Chapter 7: Work Before Play
The rest of the day passed quickly. They wandered in the park for another hour just talking, the game forgotten. When Sarah's stomach growled loudly enough to interrupt the conversation, they laughed and headed back to the apartment for lunch. Sarah began to get out some food from the well-stocked refrigerator, but Jareth stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Please, allow me." He conjured a crystal and tossed it onto the table, where it exploded into place settings for two, complete with cloth napkins, a vase of flowers, and various steaming dishes. Sarah just shook her head and muttered something about magic, and he chuckled as he pulled out her chair for her.
Sarah had work to do that afternoon, especially as she was going out to Raoul's party that night, so Jareth left her shortly after lunch, promising to meet her at the party.
Several hours later, Sarah stretched and turned off the laptop. She pinned up her braid and headed upstairs to bathe and get ready for the party. She dropped some scented oil in the tub and leaned back, relaxing in the hot water with a deep sigh. She didn't know what to make of Jareth's presence. He'd been back in her life for less than a day, and already they laughed and joked like old friends. He was exciting -- there was always an edge of flirtation to his joking, and Sarah couldn't tell whether it was meant for her or simply part of his personality. Whichever it was, though, she'd had more fun in the last 24 hours than she'd had for years! She smiled, leaning back in the tub, and resolved to just take things as they came. If nothing else, she'd have the memory of attending a king's wedding, as the guest of another king, no less, and she knew she'd treasure that for the rest of her life!
After her long soak, she got dressed in some snug black jeans and a tight, wine-red, off-the-shoulder knit top that showed a thin strip of her belly above the jeans. She undid her braid and curled the ends of her hair, admiring the ripple effect in the mirror. She left it loose for a change - after all, tonight was going to be rather a special occasion. Her mouth curved in amusement at the thought; after all, one didn't attend a frat party with a Goblin King every weekend! She decided against perfume; probably several other girls there would be wearing it, and she didn't want to add to the miasma of scents that was sure to be there. She applied some smoky eye shadow, smirking at the thought of making those upward sweeps with it that the Goblin King always wore, but in the end she applied it naturally. She chose a deep red lipstick, slipped on a pair of heels and was ready to go.
The music at the party was loud and pulsing, and the whole downstairs smelled of beer and sweat and old cigarettes, with an underlying tang of vomit and sex. Sarah wrinkled her nose, mentally christening it the Frat House of Eternal Stench. No one paid her any attention.
Sarah glanced around, seeing only a few people she knew: Paris was there, with one of her sorority pledges, a bubbly blonde named Cindy. Paris was draped around Leo, whom Sarah knew from his visits to their apartment, and Raoul, the host, was busily putting the moves on Cindy. Sarah knew Raoul from a "group project" they had done together for a class; she had done all the work, and he had taken all the credit. She didn't see Jareth yet.
The dance floor was small -- it doubled as the living room during the few times when the frat house wasn't hosting a party. Sarah waved at the DJ, a fairly decent guy named Angelo who shared her aversion to Algebra. They'd frequently commiserated about it over coffee, since they both had a break just before class. He nodded to her, sending her a silent, eye-brows raised compliment on her outfit from across the crowded dance floor. She grinned in acknowledgement and headed into the other room.
Author's note: I know this is a short chapter, but the next one should be along tomorrow. Thanks so much for all the reviews! Midnight Lady, the backstory is on its way two or three chapters from now. If, after reading it, you still think it should come earlier in the story, please let me know. I have the whole story arc already planned out, but I very much appreciate constructive criticism and am more than willing to make necessary "ch-ch-ch-ch-changes." ;)
Also, Sarah and Paris share an off-campus apartment; they don't live in a dorm. I'm sorry; I thought that was clear. I'll have to go back and check on that, and possibly change it. And Sarah's returning-student experience mirrors my own and that of several others I know, even down to the annoying roommates and lack of money! Not all older students can afford to have their own apartments while going back to school. It might seem unrealistic to you, ML, but it sure rings true to my experience:) If it still seems too out of character for Sarah after you've read the next few chapters, then let me know and I'll see if it needs changing. Thanks for your comments.
Solea, I hope the frat party chapter doesn't completely sour you on the story. I'll keep him as in-character as I can, I promise! To you and everyone else who reviewed, thank you very much! And keep on doing it. Till next time, --CL