When we walk outside, Scott sees me and shouts, “Cecily!”
He puts an arm around my shoulder, handing me a drink. I take a sip, and he says, “Would you look at that?”
I keep drinking.
“Okay. Okay. Okay,” Scott says, trying to grab the drink away from me, but I turn away from him and keep drinking.
Alix starts talking to Rocky. When the girl gets off his lap, my mission is accomplished. I try to walk away, but Scott keeps his arm around my shoulder.
Dane walks out the door, stopping before us.
“So, this must be Dylan,” Dane says, eyeing down Scott.
Scott laughs. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Cecily,” Dane says to me like he’s suddenly too good for this conversation.
“You invited this clown?” Scott asks me.
“Stop,” I beg, turning to Scott. I can smell the alcohol on his breath. His eyes are already red and burning bright. “How much did you have to drink?”
“Answer the question, Ce. Did you invite him?” Scott says.
“Ce,” Dane says. “Let’s get out of here.”
I say, “We just got here.”
“I’m not welcome,” Dane says, looking at Scott.
And then I start laughing, pulling Scott’s arm off me. “What did Alix tell you about Dylan?”
“Just that you’re fucking him,” Dane says.
I look at Alix over my shoulder. Great. That’s fantastic.
Scott barks an obnoxious laugh, so I glare at him. “Really?” Scott says. “That’s what Alix said?”
Dane steps to him. “You’re just a placeholder, man. She actually wants me.”
And then Scott starts laughing hysterically. He pats Dane on the shoulder and says, “You can have her, dude.”
“Scott,” I scold.
“Scott?” Dane says, confused.
“Bro,” Scott says. “You told me all that I need to know. I got my eye on you, Cecily.” Then he walks away.
“Scott!” I call after him, but he ignores me. I look at Alix, who’s transfixed with Rocky.
I turn to Dane and say, “Did you mean that?”
“What?”
“What you said… about Dylan being a placeholder.”
“Yeah.”
“We barely talk, Dane.”
