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“When you put it that way,” I said, and we laughed.
We stood at the counter, eating and making small talk, and right then I wished I could do this sort of thing with my own parents, but unfortunately, I couldn’t picture it. They rarely let loose enough to enjoy the simpler things. Even after cancer almost took me from them.
After we’d cleaned up, I said my goodbyes, and Lark walked me outside.
“I really enjoyed hanging out with you again,” I told him.
“Same. Star and Pete did too.” He looked off into the distance. “Can you picture your friends hanging out with me like that—outside of a party setting, I mean?”
“Maybe. Never say never?” They liked to bust my balls about it, but most of the time they weren’t complete assholes. Them getting to know Lark better warmed my stomach despite all my fears. “Besides, you don’t exactly want to hang out with them either.”
“Touché. But never say never,” he added, mimicking the sentiment. “Plus, it’s not like you’ve ever invited me.”
He was right. We were supposed to be friends. Friends hung out together, and not only behind closed doors. “Next week is the fall carnival. Everyone goes to it.”
“Yeah,” Lark said, “I’ve seen flyers at school.”
“Maybe…we could meet there?”
“Let me check with Mom and see if Emil is going. Are you saying you’d want to hang out?”
“I figure it’s a good start?”
Lark’s eyes held a hint of nerves. “It could be a disaster.”
“Doubt it. What could possibly go wrong?” I asked with a laugh, but my stomach was performing somersaults. Okay, this was ridiculous. We were thinking about it way too hard. This was college—a small, elite one, no doubt, but still—and we were consenting adults. It was time to start acting like it and stop living in my parents’ shadow.
“Guess we’ll see. Good night, Henners.”
27
LARK
I broughta change of clothes with me the following Friday and stayed after school to attend the fall carnival that evening with Emil, Leah, and Justin. That was fun because it felt like I lived on campus, even if only for one night. Mom had the day off, so I didn’t feel too much guilt. Plus, she’d encouraged me to sleep over since Emil had asked.
“Look who’s decided to grace us with his presence,” Bones announced when I followed Emil inside his dorm room. “You really need to step up your partying game.”
I shrugged. “Some of us have more important things to do than partying.”
He snorted. “Like what? Studying?”
Well, this was starting off well.
“Don’t listen to him. He’s probably failing all his classes,” Emil said, and I snickered.
“There’s no way I can fail. Coach would bench me.” He sniffed self-importantly. “Maybe some of us don’t need to study so hard.”
“Are you trying to say you have a brain in there? Why doesn’t it come out more often?”
Jesus, did they banter like this constantly? That would be exhausting.
“Har-har, so funny.” Bones trained his gaze on me again. “At least you got rid of that awful jacket.”
“What jacket?” I asked around a dry throat.
“That shiny black one,” he replied with no shame or filter. What a jackass.
“At least I try.” I shrugged again because it was useless to argue. Even the jeans I’d slipped into today were secondhand. It was the best I could do. Thankfully, Henry didn’t seem to mind one bit.
