“Monica, go outside and get some air. You wreak.”
I watched her look up at me. There was a hesitation in her movements. When I thought she was going to do as I said she slipped her arm around my neck and pulled me in for a kiss. It was sloppy and wet and routine.
I let her do it and when she pulled back I stared at her.
“I don’t care how drunk you are. You need to leave now.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Lucas. If I have to make friends with Jenna and your father I’m not going anywhere.”
“Suit yourself.” I turned and walked away from Monica and the whole situation.
"Hey, what was that all about?" Henry approached me with two shots in each hand. He handed me two of them that I knocked back in succession.
“Who the hell knows? She’s a loose cannon.” The warmth of the Jagermeister inched down my throat and chased away the jitters that had been in my stomach. I thought Monica was enough to push me over the edge but when I saw Monica in the other room hugging some short red-headed guy I nearly choked. “I’ll take two more if you’re selling.”
Henry nodded his head, pulled the bottle of Jagermeister from behind him and poured us two more shots each.
“You won’t have to brush your teeth for a week, man.” He coughed. Before I could say anything Henry had two beers in his hand and handed one to me.
I didn't say anything. I just watched as Tilly enjoyed herself. She was laughing and smiling. I saw her whisper in that short guy's ear and then to the blonde sitting with her. They all started laughing.
I was sure she was telling them what we did and what we talked about. I'll bet they thought it was really funny. Considering if you added up everything they were wearing and whatever was in their wallets the total wouldn't come close to the price of the shirt I was wearing. I'd wonder if they thought that was funny. Maybe I should just march over there and tell them.
"What's the matter with you, Lucas?" Henry asked. He was a big guy and we'd been friends for a long time. I knew I could trust him because for one he had his own trust fund. He'd never have to work a day in his life. What he was going off to college for I wasn't sure. Probably for the parties and the girls. Second, he was the only guy I knew who wasn't afraid to tell me when I was wrong. It was a rare occasion but when it happened I usually listened. Friends like that are hard to come by. Finally, and most importantly, he could keep a secret. Whether it was because he really had my back or because I knew a few things about him that might get him tossed in jail didn't matter. He kept an eye on me. Returning the favor was no hardship.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I huffed. Then I finished off my beer in three huge gulps. Before I could ask Henry made sure I had another full plastic cup in my hand.
“You keep looking at that girl over there.”
“So. She’s just in my field of vision.” I could hear my own voice starting to slur. I drank too much too fast and needed to slow down.
“You’re looking at her like your dying of thirst and she’s a glass of water.” Henry wouldn’t let up. “That’s Telula Grant. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her at any of your parties. Frankly, there ‘s no way to miss her. She didn’t dress like that in school, did she?”
“Leave it alone, man.”
I felt Henry staring at me, then at Tilly and then back at me.
“She got something on you?”
“What?” I scoffed. “A girl like that?” I cleared my throat. “If I wanted to slum it I think I could do better.”
My heart felt like it had been pierced as I said the words but I just couldn’t stop myself.
“Besides, I’ve heard about her. She’s been around.”
“If she has how come I never got any of that? I know all the girls that have been around. I’m the one that they’ve been around with. No, I think you are wrong there.”
"I'm not," I grumbled. "I know a guy from Kennedy Central who says she's pretty popular around these parts. I don't think there's a jock she hasn't seen." I couldn't stop the words once they started coming out.
“That’s enough to make me jealous of those public school dummies. Jeez, look at all that’s wrapped in that tight skirt.”
“Naw.” I looked away. “I’m not interested in anythi
ng like that?”
“What’s the matter?” Henry elbowed me. “You got no pulse.” He chuckled as he licked his lips and shifted from his right foot to his left.
“I’m just not interested. That’s all.” I looked around and slowly took another sip of beer.