Meet Me at Midnight - Jessica Pennington Page 0,51
How much do you hate me right now? “But there was that whole thing after the last party.”
I close my eyes for just a second, but it’s long enough to remember everything that happened that night. It sends a tight knot of unease into my stomach. Drunk. He was drunk, Sidney. He only did it to screw you up for your date. I have to look away from him. “Oh right, when you almost died in your own vomit.” I say it because I know how much it annoys him.
“I would never.”
I look at him and there’s that smile again.
“I’m way too pretty for that.”
“Mmhmm.”
“Did you just admit I’m pretty?”
“No.”
“You did.”
“I’m just not arguing with you anymore.” I turn to him with my own self-amused smile. “I’m the nicer one now. I plan on keeping it that way.”
“Excuse me?” He looks at me with complete confusion, and I throw my hand to my chest in mock horror.
“One word,” I say, holding up a single finger, just inches from his face. “Pancakes.” The word is almost a whisper on my lips.
“Oh, so now we’re keeping score?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Mmhmm.”
Asher closes his eyes, and I close mine, and we lie in our deck chairs in peaceful silence until Sylvie announces lunch with a yell from the kitchen window, and we spring out of our chairs like we were just caught. What’s the punishment for conspiring with enemy forces?
DAY 20
Sidney
I’m not sure how I turned into this girl, but it’s my third weekend in Riverton, and my second at a party. Asher and I drove together as planned—no matching outfits this time—but as soon as we stepped through the front door we split off in separate directions. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and it’s a text from Kara.
My stomach sinks. An hour? I’m in the middle of the living room, standing by myself, and suddenly I feel like there’s a giant spotlight shining on me. Attention partygoers, we have a lonely loner out-of-towner over here! Yes, my aloneness is on full display. Making my way to the kitchen, I scan the room for anyone I know. Anyone I’ve said even two words to in the past, or recognize from The Little Store or River Depot. But all of the faces look new tonight. They don’t look unfriendly, or unwelcoming, just new. And new looks like work—more work than I’m willing to put in tonight.
I stop in the kitchen and snag a red cup. There’s no way I’m passing an hour without one. And if I have to—even though Asher promised he wouldn’t drink tonight—I’ll call my parents to pick me up. No questions asked is their motto, and while I’ve never tested it, I believe them. Mom doesn’t want me to be featured in a viral video she’ll compulsively share on social media.
There’s a big blue cooler on the counter, and I put my glass under the spigot, letting a reddish brown juice fill it close to the brim. I take a sip—wow, it’s strong—and walk toward the sliding glass door that leads into the backyard. There’s a fire burning in one corner of the yard, but no one is sitting on the benches around it yet. Freedom.
The fire is glowing bright, and all that’s separating me from its flickering solitude is a small set of wooden stairs. I’m about to step down when the sound of my name stops me.
“Sid?” It’s Asher. Correction: it’s drunk Asher. I think. Only drunk Asher calls me Sid. Except we haven’t been here long enough for Asher to be drunk.
I turn slowly to find him standing a few feet behind me. He closes the small gap between us in just a few long steps, and I take a sip from my cup, trying to look natural.
“Where are you going?” He looks around me, like he’s looking for something. “Where’s Kara?” Not something … someone.
I let out a disgruntled sigh, blowing any chance I had of pulling off the relaxed-and-mingling look. “She’s late.” I glance back toward the yard. “I was going to sit by the fire.”
Asher’s face pinches up as his eyes dart from the fire to me. “By yourself?”
“No, with my invisible friend Roger, here.” I swing my arms out to my side, like I’m presenting someone to Asher. Though they’re down by my hips, so apparently my imaginary friend is tiny. Which is fine. Tiny things are awesome.
Asher smiles and rolls his eyes. “You’re such a little hermit.” He grabs my hand and