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I also haven’t seen my stepbrother all night. Thomas is supposed to be here, not that I even want to see him. Things at home were weird when we shared our last family dinner during spring break.
I hadn’t seen him in a year since he was a year ahead of me, and he’d changed a lot.
Thomas had always been popular, as much as he was a quiet achiever.
But all of a sudden, he’d developed this attitude problem.
That and the fact I had a secret crush on him, which is gross when you think about it.
We’d lived under the same roof for about two years before he took off for college. And I don’t like having to hear his name around campus because he’s the star quarterback, I’d had enough of that in high school.
He’s never been awful to me. But I can tell that I annoy him. He doesn’t want me around, especially when his friends are there.
I shake my head. Like I care.
We’ve only been here five minutes and I’m ready to grab some Chinese takeout and watch some crappy reality TV.
“That’s just the point,” I go on. “We don’t fit in.”
Payden may act like she’s one of the crowd, but we both know that isn’t true. Neither of us were overly popular in high school. For one, she’s the complete opposite of me. Which is probably why we get along so well.
I’m the level-headed one and Payden is the risk taker. I don’t like recklessness. I also don’t enjoy drunkenness because it reminds me of my real dad and how he’d come home late smelling like beer and cheap perfume.
“We have to blend,” she says, smoothing one hand through the air like she’s grooving to the beat.
I feel like face palming myself. “I need the bathroom,” I say.
She nods. “I’ll hang here.”
“Sure you don’t need to go?”
“Luna, I’ll be right here waiting when you come back. I’ll get us another drink.”
I give her an eye roll and pour the rest of my beer into her paper cup, as I’m never gonna drink it.
Hesitantly, I make my way upstairs to where I assume there is a bathroom somewhere.
The music is loud, and it’s dark, and I find the main bathroom occupied… It also sounds like people are screwing in there.
Shit! I need to pee.
I wonder briefly if anyone would notice if I slipped into one of the bedrooms to check if they have an ensuite… That’s myonly option, aside from going outside to find a patch of grass away from the fray. No thank you.
Tentatively, I listen at the door farthest from the stairs, deciding it is, in fact, vacant. I hesitantly knock and then push the door open.
Phew. Nobody in here.
The room clearly belongs to a boy. It’s messy and smells like a teenager. Gross.
I tiptoe across the room and find the bathroom. I don’t dare turn the light on in case the bathroom is as bad. I’d rather not know.
Even though I cover the seat with three layers of toilet paper, I still hover over it without touching it.
I do my business, using the faucet with my elbow to avoid any further contamination and go to leave. Halfway across the bedroom, I hear voices. Holy shit.
Then the doorknob turns. I dart across the room and run toward the open closet, shutting myself inside.
I panic because I shouldn’t be in here. Someone might think I was looting or something.
