I look at her. “You have to figure it out.”
“Will you help me?”
I shake my head. “No.”
She lifts her head. “What? I’m basically forgiving you for sleeping with her.”
“No, G. I am not going to fix this for you.”
“Benson, what the fuck.”
“I am not going to be the brother who runs in and smooths this over with your best friend because you had a tantrum and threw her out of the apartment with eleven days’ notice. You broke it. You have to put it back together.”
“Benson.”
“G. I love you, but I’m capped. I’m done. You kicked her out.” I look around. “Aren’t you both on the lease?” I run a hand through my hair. “I have smoothed things over for you my whole life. I’m not going to do it this time. Lucy is notmy sister’s roommate.Lucy is Lucy. If you want her back in your life, you are going to have to go get her. I am not going to do it for you.”
She stares at me, and then she picks up the wineglass and drinks the rest.
“Are you actually serious about her?”
I shrug.
“Don’t bullshit me. Like — actually.”
“G. I––” I think about Lucy and point out how I’m here right now. “I’m here because she stopped texting me back. It’s making me insane that she’s ignoring me.” I exhale.
“Why not any other girl?” she asks.
I shake my head. “I don’t want any other girl. She’s smart, G. And really fucking cute. I don’t know what else to tell you.”
She huffs, watching me. “Whatever, Benson. You’re so weird. You could literally have anyone.”
I shake my head. Sure, she’s right. But I don’t want just anyone.
The kitchen falls quiet. The wine glass stays empty. Mara watches Gianna.
Gianna grabs her phone.
I clap my hands and say, “I’m going home.”
Chapter 28
Lucy
TheSwitchhookuptakesTyr nine minutes.
He’s on the floor in front of the entertainment center on his knees with three cables in one hand, and he is muttering at the back of the TV.
“Tyr, the HDMI is the one with the wide—”
“Bear. I know what an HDMI is.”
“You said port-three earlier and that was the wrong port.”
The TV blue-screens. Then the Nintendo logo. Then the Switch home screen. Bear shouts something at the ceiling that is not a word.
My mom is on the couch next to me with her legs tucked under her. She is in different jeans than the ones she wore earlier.
