Page 239 of Lessons in Cruelty

“Enjoy.”

“Thanks!” She starts skipping down the path like Hansel and Gretel’s not-too-bright cousin.

I hold back. “Hey, I want Gatorade too!”

Melissa stops and turns to stares at me. “You want…I mean…are you sure?”

God, is she going to lecture me about how bad energy drinks are, too? Soda was bad enough.

“Yes, Mother.” I hand back the water. “Gatorade please.”

He goes back into a crouch. “Keep the water,” he says as he hands me a bottle of Gatorade. “You’re gonna need it.”

“Okay, thanks.” I shrug and start after Melissa, juggling both bottles.

She gives them a quick frown. “Take it easy, okay? I’m not babysitting tonight.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I open the Gatorade and start gulping it down.

Man, I’m thirsty.

Melissa catches my wrist. “Jeez, Haven, take it easy!” she hisses.

I swipe the back of my hand over my mouth. “You worried I won’t be able to sleep tonight with all the caffeine in my…” I trail off when her eyes just keep growing bigger and bigger.

Fuck.

I didn’t feel the seal crack when I twisted the cap off.

That’s like don’t-get-roofied 101.

“What the fuck is this?” I yell.

Melissa rolls her lips together. There’s a smudgy handprint on the side of her face where I slapped her with pink body paint. I think I have a blue one to match.

“Molly,” she says carefully. “Mostly.”

A burst of panic hits me. “What?”

“You’ll be fine,” she says, laughing as she shakes her head. “Just…stay hydrated.” She hesitates and then snatches the Gatorade from me. “With water.”

And then we step into the clearing, and it’s like I’ve been transported to a bioluminescent alien planet.

Or, like, that big tree thing in Avatar.

Everything’s glowing. The trees, the people, the webbed awnings stretched between the forest’s canopy. They’ve even painted the DJ deck with UV graffiti.

“Oh my God, am I tripping already?”

Melissa looks back to laugh at me, and then hauls me over the dance floor to a bar nestled against some trees.

“Two tequilas!” she yells over the music.

She hands me a shot, and we clink and toss it back.

I down half my water.

It doesn’t help.