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Prem walked up the steps to her apartment with brain fog settling in and tired eyes. If she wasn't so tired she would make some diagnosis about her sleep exhaustion but she never wants to see a chart again. She knew English and she knew medicine but for her sanity she would need to not see either of them again for the next 24hrs!!
Opening her door she tossed her keys on the side table and saw Tan's and Sita's were there too. Good everyone was home so they could all eat some take out and crash for the night.
" Hello?"
" Prem! Your back this is perfect" Tan came into the small common area with a smile and his nice clothes. He only wore his nice clothes when he went out to clubs or had to see relatives. Prem could not be bothered by Tan's schedule again she needed sleep!
" oh no, Tan I can't pretend to be your cousin again"
" No, no you are off fake relative duty forever ok" Tan took her things and threw them on to the couch.
" Why are you wearing those clothes then?"
" the party, remember?"
" uh..."Prem's brain was too tired to remember the mention of a party.
" Prem" Tan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"The Thai exchange party, remember? Sita got word from some friends that a big group of Tai students from all around the area are going to have a party!"
" a party? Tan I can barely keep my eyes open" Prem whined.
" Prem, you have a few hours before we go, so drink some water and take a nap that way we can party!!!"
" I still don't know if I want to go"
" trust me Prem, you will want to go to this one,"
" why?"
" because that cute doctor Sita is crushing on will be there~"
" we are all going to be doctors"
" yes but this cute doctor's name is Bo and she has been following Sita on her rounds like a lost puppy"
" Wait! No way, that Bo?" Prem was wide awake now!
" yes, now go clean up and rest so we can watch miss ice queen flirt and flustered this junior"
" fine, fine" Prem dragged herself to the kitchen for some water then to her bedroom. She didn't both turning on the light and fell face first into her bed.
" Finally...." Prem was out before she could reach her pillow.
When Prem woke next it was from gentle nudging and a voice calling her name. Her eyes were so tired they didn't want to open. The nudging didn't stop though and Prem was forced to lift her head.
" Prem, hey Prem wake up"
" hmm?" Prem groaned.
" Hey its time to wake up" Sita whispered.
" Sita?"
" yes, it's me , you have to get up now"
" what?"
" the party, remember?" Sita whispered.
"Oh, yeah..." Prem didn't remember the party but she was getting up anyway.
" I can help you get ready"
" Thanks"
" no problem"
Prem washed up and did her hair as quickly as she could only to tangle it.
Sita shook her head and helped her detangle her hair.
" no need to rush, they can wait for us" Sita braided part of Prem's hair to the side to keep it out of her face. Then Sita did her make up, keeping it light despite Prem feeling like her eyes had bruises beneath them.
" a little concealer will hide the eye bags"
" but will it really work? And what about my lips? Do you think they are too bland?"
" No, this is to bring out your natural beauty" Sita mumbled, focusing on Prem's lips.
" I don't feel beautiful"
" that's because all you've looked at are charts, but now you can have people look at you and tell you how hot I am about to make you" Sita put aside her make-up brush and leaned back.
" that should do it, I left your dress on the bed so get going" Sita pulled her up and pushed her toward the bedroom.
" I'm going, I'm going" Prem muttered.
She passed Tan in the narrow hallway. He gave her wink as he passed her.
" looking good Prem"
" you too"
She slipped into her room and saw the dress Sita had chosen for her. A pearlescent pink dress and one of her shorter ones, barely reaching mid thigh. Sita must be looking to get all of them to go home with someone.
" she has her hopes up for all of us I guess" Prem slipped on the dress and did up her heels. If she was going to party then she would live it up. Grabbing her clutch purse she joined the others.
" Prem you look amazing!" Tan crowed.
" thank you, thank you" Prem did a little pose.
" hey, thank me I'm the one who put it together" Sita said putting her hands on her hips.
" I don't care who made her look good, I care that we can all finally let off some steam!!" Tan danced his way toward the door.
" Alright you horny boy" Sita rolled her eyes.
"I don't care what you call me Let's go!!!!"
They called for a ride and shifted nervously in the back seat of the car. They hadn't been around a lot of Thai students beyond the few in their program. Now they would be around over fifty of them.
They stopped outside a small event hall with people already lined up outside it. Prem looked to Tan and Sita with an excited smile.
" there are already so many!"
" there will be even more inside" Tan cheered.
When they stepped out of the car they could already hear people chatting from the line. It was good to finally hear tangalog again without the weak stuttered words of her peers. Her peers could go on and on about Thai food but no one else really spoke the language. Here in this event space she could hear it in its natural cadence.
" I never thought I would be so happy to hear it again" Prem sighed as they walked in.
" Get ready to hear a whole lot more of it" Tan grabbed a name tag but instead of their names he wrote " Doctor" in big letters.
" what are you doing?" Prem asked over the music.
" making them see what they have to work for" Tan handed them both their "name" tags and turned to face the crowd.
" I'm moving back in with my parents when schools over and that means no late night visitors so I have to get my kicks now"
" Ew"
" hey, you have no room to complain Prem, I have been waiting for you to snap and burn the place down or get laid, so which will it be?"
" neither, when I know both of you will be bringing someone home" Prem muttered.
" Excuse you, we will be going back to Bo's place" Sita scoffed.
" you think she'll finally make her move?" Tan teased.
" No, I have simply had enough of everyone else trying to flirt with her while she makes eyes at me" Sita huffed.
" shouldn't you be pleased she's ignoring them? I mean she only has eyes for you" Prem didn't see the problem.
" yeah be proud of your woman" Tan cheered.
" I would be proud if she told them off but she's too gaga over me to see it," Sita turned her gaze to the crowd with a possessive gleam.
" I am going to very publicly claim Bo then get us some privacy so when we go back she will know the kind of relationship I want"
" damn"
" should we be worried for Bo? Will anyone see her after tonight?"
" they will but she will have my name spelled out in hickies"
" go get your woman and leave us you succubus"
" Good luck" Sita left them by the entrance.
" see ya Prem,"
" wait where am I supposed to go? Tan! Tan!" Prem watched the little traitor run off to find himself a hook up.
" great..." Prem crossed her arms trying to figure out what to do with herself. she had been so focused on her studies that she didn't really have time for hobbies or friends outside of those two horny losers.
Prem was considering leaving when music came on. The beat was familiar but she couldn't remember the words. People started gathering in the middle of the venue dancing and singing. The energy around her got Prem dancing too. She slowly moved into the crowd singing along to some of her favorite songs.
It was great to hear those songs again, she had been so caught up in med school she forgot how much she missed dancing. Belting out the lyrics as the song reached a high Prem started jumping in place too caught up in the feeling to do anything else.
No one else was bouncing like her and she thought of stopping until she saw one woman jumping too. Prem grinned feeling giddy for the first time in ages . On a whim she cut through the crowd to dance with her. When she got close enough the other woman grabbed her hand and they jumped and sang together.
This woman had a great voice and she was gorgeous too! As the beat picked up they started dancing together. Holding hands and doing easy steps while everyone else danced around them. It felt like they were in their own little world.
Prem's legs were getting tired but she wanted to keep dancing. Her partner was great and easily moved at Prem's pace. She was about to ask her dance partners name when someone shoved her from behind.
" Ah!" Prem fell forward but her dance partner caught her and spun them to the side. Prem held on to her dance partner like her life depended on it. Their chests pressed together and her face was buried in the other woman's neck. Instead of sweat, Prem was greeted by a wonderful floral perfume.
" Whoa, you have to be careful there" her dance partner looked her over with the sweetest most concerned brown eyes.
" are you ok? I know it was fun but some people need to pay more attention to their surroundings"
" I'm fine, just surprised that's all"
" why don't we get a drink and wait for the crowd to cool off a little?" Her dance partner nodded to the drink table and Prem was reminded of how dry her throat was.
" sure"
They walked hand in hand through the crowd to the drink table. Her dance partner handed Prem a cup of ice and waved to the bottled drinks.
" they don't have anything from home but the jasmine tea is bearable if you don't want water"
" I'll stick with water"
" sure" taking up two waters with their ice cups they left the crowded dace floor for the upstairs balcony. The music wasn't as loud up there, much to her reliefe. What's better was that there was hardly anyone was up there and she was free to look at her dance partner. Now that she saw her Prem realized how young this woman was, it was hard to tell but she couldn't be at a mixer like this without being at least twenty-one.
" you are a good dancer" her dance partner said.
" Ha, no I was just following the music"
"I have been dancing all semester to keep my head, and no one danced that easily with me" her dance partner protested. Prem looked at the woman's chest hoping to see a name tag but there wasn't one. The woman caught her looking and smirked.
" like what you see?"
" oh, I'm sorry, your name tag is gone, what's your name, I'm Prem by the way," Prem smiled anxiously why were her palms getting sweaty? they were just talking.
"I am Pat and I am a business major, but I am also studying fashion design and acting"
" whoa" Prem had never heard so many majors that didn't quite line up together.
" that's a lot for one student, isn't that exhausting?"
" yes, but if I want to be a famous actress then I have to work for it and I am nothing if not determined" Pat shrugged, as if a full schedule wasn't a struggle on the best of days.
" you must be really determined if a dream is all that motivates you" Prem said.
" yes, I want to be famous but it certainly doesn't hurt if I might have someone to enjoy it with me" Pat's hand traced the railing near Prem's hand.
Prem glanced from Pat to their hands feeling heat trickle down her spine. it never occurred to her that someone might find her attractive. Her parents kept saying she should work hard and that they had someone in mind when she returned home so she let it be but Pat was beautiful and flirtatious. Was she really entertaining this? She was straight...or so she thought but...What was one night?
" I wouldn't be opposed to one night, if that's what you are offering ?" Prem whispered, hoping no one was listening.
" so you do like me~" Pat leaned in lightly booping their noses with a tempting smirk. Prem squeaked and covered her mouth how could she be so uncool at one touch!
" Baby, if you say yes I would share more than one night "
" let's not get ahead of ourselves, we shared one dance" Prem leaned away suddenly taken aback by her junior's boldness. There was no way Prem would have been so presumptuous with an older student. maybe it was this new generation but she was shocked at how easy Pat flirted with a literal stranger.
"True" Pat licked her lips and took Prem's hand.
" let me give you a reason to say yes"
" only one reason?" Prem felt how sweaty Pat's hand was and realized this little minx may not be as cocky as she thought.
" I can give you a few, but then you won't be able to stay away from me" Pat warned.
" you sound as cocky as the men in my program" Prem muttered.
" I would never be arrogant, I am only speaking the truth because I know I can back it up" Pat stepped closer her eyes never straying from Prem's lips.
"Lets get back on the dance floor, maybe chat a little between breaks then...maybe we can share a night, but only one night" Prem warned.
" we'll see" Pat took her hand sealing the deal.
Later Prem would wish she hadn't been so stubborn. She would wish she'd gotten more then a name. She would wish she said yes to that night and every night after. She would wish for a lot of things but none of them would be as good as Pat.