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“Peachy.”
“What happened to your leg?”
He casts me a flat look. “Nothing. Go ahead, I’ll catch up.”
Yeah, as if. I fall in step with him, and we make our slow way to the house from where music and loud voices are spilling in the air.
“What the hell was that with your dad and his friends the other night?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“He lets you drink.”
He hisses, slows down more. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.”
“What if I don’t want to, Kash?”
“Don’t want what? To try me?”
“No, jackass. To tell you about it.”
I shake my head. The music grows louder as we enter the house. Nobody appears to check who we are. Kids throng the entrance hallway, spilling out into the lawns through open sliding doors and windows.
For a moment, my breath stutters. I can see myself among those kids, walking about carefree, fucking shit up and not having to pay the price. Having folks who care for them and look after them. Kids acting their age.
I see a head of red curls and turn that way, thinking it’s Sydney—and bump into Nate.
“Fuck, watch where you’re going.”
“Relax, man.” Nah, it’s not her. “Let’s grab something to drink. Do you think they’ve got beer?”
“What do I know? You’re the one who dragged me here.”
“Look, I didn’t know you’d hurt your leg, okay? Come on.” I grab his arm and haul him toward a table with drinks I’ve just spotted. “Let’s get you settled in.”
He jerks his arm free of my hold and shoots me a death glare. “I don’t wanna get settled. Fuck off.”
“Whoa. You’re one grumpy motherfucker.” I lift my hands, annoyed. “And here I thought West was the cranky one.”
“You know nothing about West.”
“That so? Enlighten me then.” I grab a beer for myself, snap the lid off at the edge of the table and take a long swig.
“He’s… got a lot going on.”
Oh, unlike you? I wanna say but don’t. He’s wound up too tight as it is, and chasing him away would defeat the purpose of this whole evening out. “Really?.”
“Yeah. His granddad is the biggest asshole I’ve ever met, and his sister is fucking nuts, and… why the hell am I telling you all this?”
I shrug. “Because you wanna show me you two are besties, and I’m not part of the clique?”
He blinks owlishly at me and grabs a beer from the table. “No, man. Don’t be an ass.”
“Okay.” I look down at my beer, consider my next words. “Because you want to be friends with him again and need someone to tell you how?”
He opens his beer. Says nothing.
