“I wouldn’t have taken it,” she says, even though I can see the curiosity plain as day in her eyes.
“If you don’t let her try it where you can supervise,” Carlton pipes in magnanimously, “she’s just going to pick it up off the mean streets.”
“I think I’ve heard enough about you supplying my little sister with drugs for one evening, thanks.”
Carlton winces. “Ouch.”
“Emory,” she warns, and he backs off.
Carlton’s playing with that annoying knife again, and Caroline keeps hinting around about maybe wanting to jump into the lake, even though it’s going to be cold as a witch’s tit. Vandy grows quiet as the others talk and drink and smoke, staring wistfully into the fire. She doesn’t look upset that Emory won’t let her partake, but she’s also not laughing like she was before.
Fuck it, I think and sling my arm around her neck, giving her a light jostle. “You okay?” This doesn’t look like anything, could easily pass for brotherly affection.
She looks at me, a flash of trepidation in her eyes, and then back at Emory.
He sees, but doesn’t seem to care.
She gives me a secret smile that makes me want to take her behind a tree and kiss the hell out of her. “Yeah, just getting tired.”
Emory overhears. “Need me to take you home?” Despite the effortless words, he looks disappointed.
I let my arm fall away, standing. “I’m out, too. I’ll walk her home.”
He gives me a grateful look, taking out his phone. “I’ll text Mom, in case Jerry gives you some shit.”
I grimace, but don’t ask him not to, instead making my goodbyes to the others, slapping palms, picking up my bottles. I’ve only had six, so I’m not even drunk, just pleasantly buzzed. I wait, fidgeting impatiently as Vandy does the same, saying goodbye to the girls and apologizing to Sebastian one last time.
All night, I’ve just wanted to get her alone.
She finally sidles up to me, letting me lead the way down the shore. “Are you mad at me?”
I feel my eyebrows draw together as I look at her. “Of course not.”
She wraps her arms around her middle. “You’ve just looked really mad. Like, all night.”
I glance over my shoulder, wondering if we’re far enough away yet, before reaching out to put my arm around her the way I’ve been wanting to all night. “Not at you. Just Heston, living rent-free inside my head.”
She leans into the touch. “He’s a fucking jerk.”
My eyebrows shoot up my forehead. “Baby V. Such language.”
She whacks me playfully in the stomach. “Well, he is!”
We reach the footbridge that takes us across the west side of the lake, and I keep taking peeks back at the bonfire, watching it grow smaller and dimmer in the distance.
“Hey,” I say, pulling her to a stop and touching her chin. There’s no way they could see us here, but I still dart a nervous glance toward the orange glow behind us before ducking in to lick at the seam of her lips. Vandy meets me with enough gusto that I stumble back a step, having to clutch
at her hips.
I pull away when I realize the beer is almost as strong on her tongue as it is my own. “Violence, strong language, alcohol. What’s next?”
She hooks her fingers into the waist of my jeans, watching me through the fan of her eyelashes. “Adult content?”
I shake my head. “How much did you have?”
She rolls her eyes. “Afton let me take two sips of her beer. Don’t worry, it was super gross and I’m definitely not in any hurry to have more.”
I exhale slowly, feeling relieved when I dip back in to kiss her again. I’m not like Emory. Annoyingly, I probably fall more on Carlton’s side of the argument. If Vandy wants to try something, she should be able to do it around the people she trusts and feels comfortable with. People who want to keep her safe. People who’ll know if things get out of hand, like with the pills.