I mumbled something that was supposed to be “I’m not up for it,” but even I couldn’t understand what I said.
“She brought some peanut butter cookie things with sprinkles.”
Aunt Penny’s special cookies, I’d bet. They were so good, but not enough to tempt me out from under my grief.
“Ash,” Savannah’s soft voice spoke to the blob of my blanket-covered head. “Wanna come to a Valentine’s event with me?”
That was an overwhelminglyfuck no. I didn’t even want to move, much less shower or dress up.
“Percy’s going,” she added.
“Savannah said she’d spruce me up as she’s done for you before,” Percy said. “Dorian is going as my straight date, but I’m gonna make him kiss me.”
I snickered in spite of myself. Percy was relentless in getting Dorian to admit he had a twinge of queer in him.
“Men give better head. It’s science,” Percy had said to Dorian once.
“How would you know? You’ve never done it.”
“We can fix that right now.”
“No, Percy. You’re not sucking my dick.”
“You, sir, are no friend of mine.”
These guys were the best; all my friends were. They kept trying to push me into the living, and maybe I’d moped enough. I wasn’t sure of the protocol, the allowable depression time frames, being my first breakup and all.
“You’ll feel better once you’re all dressed up like Cinderella.”
“No,” I snapped. If I never dressed like a girl again, it’d be too soon.
“Bad analogy. Sorry,” Savannah said.
And now I felt like shit. I flipped the covers off my face. “I’m sorry for snappin’.”
She wrinkled her nose. “You stink.”
“Kick me while I’m down.”
“You get in that shower, and I’ll suck your dick,” Percy said.
I chuckled. “How about I’ll get in the shower if you don’t?”
“Fair.” He shoved from behind while Savannah grabbed my hands and pulled me to my feet.
“Wait.” I swayed because I hadn’t been upright for a few days. “How did you get in here?” The RA would have a shittin’ fit if he knew a girl was in my room.
“I’m resourceful. Come on.”
Savannah led me to the bathroom, got the shower going, and left me to it. I had to admit the steam cleared my head a little, and the smell of soap was preferable to whatever had died in my armpits. Though it wasn’t Luke’s bodywash or shampoo or cologne or laundry soap. Hell, I’d rub myself down with a used dryer sheet of his if it were here with me.
Ugh, I missed him so much.
Fresh tears mixed with the streams trailing off my head and were easily washed away, but my red eyes told on me when I emerged. Savannah had set up a mini salon at my desk and was in the process of applying makeup to Percy’s eyes.
“Oh, Asher,” she said, then hugged me. “Will you come with us tonight? You can fake it ’til you make it.”
I tried for a smile and failed. “What is it? What sort of event?”
