He nods.
“That’s because my parents couldn’t take care of me, so I lived with my grandparents. My two uncles had sons. They all still lived with my grandparents. It’s confusing because they’re not my blood, yet I consider them my family. So, yeah, my uncles lived with my grandparents since forever, and so, I was the only girl, and my grandma would tear me apart.” I stare at the TV, thinking about her and the things my mom has said. I continue, “My mom isn’t the best either. She’s said some horrible things to me, and I think my outlook on life is a coping mechanism, but I don’t know.”
He’s staring at me when I look up.
He huffs, rubbing his temples. “Coping mechanism or not, it’s really mature. And about your family… What?” He almost laughs. “That’s the craziest shit I’ve ever heard. Was your dad there too?”
I shake my head. “My stepdad left my mom, and it devastated her. She’s a raging alcoholic. Couldn’t keep a job, couldn’t keep the house. I wasn’t going to live with my stepdad and his new girlfriend, so I stayed with his parents because they were the only family I knew.”
“And this makes even more sense now. This is why you’re already so successful.”
I politely smile. “Yeah, I guess. Nobody in my family would ever pay for this college tuition, this apartment, oranything. I was going to become a barber at first, and the schooling cost a couple thousand dollars or something like that, and I was given a big fat hell no, even though I promised to pay them back.” I laugh thinking about it now. “But there’s no such thing as coincidences. It led me here, and I can’t complain about where I’m at right now.”
He leans forward. “Ce, you are officially my best friend. You’re telling me this, and I think I know what you need.”
I light up, feeling myself breathe. “What do I need?”
“This weekend you’re coming to Rocky’s house party. You need to have some fun. I’ll introduce you to people, and it’ll be a good time.”
“A party?” I sigh. “I don’t know about that, Dylan. That’s not really my thing. I was honestly hoping you were gonna say let’s go for a seven-mile hike or something.”
He scoffs. “I have no idea if there are any hikes around here.”
I nod. “There are many.”
He brushes that off. “Back to the party. Just come. You’re gonna have fun.”
“I don’t drink.”
“You don’t have to drink,” he argues. “Look, from the sounds of it, you’ve been forced to be the adult all your life. And it’s great that your stepdad’s family took you in for the time being, but you’re here now. You’re only in college once. You can let loose a little bit. One party isn’t going to ruin your work or your studies, right?”
I shrug. “I guess not.”
“Okay,” he leans back, satisfied with himself. “You’re coming with me, and I’ll deal with shit from the guys. But just as a warning, they’re all fucking horndogs.”
I poke him with my foot. “You have no room to talk, puck boy.”
He smirks.
“Why so many girls, Dylan? Are you empty in here?” I ask, patting my chest. There’s only one explanation for hooking up that much, right? I can’t be misreading this.
“Maybe a little. I have hockey, and I’m damn good at it, but I still don’t have my parents’ approval.”
“I bet you already have it, just not in the way––”
“I definitely don’t have it.” He cuts me off, taking a sad tone. “I didn’t experience anything like you have, but… my dad is difficult.”
“Is his love conditional?” I ask after a beat.
He nods. “Yeah, you could say that.”
“And your mom?” I ask.
“She remarried, and I couldn’t stand her new husband or his kids, so I asked to live with my dad, and––”
When he doesn’t continue, I get nervous. I wait patiently, even though my mind is racing with a thousand scenarios.
“I don’t talk about my mom,” he admits, looking down.
