Because you’re an anal queen, a calm voice reminded her. That’s your superpower. You wanted to blow Patrick’s mind and be part of his sexual history. But someone beat you to it, babe. They always do.
Cheryl tore a square of toilet paper off the wall and shredded it. She was just pulling off another piece when the door opened and someone click-clacked into the stall beside hers. Two seconds later there was a slurping sound, like someone finishing a milkshake.
Cheryl frowned and then it hit her—whoever was in the next stall was snorting coke. She pushed a fist to her mouth to keep from giggling. When the person had left, she picked up all the ripped paper and flushed it, peed, and headed back to their table.
Patrick brightened when he saw her smile. “About what you asked me—”
“Don’t worry about it,” she said truthfully. “Guess what just happened…”
She explained and Patrick laughed. “I guess it is a Friday?”
“True. I can’t remember the last time I did coke. Not during the day, that’s for sure.”
He tilted his head to the side. “I’ve never done it.”
“Never?”
“Random testing.”
“Oh, come on! That doesn’t stop anyone during the off-season.”
He ducked his head in a way she hadn’t seen in a while. He was so authoritative around her these days. She decided to pounce. “Why haven’t you tried it? Are you scared someone’ll see you? Or you won’t like it?”
“Not exactly…”
“Then what?”
He sighed. “Well, it’s you, isn’t it?”
“Huh?”
“You. I never want to be fucked up around you.”
“What? The night we met, you were off your tits!”
“Yeah. That’s what put me off. First and last time.”
“That was your first time on MDMA?”
“First time doing drugs pretty much.”
“Seriously!?”
He put a hand over her mouth. “You don’t have to yell it!”
“Sorry.” She pulled his hand away. “Seriously, that was the first time you’ve done drugs? At Eden’s gig?”
“I smoked some weed with my brothers, but yeah. First time.”
“Wow.”
Cheryl was no Scarface, but she’d run through the usual menu of illicit substances as a teenager. Then again, she’d gone to an inner-city private school. Rich kids and drugs went together like ham and eggs.
“It’s not a big deal. I’m just surprised.”
“You don’t think I can handle gear?” Patrick asked dryly.
She giggled at the memory of him staggering up to her that first night, face twitching, eyes bugging out of his head. He’d flirted with her despite the fact he could barely talk and Willow, who was trying to lay game with Eden, had looked like he wanted to strangle him.
