The First Time We Met: The Oxford Blue Series #1 Read Online Free Page B

‘Oh. My. God. You mean you
really
know Obama?’
    Warmth rises to my cheeks and I’m half wishing I hadn’t gone down this route, but Rupes did ask for it. ‘Well … my father does. He’s a Democrat senator and my mother and I have met the president a couple of times.’
    ‘What’s your father’s name?’ a tiny little guy opposite pipes up. I think Immy said he was a cox for the rowing Eight.
    ‘Bill Cusack. I don’t expect you’ll have heard of him.’
    The cox beams. ‘I certainly have. I’m doing PPE,’ he says proudly. I have no clue what PPE is but I sense an ally. ‘He supported Obama’s latest gun-control bill,’ he adds as the others stare at us. ‘And he’s a massive advocate of Obamacare.’
    I reach out to my new ally with a smile. ‘That’s my father.’
    ‘You didn’t say your dad was a politician,’ Immy whispers.
    ‘Well, it can be a conversation stopper.’
    ‘I think it’s really cool – and you’ve managed to shut Rupes up. Well done. He’s not that bad, you know, not all the time. And I think you’ve made an impression with him.’
    Right now, I’d like to make an impression with my foot on Rupes’ butt, but Immy’s right about one thing:he’s gone quiet, which has given him more opportunity to drain the bottle of port. Finally, as the conversation moves on to what people did in the vac, I feel the tension in my muscles ease and hope I might get through the evening after all. Immy persuades me to try a glass of port and I rather like it. Kind of sweet yet tart, like cherry pie.
    What the …?
    Rupert’s hand is on my knee. My skin crawls and nausea rises in my throat as his clammy fingers slide up my thigh. Then I feel his breath against my ear. ‘I may have died and gone to heaven. A Yank who’s beautiful, bright
and
well-connected, even if it is to a Democrat dynasty. You’re a triple threat, Laurel.’
    He belches and the alcohol fumes almost knock me out. I try to edge away, but we’re so packed into the bench, I can’t get out of his reach. I should knee him in the balls but I don’t want to draw any more attention to myself. Oh my God, his fingers have reached the hem of my panties. That’s it. I’ve had it with the lot of them.
    I leap to my feet and my elbow ‘accidentally on purpose’ knocks the port glass flying into his lap.
    ‘Fucking hell!’ A ruby stain spreads over Rupert’s crotch as I scramble off the bench.
    Immy’s mouth is open in shock. ‘Lauren, what’s the matter?’
    ‘Ask your douche of a friend!’
    Rupert leaps up with a roar. ‘For fuck’s sake, I only bought these from Jack Wills this morning!’
    ‘If this Jack Wills is as big an asshole as you are thenI’m glad I spilled wine down his pants.’ It comes out as a shriek and the whole hall has fallen quiet, but I don’t care any more.
    Immy stares at him with contempt. ‘You total shit, Rupert. Please, Lauren, wait …’
    Any other time, I’d appreciate the sympathy, but I throw off her hand on my arm because moisture is pricking the back of my eyes and I refuse to cry in front of these people. ‘Just leave me,
please
.’
    By the time I get out of the hall, the tears are pouring down my cheeks. I tried, I really did, but apart from Immy and a few others, they’re a bunch of snobs and creeps, Rupert most of all. Why did I think this was a good idea?
    Leaning against a wall, I gulp in the cool air and it helps a little, but it’s raining
again
and my dress is getting soaked. I’ve only been here a day and I already hate the weather and the people. So much for my big dreams of sophisticated independence when I can’t even handle a welcome dinner!
    In my head, Todd’s laughing at me, clucking his tongue with his ‘Poor little Lauren, I told you you’d be better off staying home.’
    No. I will
not
give up so easily. The Cusacks don’t quit. My father taught me that and, after knowing the mountain he climbed to achieve what he has, I know I can handle a pack of