“Hey,” she said.
“Hey, Jessica!” Lorna said, extra-cheery.
“What are you guys doing?”
“We were just hanging out.”
Ethan remained silent. He started to feel a little bad that they were drinking in Jessica’s room considering how much she hated it.But it’s also Lorna’s room!he told himself.
Jessica’s eyes flicked over him, hardened with disappointment. “Are you still coming to Dave’s show?”
“Of course I am!” Ethan shot back up, and his equilibrium gave out. His legs toppled, and he fell onto Jessica’s desk, sending papers flying everywhere. Lorna burst out laughing until her face turned red. Jessica did not have the same reaction.
“What is your problem, Ethan! You’re drunk? Seriously?”
Ethan’s face flamed red with embarrassment. He’d just needed a buzz, but he’d gone so much further.
“Oh, relax,” Lorna said. “We just had a little bit to drink in preparation for later.”
“What’s later?”
“We’re going to a party at Kappa Kappa Sig.” She seemed to enjoy Jessica’s response.
Jessica swiveled to face Ethan, focusing all her might on his sloshed appearance. “You’re going to a frat party?”
He was a deer in the headlights. He could smell the judgment wafting off of her. And then the alcohol took over his brain, unjumbling his words. “Yeah, I am. We don’t have to do everything together. Just like how you guys go to the movies without me.”
He wanted to catch Jessica, but she just squinted in confusion. “What?”
“You all went to seeLiberationon a Monday afternoon. Without me,” Ethan said in a loud voice. The alcohol wouldn’t let him be quiet. This totally explained Sahil.
“It was an assignment for journalism class. We had to write a paper on it. I would’ve asked you to come, but you fell asleep the first time we went. Did you follow us or something?”
Ethan’s high horse gave out. That was not the answer he was expecting. He’d accused Jessica of being a lousy friend and lost. Her body tensed up, and her mouth clenched. Once you crossed a line with Jessica, there was no going back.
“Why do you care if we’re drinking?” Lorna asked. Ethan was so grateful that she’d broken the silence. “Don’t be so uptight.”
Tears beaded at Jessica’s eyes, and the sight rammed into Ethan’s chest.
“I’ll meet you at the show,” he said.
“Don’t worry about it. I can tell you have better things to do.” Jessica slammed the door as she left.
Ethan sat on the desk chair, significantly more sober and lacking a party mood. Lorna hopped up and put another shot by his lips.
“Don’t worry about her,” she said. “We’re going to have fun tonight. You guys will make up in the morning. Tonight, you’re going to get to the bottom of Greg. Pun fully intended.”
She was right. He couldn’t let Jessica put a damper on his mission tonight. He was coming out of his shell, going on adventures, letting life run wild in his veins. Ethan downed the shot.
Watch out, Greg Sanderson. Because here I come.
CHAPTER twenty-two
Much of the walk to the party was a blur of laughing, bumping into lamp posts, and high-fiving random strangers. The world was at a slanted angle for Ethan, and he took it in stride.
Or rather, in skip.
“Are you playing hopscotch?” Lorna asked. Everything was making her giggle tonight. Ethan sucked in his laughter until it came out as tears.
