The party was at one of the Victorian houses on 26th Avenue. There was a backyard with a pool, a concrete patio, and a small building that may have been built as a pool house then converted to a sublet. The pool cast an inviting blue glow and a mist that indicated it was heated but no one was swimming. It was Halloween, after all, and already cold in the city.
"Werewolves of London" played.
Alec had never paid much attention to the awkward, slouching girl in his Foreign Relations class. Ashley was small, very thin, quiet, and often awkward to the point of being off-putting. Outside of class Alec would see her literally curled-up with a book, gazing over her knees at some curricular text with those intense green eyes. Her resting face, when not obstructed by her long, dark hair, was somewhere between that of an awkward smile and a wince from an uncomfortable physical exam. She had sharp features and thick eyebrows, and she rarely wore makeup. She dressed plain, always in pants, never shorts, a skirt, or a dress. There was a pragmatic, studious, simplicity to her that Alex might have appreciated if he had paid any attention to her before that night.
She arrived with two of her dorm mates, the closest things she had to friends in the city and her only reasons for attending the party. Between the angel in the short choir robe and the sexy Ghostbuster walked Ashley, in a cheap Wonder Woman leotard and cape. Alec didn't recognize her at first, his eyes were drawn to her thin, bare legs. Even as his gaze crawled up to her face he couldn't at first place her. Her hair was held back with a gold plastic tiara, cutting a slightly more glamorous and powerful silhouette than she had ever presented. But as the angel handed her a bottle, she turned her head and made one of those awkward smiles, cracking across her face and showing those perfectly straight teeth. Alec recognized her.
"Only beauty queens and the daughters of dentists have teeth like that," he thought.
Alec had never seen Ashley's legs before, or much of her body at all. Her little costume was less substantial than some bathing suits save for the paper-thin cape that barely fell past her waist. Alec wondered if Ashley was trying to break out of her shell, if she was always secretly so daring and confident, or if she had so little self-awareness that she didn't realize how sexy she looked.
Alec approached, possibly emboldened by his own Mr. Orange costume, "Ashley, right?"
"Yeah," Ashley replied with a fragile voice, "You're from Poli sci?"
"That's right. Alec. You know, I never see you at any parties," true but inconsequential, as Alec didn't attend many parties himself, "Do you know Jules?"
"Heh. . . No, I think my roommates do, maybe. They brought me. Do you know Liliane?"
"I'm sure I've seen her around. It's good to see you're out having fun, Ashley."
"Yeah, I don't go to parties much."
"You're always studying, aren't you?"
"I guess."
"I like that. There's a . . maturity there. So many of the girls your age are doing childish stuff to feel more grown-up. Like getting drunk, getting trendy tattoos, dating guys fifteen years older than them."
"I guess. I don't think I'm being very grown-up tonight though."
"You're allowed to have some fun every once in a while. It's healthy."
"I guess. I mean. . you're right," Ashley fidgeted, "I guess I had what they call a 'sheltered childhood'."
"Where are you from?"
"Denver. Actually Centennial but no one knows Centennial so it's easier to say Denver."
"How are you liking California?"
"I thought it would be warmer. But I think I can handle the cold better than most."
"I guess so. I like your costume."
"Thank you," Ashley fiddled with her cape, seemingly unsure if she should be showing more or less of her body.
Alec tried not to state, "Do you like Wonder Woman?"
"I used to watch reruns of the one with Linda Carter. I guess. I just got this at the thrift store because I needed a costume."
"You look great. Those legs could win you some contests."
Ashley giggled, "Thank you," and looked away at nothing in particular. The truth was that Ashley's legs were rather short and thin and not very shapely. But she had a small frame and the cut of her leotard made her look taller, even in her simple, practical sneakers. She looked at Alec's black suit and tie and blood-stained shirt.
"And who are you? Batman's dad?" she asked.
"Ok, I think I might be in love" Alec thought, then out loud replied "Sure."
"Sure? What does that mean?"
"Don't worry about it. I have to ask. . ." Alec paused, "Are you with anyone right now? A boyfriend or partner, or. . "
"Heh, no, I'm not very social and I don't think I. . ." Ashley wanted to say she couldn't handle the dating scene just then, but realized it wasn't true anymore. "I guess I don't know."
"Have you even been dating?"
"I guess not. I think that's why Maddie wanted to get me out here tonight. She keeps telling me 'It's later than you think.'"
"Is she trying to set you up with someone here?"
"God I hope not," Ashley made a face.
"You seem like someone I'd like to spend time with."
Ashley blushed. "You never talked to me," she struggled, "I thought you were cute but you never showed any interest."
"My mistake then. I guess I didn't know what to make of you. You are rather quiet."
Ashley took a drink. Alec looked at her nearly-empty bottle and then at her petite torso and wondered how someone her size could hold that much liquid.
"Do you want to sit down?" Alec offered and moved towards one of the deck chairs.
"Okay," Ashley decided at the very least it was better than trying to talk to anyone else.
"Here, do you want to sit on my lap?"