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Rae motioned over toward Mike, but all I did was shrug.
“He’s right. I think things are getting a little out of hand here.”
Rae scoffed. “Are you serious right now?”
Ally sighed. “Come on. Just a little more time.”
Mike shook his head. “We’re going back to the hotel. Now.”
I nodded. “I think that’s a good idea.”
Rae glowered. “Oh, sure you do. You get to party, but I don’t. You get to get it out of your system, but I don’t. Because then who would take care of you? Right?”
I blinked. “We need to get you some water and some food.”
Then, some asshole I didn’t recognize stepped in on behalf of our girlfriends.
“Come on, guys. Your girls are having a good time. I’m Lance. This is Chris and DeShawn. The two blondes are Kristie and Kayla. Meredith’s the one with the bow in her hair. Why don’t you guys stay and have a drink? I promise, we don’t bite.”
I felt Mike seething with anger. I peeked over at him and saw his nostrils flaring. And when I saw he wasn’t going to give in, I nodded, not giving him a chance to respond.
“Sounds like a plan,” I said.
Rae sighed with relief, but Ally kept glancing over at her boyfriend. Mike stood tight at her side, claiming what was his in front of the guys. I knew all too well about that game. And he’d figure out at some point that it was a game that never worked. Eventually, Ally would feel smothered. And she’d either talk with him about it or leave.
Then again, I felt myself hovering around Rae, too.
“Clint, back off a bit, would you? I can barely breathe.”
“Honey, seriously. Your elbow’s in my ribcage.”
“Clint, just--there. Like that.”
Every time I tried to touch her, she shrugged me off. Every time I tried to offer her something, she waved her hand in the air. Like she was trying to shoo away a needless fly. I didn’t like this. Not one bit. The alcohol seemed to change Rae, and not for the better. I understood that road all too well. I didn’t want her to make the same mistakes I did.
And yet, as she dragged Ally off for another drink, I saw her making those mistakes.
I was helpless to stop her from ruining herself tonight.
“Come on, man. Is this really their scene?”
Mike’s voice pulled me from my trance and I sighed.
“I mean, Ally’s having a new experience. Rae’s getting the lay of the land when it comes to college. What can we really do?”
He snickered. “The hell are you talking about? You always know what to do. Rae’s never been like this around you. How do you fix it?”
I shrugged. “Like you said, she’s never been like this around me. I don’t know how to fix it. I’m not really sure there’s anything to fix.”
“You’re right. There isn’t.”
I looked over at where the tinny sound came from and I saw one of the blondes walking up to us.
“Kayla?”
She shook her head. “Kristie. You really should lay off the two of them.”
Mike jumped in. “Or what?”
