He looked at me with his eyes watering from smoke and alcohol.
“I’m not leaving him here, princess. Of course I’m gonna go get him and try to calm him down.”
He motioned for Jackson to follow him.
“Thank you,” I whispered into the void when I saw them turn away. My phone vibrated.
Blaze, finally.
“White.” James turned around with an unexpected question. “How are you getting home?”
“Blaze asked me to meet him inside, maybe I’ll go back with him.” Then he nodded and put a stick of gum in his mouth.
“Hey,” I heard him say.
“What do you want now?” I snapped.
“I know he treated you like shit, but be patient with Will.”
I shook my head and went back in.
When I found Blaze, we gave each other a quick hug.
“June, what happened to you?” he asked, concerned.
I looked at my hand again with that question, and noticed that it was clean. Maybe he could tell I’d had an awful night by my face.
“What do you mean, Blaze?”
He looked over at Jackson, James, and Will, who were having an animated discussion next to a pool table.
“Ah, weird night,” I admitted faintly.
“One of many, I’d imagine.” He smiled.
“Yeah. How are you?”
He clung to his gray sweater, nervously rubbing his neck.
“Fine. I was with Brian, but then Ari came, and he wanted to go home. When two of your best friends break up, it sucks,” I heard him mutter under the rumble of the music.
“I can imagine.”
Blaze looked at me with his dark eyes.
“I don’t want to depress you with their drama. I just hope that things go back to how they were before as soon as possible. How about you?” he asked.
Next question, please?
“Could’ve been better, but I can’t complain. Hey, I found out your dad came back to school.”
Blaze instinctively turned toward Jackson. James had disappeared while Jackson stayed with Will.
“Yeah, I mean—”
“You don’t need to explain. I know it’s none of my business,” I rushed to say.
“Even though everyone knows,” he let slip.
