When Eli returns a little while later, something immediately feels off. His eyes seem too heavy, pupils dilated, and his smile is slightly frantic.
“You okay?” I ask hesitantly.
He laughs too easily, pulling me up from my seat. “Better than okay. Come dance with me.”
This uneasy feeling takes over, but I still follow him to the dance floor. After a few minutes, I lean up, whispering in his ear, “What’s going on? You’re acting weird.”
He laughs, swaying clumsily. “I took a little Molly. It’s okay though. I feel good.”
My heart drops. “Why would you do that?”
“I wanted to relax, and one of the guys from the team offered me some. It’s not a big deal.”
The anger, disappointment, and worry all start to mix in one big pile of messy emotions as I pull away from him.
He tries to pull me back into him and continue dancing, but I place my hand on his chest. “You know how I feel about drugs, Eli. Why would you do that?”
Frustration takes over his expression, but it’s quickly replaced again with this weird bliss. “Because I’m sick of feeling like shit all the time. Don’t you want meto be happy?”
“Not like this,” I snap. “What, the alcohol wasn’t enough? The weed wasn’t enough?”
He sighs. “Come on. Don’t ruin tonight.”
My temper starts to take over every other thought in my head, the irritation mixing with this strange sadness for him. I glance around anxiously, not wanting anyone to see any of this. “Let’s go outside and talk.”
He reluctantly follows me, stumbling slightly as we step into the cold night air.
I shiver, crossing my arms over my chest. Eli notices instantly, shrugging off his jacket and placing it around my shoulders.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers, softening his voice now. “Everything’s just been so…messed up lately. My parents, all the fighting, my mom with this new guy. I just…needed tonight to feel good. Can’t you understand that?”
“Am I not enough?” I hate the way my voice trembles. “I can’t make you happy?”
“You do,” he insists quickly. “That’s not what this is about.”
“Then what, Eli? Explain it to me, because I don’t get it.”
He groans, eyes still unfocused. “Just forget it. You’re ruining the night and the high. I just wanted to have some fun.”
“Whatever, Eli,” I snap. “I’m calling Simone to pick me up. I don’t want to be here. But please…stay. Have your fun. Just do it without me.”
I realize I left my phone inside, so I turn to walk back in.
Eli grabs my arm, forcing me to look back at him. “Lydia, wait—”
I pull his hand off me and keep walking. Eli’s phone buzzes in his jacket pocket as I enter. Without thinking, I grab it and glance down at the screen.
My heart stops.
Katie: Wanna sneak off somewhere? Ditch Lydia and come find me
Time stops.
Everything we’ve rebuilt is crumbling right in front of my face. I quickly open the phone and go to the rest of the messages between them.
Katie: I bet she bores you in bed
Eli: Why do you care? You jealous?
