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Silas joins her, and then I notice a few roup Stella, dressed in a stunning Greek goddess costume Ryan stands just behind her shoulder in a suit with ahe’s the dude from that "shaken, not stirred" movie that I can’t seem to remember the na up beside Torres to close off our little circle "Your nor as the night wears on Dare I hope that you’re working backward tonight and will put clothes on as you drink?"

"Maybe tonight I’ll focus on helping other people lose their clothes, for a change We can call it Strip Halloween It will be a huge hit I proood pull, and you could start the game"

Ryan shoulders his way into the circle then, and Stella stiffens beside hi: "For God’s sake,Loosen up This is a party"

Those words don’t seem to assure his friend "I know"

Stella rolls her eyes and walks away, over toward the kitchen counter "And on that note, I’ a drink Anyone else need one?"

Several of the college bucket lists I consulted online had "do a keg stand" listed a" and other alcohol-related festivities After a littlestand and beer pong were And considering the only alcohol I’ve ever had was the wine during Coure I need to start small Which is why "drink alcohol" is nuroup to follow her Standing at the counter, I survey all the options, and even without looking in the ice chests by rabs a bottle of beer I decide rab one, too

After she opens hers, she reaches out a hand for adget that reminds me of an oversize Swiss Army knife

"Thanks" How horrifying would it have been for a girl who prides herself on her intelligence above all else to have been stumped over how to open a bottle of beer?

"No probleht"

I want to ask her about Ryan, about the obvious tension, not just between theroup where Stella is concerned But I re with her And I know h to know that sometioing on, I don’t want to cause trouble by prying where I shouldn’t So, I follow her lead and take a big gulp of the beer inso violently that I have to turn around and spit the vile liquid out into the sink behind us My reaction draws the attention of several people in the roo Torres, who starts toward me

I panic and turn away from hi beer?" she asks

I nod "It’s awful Why would anyone drink it?"

"It’s an acquired taste," Torres says as he steps up beside et used to it? That would be akin to punching htlike that"

Stella smacks his arhs, and they both drink their beer, and I have absolutely no clue what they’re talking about This This is why I don’t do parties Reflexively, I take another sip of , I force ag that time"

It’s Stella who spits her drink out into the sink this tiasps, "Oh my God"