Despite the fact that Rufus and Jiya's imprompto engagement party at the apartment she shared with Wyatt had exiled her from her own home for the night, Lucy found she truly enjoyed the rest of the evening. She got to know the couple, Dakota and Lily, and several other of Wyatt's avid surfing buddies. They took Lucy out to an amazing spot where you could sit on the rocks and listen to the surf howl. A moon rose and they chatted about the area. Several people asked her about San Francisco and she told them about her life there. Lily asked her about her book.

"How did you know about that?"

"Wyatt said you were a writer. Told us you were working on a novel."

Lucy tried to tell them as much, and as little, about the book as she could, flustered that Wyatt was talking to his friends about her.

She asked them about surfing and she was treated to stories from each of them about how they'd gotten into the sport. Lily didn't volunteer the information, but the others got her to tell Lucy about the competitions she'd been involved in. The writer hung on the slight woman's description of surviving a ride on a forty-foot wave in Waimea Bay on Oahu's North Shore. Dakota gripped her girlfriend's arm at this story and Lily gave her a kiss, promising quietly that she'd never be foolish enough to try that again.

Someone broke out a joint and they passed it around. Lucy stiffened wondering if this was where things would get awkward. Where she would stick out and be rejected for not imbibing. But when it came her way, she smiled and shook her head and it got passed to the next person in the circle. No judgments, no big deal. Lucy sighed with relief, and answered a question someone had asked her about how LA beaches compared with San Francisco's.

She got sleepy long before the others did. Yawning, she gave her good-nights and headed back to the apartment, hoping vainly that the party might have broken up. Or at least moved out of her room. Dakota surprised her by giving her a hug as she left, and mystifying Lucy by saying "You're good for him, you know." She was too unnerved to ask what the younger girl meant.

She walked back alone, enjoying the beauty of the night. She hummed a little tune thinking about what she'd learned about the others. Feeling a bit hopeful that perhaps they weren't just Wyatt's friends but hers, too. Maybe.

When she arrived back at the apartment, she was overjoyed to see that a lot of the cars that had been parked out in front were gone. There were still voices spilling into the night, but many fewer. At least I can get to sleep. She entered as a group left. She waved to Jiya who was among them. After they were gone, she stepped right into her room, not doing more than scanning what she could see of the apartment to see how full it remained. The place was mostly empty. The door to Wyatt's room was closed, and there seemed to be people sitting in their living room area (it was all really just one big room) but that was it.

Lucy got changed and slid into bed, grateful for an end to the evening.

She woke some time later. She had to pee. She still heard voices from the living room. Peering at the clock, it read 2am.

Lucy got out of bed and quietly opened her door. The bathroom was right across the hall, so she tried to move quickly into it, so as not to get the others' attention. She was still feeling just done with people.

Voices drifted towards her. She heard her name. Tantalized, she left the door open slightly and stood there listening. She recognized Wyatt and Rufus' voices, but most of the others were unfamiliar to her. Her guess from how they were talking was that everyone was extremely drunk. She heard what they were saying and she frowned in embarrassment.

"You are so lucky, Wyatt. You've got this great piece of tail that just moved in with you." She had no idea who said that.

Wyatt started to say something, but someone else cut him off. "Lucy is so gorgeous. You are so lucky. You've still got Jessica chasing you down. Gwen and Cara are like all hot for you. Kurt wouldn't kick you out of bed." Laughter followed, and clearly Kurt was one of the guys there. She heard a faint "Damn straight," after which there was more laughter and a joke she couldn't catch but assumed was Kurt clarifying how not straight he was. She almost closed the door having heard enough. But then she heard Rufus say something about a side piece, and Lucy's face burned. Was he talking about her? She thought he was her friend. She nearly did close the door, until she heard Wyatt's voice.

"Drop it guys, there is nothing going on between Lucy and me. Just get it out of your heads, okay? We are just housemates. You can't see me with a nerd like that can you? But if you are all so jealous of me and my conquests, I suggest you get your butts out there and search out somebody like Rufus did." Murmurs of approval. "Kurt especially. You can do better than a dumb, hick, straight-boy like me." Laughter. "Also, it is 2am and I have to work in the morning, so maybe you can all get on your search elsewhere?" Lucy closed the door. Her face red. She sat silently, feeling strangely broken-hearted for no good reason that she could see.

Of course I mean nothing to him. We are just housemates.

She waited a while until she heard the door close. She heard nothing so assumed that Wyatt had gone to sleep. She left the bathroom, just in time to see Wyatt open the door and come in.

"Oh, Lucy-those guys were wasted so I got them an Uber. I'm so sorry about that party. I never should have let-" He took in the look on her face, and stopped. "Lucy, how long were you awake?" She shrugged slightly. Then stepped into her room shutting the door. She lay back on her bed, numb and exhausted.

I can't cry. But I thought he liked me as a friend at least?

She heard Wyatt knock on the door, but she ignored it.