfer-looking dude, and I gave Sebastian a quick smile.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, if not later again tonight,” I muttered quickly.
“I look forward to it.” He grabbed my hand and gave it a quick kiss before I was pulled away by A
I glared at her. “I was just talking to that guy, you know.”
“Sorry, but I need to speak to the blond god before another girl gets her claws in him.” A
“There’s no one there,” I sighed as we casually walked over to him.
“Shh!” She gave me a look. “Play it cool,” she whispered.
“I didn’t think I was playing it warm or hot,” I said, slightly irritated.
I had enjoyed talking to Sebastian. There was something about him that seemed fun as well as friendly. I wouldn’t mind making him my first male BFF. And it didn’t hurt that he was hot, either.
“Laugh,” A
“Laugh at what?”
“Oh, Lola, you’re so fu
“I am?”
“Oh, Lola.” Her laughter became even louder, and she took two steps backwards and bumped into the tall blond. “Oh my, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see where I was going.” She turned around and gave him a huge smile.
“No worries.” He smiled back at her and then looked over at me. “What’s the joke?”
“I’d like to know that my—” I started, and A
“I’m A
“Hi, girls. I’m Jason, from Brisbane, Australia. Not to be confused with Jason Donovan.”
“Who?” A
“Oh, sorry, mates. He’s an actor. I guess the Brits love him. All I keep hearing about is Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue. I’m like, I’m in my twenties. They ain’t popular where I’m from.”
“Oh.” A
“I know Florida, though. I’ve been surfing in Cocoa Beach. Went to a contest put on by Ron Jon’s Surf Shop.”
“Oh, awesome!” A
“I used to be.” He shrugged and his blond hair fell in his face. “Now I play rugby.”
“I love rugby,” A
“Cricket.” He nodded. “I used to play in school. I was plenty rubbish though.”
“Oh, that sucks.”
“That’s okay.” He shrugged. “Want a breadstick?” He handed us the plate, and I thought A
“No, thanks.” I shook my head.
“You girls studying with the program?”
“That’s what the party’s for, right?” I mumbled, and A
I figured she deserved my being a bitch for dragging me away from Sebastian. Not that I really cared about Sebastian. In the back of my mind, all I could think about was my night with Xavier and the way his lips had kissed me all over.
“What are you studying, Jason?” A
“Art history.”
“Really?” I looked at him in shock. He didn’t look like the sort of guy who knew anything about art.
“Yeah. I want to own my own gallery when I grow up.”
“Wow, me too.” I looked at him consideringly. I had to stop judging people by their appearances. “I’m in the art history program as well.”
“That’s cool.”
“I’m in the literature program,” A
“No, there’s a cool dude in that program.” He pointed to a ski