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“Just a party that got out of control, officer,” I say. “Some people almost got into a fight. Then they made-up. Then we all…went in the pool.”
“You look dry.”
“I’m afraid of water,” I say.
Malon snickers next to me. “So am I.”
Luke rolls his eyes. “Everything is under control,” he says. “We’ll make sure everyone gets home safely. Thanks for coming out. Sorry to have wasted your time.”
“Did the water punch you in the face?” The cop says, looking at me.
“It’s a punk gig,” Trine says, suddenly emerging next to me. “I didn’t prepare him. That’s on me.”
The cop’s partner, a small, large woman with red hair pulled up in a tight bun, looks around. “Are you the property owner?”
“No,” I say. “But…”
“We’ll speak to them first, while you make sure everyone gets in their cars and gets home safely. You can take care of that, right?” she asks me.
I don’t see why I should, but whatever. If that means the cops are going to get off our back, I’m happy to do that.
“Sure,” I say. “Trine, you want to go get the girls?”
“Yes,” she says, smiling at me. “Thank you so much for handling this.”
“Of course,” I say.
She grabs Misha by the hand and slowly walks away toward the living room. I hear Malon and Luke talk to the cops about whatever, I’m not actually sure and I’m not paying attention.
I’m only focusing on Trine, whose hands are interlaced with Misha’s. I shouldn’t be jealous, but something about this whole thing makes my body fill with rage.
I shouldn’t be jealous. I have no business being jealous. Still, as soon as she closes the glass door behind her, I feel increasingly angry. The cop clears his throat, though, so I turn around to deal with him again as I hear people come from the house.
I’m aware I should probably be getting medical attention. My cheek is throbbing. My head hurts. Everything hurts, actually. I feel a little nauseous. I think I’m going to feel better once I figure out if my face needs sutures, but right now, I still need to deal with the cops, and I’m still running on adrenaline.
I’m going to make myself useful, though. I can corral all these people into leaving and then I can go upstairs and debrief with Trine about everything that has happened.
“You okay, doc?” Malon says.
I’m surprised at how concerned he looks. Almost as if he’s genuinely human. It’s bizarre.
“I’ve been better,” I say.
“At least the band sounded good,” Malon says quietly.
I laugh. Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think Luke is laughing too.
TRINE
The next day, the mood in Alana’s house is somber.
She doesn’t seem to mind too much. Things could’ve been a lot worse…but we’ve fucked up quite a few of her instruments, there’s a bunch of broken shit all over the back deck. It isn’t great. I owe her a hell of an apology, but I have no idea where I can even start with that.
Alana is chill, but she looks a bit worse for wear as we all busy ourselves cleaning the back deck together. We’re listening to a top 40 list on shuffle over the speakers. The girls talk among themselves a few times, sometimes giggling, but I don’t really feel like laughing right now.
The guys are also helping. Something happened last night–something changed between them. I guess that it only takes one weird apocalyptic brawl for everyone to become friends.
I think I’ve done my best to make myself engage with everything around me, but I feel like I’m just going through the motions. Every time I close my eyes, I see Rei and Malon in the hospital. And when my eyes are open, when everyone’s quiet, when I’m thinking about anything but this–then the nurse’s voice, with that gleeful tone, crawls back into my brain.
