I'd rather boogie than try to fit in

 "I wish you would have told us," Nori said with great concern. "I didn't think you kept secrets from me."

She gave Mel the eye once more and dipped a tree of broccoli in the buttermilk dip. It wasn't quite a wedding reception, but Nori was happy her best friend married her neighbor, Kevin, even if it was in Vegas.

Mel just laughed watching Nori snack while she was getting out more food from the fridge, while waiting for the eggrolls to heat in the oven.

"I don't really know," Mel shrugged. Maybe I just didn't want to fuss about it anymore and just let it happen."

"That sounds like the perfect thing to do this new year." Nori grinned back, pointing to the cheeseboard. Mel loved cheese. She sipped her white wine instead.

"One thing, though, Vegas is too lively for us, but the room service is great," Mel smiled with a wink.

"Good to know," Nori nodded as if she might be planning a getaway with Jared, who was in the livingroom with Kevin and his old roommate Randy, who brought a girl.

"Are we babysitting tonight?" Mel squinted.

"Don't be that way," Nori scowled. "Randy is like a little brother Jared never had."

"I thought he had a brother?" Mel acted as if she needed to be let in on a secret of some kind.

"He does, and he is younger than Jared, too. But Randy, well, he's much more sensible, and that's the new roommate. You know, Jared's brother Justin got married about the same time, you two did," Nori looked at the landscape of appetizers. Surely there was enough with the veggie tray and pigs in a blanket. 

The timer went off, and she went to get out the sizzling eggrolls. She slid the potstickers into the oven while the eggrolls cooled.

"You know, it's just us," Mel looked at her as if Nori had made a feast for a dozen or so people.

"Well, the boys will be hungry," Nori assured her.

"You know, it'll be the two of us, that's hungry." Mel was serious.

"Probably," Nori shrugged as if she was always ready for a party, "I always like my protein, you know." She grinned as she slung her braids behind her back, like she might sashay on a catwalk in her party central outfit. 

Mel chuckled. "I never met a steakhouse I didn't like."