I wish I could tell her just how happy I am to hear her say that. Darius’s idea of fun at parties was figuring out what would get him the biggest buzz. Our nights out usually ended up with him sitting on a curb releasing the results of his decisions while I tried to stuff down my embarrassment. And Desiree… not that we were ever together like that, but I spent more time with her than any boyfriend or girlfriend, and sometimes I wished we could spend a night sober.
I play it cool. “I hate the smell of cigarettes, too,” I agree.
“I knew I liked you for a reason.” Deanna smiles.
“That’s the only reason you like me?” I say, nudging her shoulder.
She laughs, and then shrugs. “No, but I don’t really know anything about you. You’re so mysterious.”
I open my mouth to respond and then close it. There’s no way to convince her otherwise without telling her things I’m not supposed to.
Deanna’s phone lights up in her hand and she checks it. I take the moment of distraction to see if I can make eye contact with Kayla on the dance floor. I don’t spot her but I do catch Alice making out with Myles in the backyard.
“Sorry, that was my mom,” Deanna says.
“No, that’s a good reminder, I should probably check mine.” I unzip the small bag Kayla let me borrow and take my phone out. The only other item in the bag, a tube of lip gloss, falls out. Deanna picks it up and quickly swipes it on before throwing it back in. I see zero messages from my mom and chuck the phone in there too before that changes.
“You good?” she asks.
I nod and give her a thumbs-up. Scanning the room for Kayla again, I see her standing at the bar with Kenny. She seems upset. I look away before she catches me staring and turn back to Deanna, who is swaying to the music.
“Can I ask you something random?”
“Yeah, anything.”
“What’s it like to date around here?”
Deanna groans. “A joke. A very big joke,” she says. “The guys in our school are assholes and the girls are, well, girls.”
I feel my cheeks warm. I’m not sure what she means by that last part. “So, you don’t do it? Or you haven’t?”
“I mean, I have, but I don’t recommend it. My ex-boyfriend is graduating this year from St. Anthony’s, and I literally can’t wait until I don’t have to see him in town. So, yeah…”
“Oh wow, it’s scary how much I can relate to that,” I say, thinking about Darius and how annoying it was to see him once we broke up.
“Look at that, another reason for me to like you.” She nudges me with her shoulder.
“Just wait, they’re gonna start racking up.” I nudge her back.
We return to Alice’s around midnight. After a recap of her make-out session with Myles (he’s a good kisser but used a little too much tongue for her liking), we head to bed. I’m looking forward to the giant breakfast Alice promised us, but when I roll over and look at my phone, my heart sinks.
Mom texted me an hour ago.Come home right away.
I sit up and gently shake Kayla, who’s sleeping next to me, cocooned in her sleeping bag. “Kayla,” I whisper. “Wake up.”
“What is it?” Kayla says, rubbing her eyes. I show her the text message. She groans softly and sits up. “Okay. Let’s go.”
We gather our things and tiptoe out of the room. “I’ll text Alice later,” Kayla says.
We make our way through the quiet house, winding through corridors and going up and down stairs. I’m starting to feel nauseous, and I can’t tell if it’s because this place is such a maze or because of my anxiety about what’s waiting for me at home. Finally, we step out the front door into the chilly early morning air.
“Do you think she found out about the party?” I ask Kayla when we get into the car.
“How would she have?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling.”
We drive the rest of the way in silence. When we get home, the house is quiet.
