Page 5 of Smoke and Glitter

"Water," I say.

For one second, neither of us moves.

Then Sam reaches for a clean glass, fills it and sets it in front of me.

No smile. No comment about the mezcal. Nothing that gives me a place to start over.

"Thanks."

He tips his chin and moves down the bar to help someone else.

I pick up the water and watch him go.

That was terrible.

The worst part is that he seems completely unaffected by it.

After the show, Summer and I find a booth near the back. I order tequila this time and ask her how she's actually doing.

Her expression changes enough that I forget about Sam for a while.

Summer talks. I listen. Sometimes she stops in the middle of a sentence and takes a drink before trying again, and I let the silence stay there until she's ready. Around us, the room slowly empties. Tables clear. Voices thin out. The music drops low enough that we stop having to lean toward each other to hear.

Later, when Summer gets up from the booth, I find her at the bar with Sam.

She's on her toes, one hand braced on the wood as she leans close enough to say something near his ear. Sam bends his head to hear her. The light from the front windows catches both of them, and Summer is smiling in a way I haven't seen much lately.

I take out my phone before either of them notices and snap one picture.

Summer is laughing. Sam's mouth is starting to move at one corner, like whatever she said is getting to him.

I look at it for a moment before putting my phone away.

Summer spots me then and tips her head toward the door.

I go back to the booth for my bag. My tequila is still sitting beside the empty water glass, half gone, but I've had enough. I leave it there and meet Summer near the front while she pulls on her coat.

She calls a goodnight toward the bar. Sam looks up from where he's clearing glasses and lifts a hand.

His eyes catch mine for a second before someone says his name and he's pulled back into the room.

Then Summer pushes the door open and the cold comes in around us.

Outside, she hooks her arm through mine as we start toward the corner.

"So," she says.

I know exactly where this is going.

"So."

"You had plenty to say about everybody else in there."

"I talked to Sam."

"You asked him for water."

"I was thirsty."