I snort. “He’s your shitty ex-boyfriend'sstepfather, and he won’t even be that after his and Veronica’s divorce paperwork goes through.”
Wren looks pained. “And that makes it…better?”
“Well…yeah,” Arianna giggles.
The rest of us laugh as Wren flips us all off. “You guys are fucking gross. Ew.”
“Yeah,ew.” Lucia rolls her eyes sarcastically. “He’ssoooounattractive…”
Wren’s lips purse. “Hi, yes, I thought we were here to make sureLenais okay?”
I make an angry buzzer sound. “Nope. We’re done with me. New category.”
Lucia’s phone dings. She picks it up off the table, and her brows shoot up before she puts the phone back down.
“What’s up?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “Oh, nothing.”
This time it’s Galina who eyes Lucia. “Um, that doesn’t sound like nothing.”
Lucia sighs. “Just this band I like. They've announced a surprise show at this dive bar tonight in Standish.”
Galina’s brows arch. “How is that nothing? Standish is like a fifteen-minute drive away. What kind of music?”
Lucia shakes her head. “Forget it. Seriously.” She turns to smile warmly at me. “We’re here forLenatonight.”
I clear my throat. “Um, I would like to know about this band too.”
Lucia grins. “They’re called Explosions. Loud dance-rock with a bit of metal?”
Galina shrugs. “Not really my thing, but you saiddance?”
“For sure,” Lucia nods. “They’re super fun. I used to sneak into their shows in Brooklyn all the time when I was in high school.”
“What bar in Standish are they playing at?” Galina prods.
“The Garage,” Lucia says.
Galina taps away on her own phone for a moment and then looks up with a sly grin. “Mr. Google says that place isnotoriousfor not checking IDs…”
Shit. I should be here, drinking tea with friends, trying to figure out my life, i.e.,Achilles, and how I feel after everything I know now.
But on the other hand…a dive bar that doesn’t check IDs playing loud, head-banging dance rock sounds like fuckingtherapyright now.
“I have atonof studying to do tonight,” Arianna sighs. “Sorry, I’m out.”
“I’m out too,” Wren mutters. When I frown at her, she shakes her head. “That wasn’t a pity party. You guys should totally go. Really!”
Galina grins as she looks at Lucia, then me. “Well?” She lifts a shoulder. “Got a better way to get your mind off Mr. Golden and his choking, chasing tendencies?”
I groan, blushing.
But you know what?
“Fuck it,” I mutter. “Let’s roll.”
40
