“Bathroom,” Sam says. The two of them are in the doorway of the bathroom as I continue to hang my head into the bowl that God knows how many people have wrecked tonight. The thought makes me feel like throwing up again. “Whathappened?”
“She confused a surfing conversation for intimate details of Liam and Julia’s sexcapades.” She’s my boss, Jade. Come on. Not that she didn’t already catch us butt naked in the hallway, but I was sort of hoping she was too drunk to remember thatscene.
I rest my head on my arms that are flattened against the toilet seat. “Just, shit,” Sam says, covering hermouth.
“Then she ratted Liam out on something I’m not getting into.” Thank God Jade just kept her mouth shut. I did not consider the fallout of what could happen if Samantha doesn’t already know Liam’s news. I’m such an asshole.I was so mad, but still, how could I just yell that out? It was totally outofline.
“I was just a game to them,” I mutter to SamandJade.
“A game?”Samasks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. Sterling said something about Liam winningthisone.”
Sam rolls her eyes. “I think you should talk to Liam,”shesays.
“I was a game. It’s so clear now. He was playing pranks on me, setting me up for disaster dates with Sterling. It’s so obvious that I don’t know how I didn’t figure this out sooner.” My life is a fucking realitygameshow.
“I didn’t know anything about this,” Jade says. “I’m so sorry,Jules.”
“I’m going to go find Leelee and Dylan to make sure those two aren’t making out behind the maple tree again.” Sam disappears from the bathroom door, and I hear the slider in the kitchen open andclose.
“Just to top this all off, I’ve ruined their party and made the biggest scene I’ve ever made.” Dylan can keep a girl at ten, and I can’t keep a guy at twenty-two. I can’t even get one who truly likes me. Yet, here I am, crossing off good-looking guys. They’ve probably crossed me off their listanyway.
“Um, remember Greek Week, our first week of college . . . that frat party when you threw up on that chandelier? You ‘made it rain,’” Jade kneels down beside me and rubs her hand up and down my back. “I’m pretty sure that was the biggest scene you’veevermade.”
“True,” Igroan.
“You want to stay at my placetonight?”
“Yes,please.”
She helps me up to my feet and grabs a wad of toilet paper, rinsing it under the sink. “Can you just clean the chunks off your face before you get into my car?” My shoulders drop, and I deadpan, staring into her cheery, bright eyes. I can’t believe she’s amused right now. Can’t she see my life isending?
After cleaningup my face up for a minute, I leave the bathroom and make a beeline for the front door. “Meet me in the car. I’m going to get some clothes for you upstairs,” Jade says. “Which room isyours?”
“First one on the right after the breezeway.” I walk outside and duck into the passenger seat of my car, watching the flicker of lights glowing from behind the house. How did I blow this so badly? I’m my mother—a total, stupidfuckup.
After a few long minutes, Jade makes her way outside and to the car, dropping down into the driver’s seat. “Sorry it took me an extra minute. I just wanted to let Cleary know I was leaving and make sure the girls wereallset.”
I rest my head on the side window, feeling the cold of the glass soothe the ache that’s beginning in my temples. I wish there was something cold for mychesttoo.
“It’s going to be okay,”Jadesays.
She’s just saying that because she has to. It’s written in the best friend guide book, or it should be. That may be the only thing I can write truthfully. Clearly, I don’t know shit about men, how to date, or how to keepaguy.
“I embarrassed myself and said something I should never have said. There’s no way this is going tobeokay.”
“Is it true, though?” Jade asks. “Are Liam and Dylanbrothers?”
“Yeah. I saw some DNA results. I was snooping, Ishouldsay.”
“Wow. I wonder if Samanthaknows.”
“No clue. Liam just found outtoday.”
“Yikes.”Iknow.
During the slowest ride back to Jade’s apartment, I realize I don’t have my phone, and the fact that Dad is probably driving through the night to surprise me causes more apprehension. I’m sure he’ll call Jade if he can’t reach me, but I hope he doesn’t show up at Sam and Daniel’s house at the crackofdawn.
