Page 13 of Power Play

“With us,” Aura says. “Or because someone ordered you to participate in college life before you graduate without a personality.”

“I have a personality.”

Bliss releases my face and gives me a deeply skeptical look. “You have excellent posture.”

“That isn’t the same thing,” Aura adds.

I smooth the front of my cream linen shorts even though they aren’t wrinkled. The movement draws Aura’s attention immediately, and her eyes narrow.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“You straightened your shorts.”

“They needed it.”

“They didn’t,” Bliss says. “I was looking at them because they’re cute, and I wondered whether my ass would fit.”

“It would fit differently.”

Aura snorts while Bliss presses a hand over her heart.

“That was devastatingly diplomatic.”

“I’m trying to be kinder.”

“You told me my ass would alter the structural integrity of the shorts.”

“I said it would fit differently.”

“You’re deflecting,” Aura says, stepping closer. “What happened?”

The crowd surges around us when the front door opens, bringing another group of students inside. Bliss catches my wrist and pulls me toward the end of the bar, where an empty stool waits beside the service station.

“Sit there. We have approximately four minutes before Hannah realizes she’s paying us to socialize.”

“You’re both dating KFU hockey players. That’s money to Hannah, so I doubt she’d care.”

“She still insists I work during scheduled hours. It’s deeply hostile.”

Aura lifts her tray again. “Tell us why you look like you’ve been reorganizing a bookshelf by emotional significance.”

“I have never done that.”

Both of them stare at me.

“I did it once,” I admit. I don’t tell them I’d been unable to sleep and needed something orderly enough to quiet the noise in my head.

“Sit,” Bliss orders. “I’ll get you wine.”

“Water is fine.”

“Wine and water,” she decides.

I slide onto the stool and place my purse carefully over my lap. Everything inside is familiar. Wallet. Lipstick. Tissues. Hand cream. Mints. The ordinary collection of things I carry everywhere so I’m never caught needing something I failed to anticipate.

Aura disappears into the crowd while Bliss sets a glass of sauvignon blanc in front of me, followed by water and a basket of fries I didn’t request.