Closing Arguments

|9|

I did not want to end up here tonight, in fact I'd lobbied firmly against it.  On all fronts.

I'd turned down Hunter, evaded Iggy and all but entirely convinced my housemates that I was happier tucked in bed reading then at the Lang House bash. Almost.

Instead where I now found myself was introducing Summer to Kenji and Jasper much to their chagrin, while Miles poured us all fresh drinks. Summer had seen each of the boys before but was delighted to be spoken to without a counter mediating her conversation.  And chuffed to know too, that the adoring fans didn't cease once she'd clocked off.

Jasper's eyes in particular were aglow as Summer spoke of her fourth year labs, you could have forgiven a passerby if asked to name the subject matter. Human cadavers? By the look on Jasper's face it was more likely a light discussion on the merits of world peace. Gone was the uniform and in its place a slinky emerald dress that made her the prized jewel of the evening, in Jasper's eyes at least.

And had I known that returning with Miles and the drink I craved would be the two people I'd hoped to avoid for at least a fraction longer. If totally honest? I would have opted for the cadaver chat whilst I had the chance.

Hunter and Iggy walked in step with Miles aiding him in his drink carrying efforts, Miles face coy with a knowing smile. Hunter was in a dusty green linen shirt and - what on anyone else would have been a bold choice - white shorts in the same breezy fabric, his hair undone in a nervously messed up kind of style. Iggy on the other hand was a sight to be written about in a barely buttoned white shirt, as per usual, with a glimmer of a smirk crossing his face as he neared.

Summer snapped out of her cadaver conversation and gripped my arm with a mixture of intrigue and excitement. "You didn't mention this at all, Harper. Cheeky of you." She hushed into my ear, hovering above her death grip and nodding to the trio joining our circle.

"What are you talking about? Nothing to tell in this case." I whispered back, not letting on how impressed I was that she'd already clocked the situation at hand. Perhaps it was the stench of male one-up-man-ship lingering in the air.

"Is that why they're inspecting your little summer dress as if they wanted to know what brand it is and what size to order, hmm?" Raking her eyes up from my head to my Supergas with a greedy glare, mockingingly taking my appearance in. Her eyes landing back on mine as I rolled them for emphasis, but she'd already locked onto target. With precision Summer was already peering beyond me in two seconds flat, taking in our new accomplices up close.

"Your drinks ladies." Miles beams handing drinks to Summer and I with a knowing glance that said, I saw all of that.

"Look who made it here after all!" Hunter smiled tipping his cup towards me, but I couldn't tell if he was pleased I'd made it or if the disappointment from my denial lingered.

"I was corralled out of bed by these guys, sincere apologies. Not to sound like an angsty teen, but I had zero intention of coming."

"And yet SO much can be achieved with the promise of tequila!" Summer adds, earning a smile from the group. "Summer by the way and who might you gents be?"

"It's Hunter, uh friend of Harper's and play on the team too. Lovely to meet you and your tequila, Summer." Hunter edged out with a friendly smile and just enough hesitation at the utterance of friend to earn a bug-eyed reaction from Summer herself. (And what may have been somewhat of a choke from Iggy as he sipped his drink.)

"Aha, well hello Hunter, Harper's friend. So you're all big football fanatics then? You too, mister?" Summer tipped her drink in Iggy's direction but his reluctance to answer saw him miss his opportunity to reply and Miles jumped right on in. "He's the other member of the Harper fan club, Summer. But you can call him Vallis."