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“What’s he been saying?” I ask.
“Total nonsense,” Cole responds with a shrug. “He won’t stop talking about fairy dust and killer clowns.”
Fairies and clowns are better than identity-stealing twins. “They must be giving him something good.”
Vaughn finally notices us standing awkwardly in the doorway. “My friends! Have you seen Snow White?”
“He is gorked out of his mind,” Cole says, shaking his head. “We’ve been here for twenty minutes and he hasn’t said anything coherent.”
“You’re looking good, buddy.” I step further into the room, letting the curtain fall closed behind me.
Brady stifles a laugh at that.
The bruises on Vaughn’s face look even worse than they did earlier. They’ve turned a sickly yellow-green that makes him look like someone painted his face in all the shades of puke. His leg isn’t in traction anymore, but a thick cast covers it from ankle to mid-thigh.
He looks lucky to be alive.
“Has he told you what happened?” I ask, striving for a casual tone.
“Nope. Nurse said he ran his car into a tree on that windy road that leads up to campus. I think I saw his bumper on the side of the road when we drove down.” Cole gets up from the seat as I approach, motioning for me to take it. “I need a snack. Anybody want a cheeseburger from the cafeteria?”
Nolan rolls his eyes. “A cheeseburger is not a snack.”
“It is if it’s a single patty,” Cole points out with a grin. “I’m not even getting fries.”
Brady follows him. “I’ll go with you. You think they serve alcohol in this place?”
“I’m going with no.”
I watch Vaughn as they leave, who just grins at us like a mad baboon. “How long is he going to be like this?”
Nolan looks out the window, sounding bored. “Hopefully awhile. It’s funny as hell.”
I lean closer to Vaughn. “Can we get you anything, man?”
The sound of my voice draws his attention and Vaughn turns his head to face me. His eyes are hazy from the painkillers, but as he stares at me I see something lucid move in their watery depths.
“Where is that bitch, Evangeline?” he says suddenly, looking around the room with angry eyes.
My heart stops.
“Who is Evangeline?” Nolan asks, sounding interested.
“I think that’s a movie reference,” I murmur.
To my relief, Vaughn has leaned back and stares up at the ceiling. His expression returns to as looped as it was when we walked in. “What’s that funny noise?”
Nolan chuckles. “Your brain cells pinging out of your ears.”
“Is that my phone?” Vaughn asks, pointing at a vase on the bedside table.
“Sure it is,” Nolan replies. “In fact, I think it’s ringing.”
Vaughn picks up the vase and tips it toward his ear, spilling fake flowers onto the floor. “I’d like to order a large pepperoni with olives.”
I glance back at Nolan. “That’s not funny.”
“I disagree.” Nolan turns away from the window, his movements restless. “I really hope you work this stick out of your ass before Initiation. The Bacchanal is supposed to have a no buzzkill rule.”
