“I don’t have friends,” I said automatically.
“Of course you do,” Marius said kindly. “I’ve been your friend since freshman year. I’m here for you, man.”
“You work for me,” I reminded him.
“Because you are a good friend and offered me a piece of the very expensive pie you were baking,” he said with a laugh. “In fact, you’re an amazing friend.” He slapped my shoulder.
I gave him a small smile. “You’re a good friend. I don’t deserve you.”
“Of course you do.” He gave me a bear hug.
I hugged him back roughly.
“You, me, friends.” Marius flicked my ear. “I’ll write you a note so you don’t forget. You want to go out and get another drink? Drown your sorrows?”
“I don’t know. I just—I want to go home,” I said dully.
“But—”
“Not here. This place is a prison. I keep finding Lexi’s notes. They’re everywhere; she’s everywhere. I think I need to book a hotel room or something.”
“Hotels are depressing,” Marius said, dragging me to my feet. “You can come crash with me.”
“I don’t—”
“Bro, I’m not asking you. Just come on. First we’re going to eat something and sop up all that alcohol.”
63
LEXI
Islid my feet in the flip-flops I was wearing. I had lost my shoes, and unlike Cinderella, there was no prince searching the kingdom for me. Not to mention Gizzy wasn’t a cute little mouse and was instead a five-foot-long iguana that was making the other fliers very nervous.
He hissed softly at my feet. I had him in his harness, and several people were taking photos.
Screw Grayson. Actually no, fuck him.
Sometimes “Jiminy Cricket” just didn’t cut it, and you needed a real, hardcore swear word.
McKenna:I wish I could come tell you goodbye!!!
McKenna:I’m coming to Florida to see you.
McKenna:Promise.
Lexi:Save your money. You’ll need it.
McKenna:Girl, I am going to the beach. Just need to hire a new assistant, though Brittany Dawn might just kick me out herself. It’s a shit show over here.
McKenna:I don’t know what we’re going to do. Brittany Dawn is freaking out.
I sighed. I already felt horrible that my neighbors were being kicked out of their homes. Now I had just made McKenna’s life even more difficult, right when she needed to find a new place to live for her and Grenadine.
My friend didn’t have the luxury of running away to her parents’ house. If I was truly a good person, I would stay and help her and Grenadine. Grayson was right. I was selfish, and I was tired, and I wanted my mom and dad and my bed and my stuffed animals and to just be able to forget about the world.
I did owe McKenna though. I scrolled through my contacts and called her.
There was distant yelling when she answered.
