left, and she wasn’t there.
She said she would be, so what the fuck?
Everyone was happy. They all wanted to celebrate, and I was there with them, but I needed to get to my phone so I could see what was going on with Cheyenne.
“Cut.”
Cassie popped in from one of the hallways. I gave her a chin-lift. “Hey, Cassie.” And kept right on going.
“No, Cut…” She tugged at the corner of my sweater, indicating to a side room.
Already not liking this, I went with her. Cassie wasn’t asking about my elbow, and she looked strung out, nervous almost. We stepped in, and she moved to the door so it was only open an inch. “Hey, um…” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, glancing back to the hallway we just left.
“What is it?”
Her shoulders rolled back, her head lifted higher, and she spoke, more sure, “I don’t totally feel right doing this, but I also don’t totally feel right not saying anything.”
Fuck.
“What is it?” My teeth were starting to grind against each other.
“Melanie called before. She said you and Cheyenne were heading out after the game tonight.”
“That’s the plan.”
“Well, they showed up and they’d been drinking.”
Okay…
“Something’s wrong with your girl.”
“What?” I frowned. “She sick?”
“No, I mean, well, maybe. She was acting drunk, which was fine, but it wasn’t the right kind of drunk. Melanie was holding her up, but not at the same time. It was all off. I took them to one of the VIP rooms, and she went in a side room. She was in there by herself most of the game until suddenly, Melanie got a text from her, and they hurried out of here.”
“She left?”
“Yeah, but, Cut…” She moved closer, dropping her voice, and she was biting into her bottom lip. “I wasn’t getting a good feeling about her. It’s like she was on something. Drugs, maybe. And I know you’re not like that, and you’re definitely not into that with your girls.”
“Drugs?”
Drugs? But Chad had been quiet about her, said shit was bad with the family, and I knew she was a part of the reason he stayed with us in school for a bit. But drugs?
But her mom had been a junkie.
I didn’t like thinking that.
“I’m real sorry.” She touched my hand, giving it a squeeze. Her phone was lighting up and she swiped to read a text. “That’s Melanie now. She’s offering to meet up.”
“Without Cheyenne?”
She nodded, chewing at her lip again.
It was obvious she felt bad, but drugs? I don’t know. That just didn’t feel right.
I gave her a little nod. “Go out with your girl. Have fun.”
She grinned, easing back. “I don’t know how much fun we’ll have. I feel like I have to tell Melanie what I told you—”
“No, you don’t. You’re looking out for a friend, but I’ll take it from here. Don’t worry about it. Just go, have fun, and do whatever you do.”
She paused again. “You sure?”
“I’m sure. Go.”
She did, after another moment of hesitation, but fucking fuck. Drugs?
Chad didn’t like her, didn’t want me around her, but… Fuck! Fuck.
Jaw hard, I moved forward, ripping open the door a little harder than necessary. Two guys in the hallway jumped, but I stalked past them for the locker room.
Fucking drugs.
No fucking way.
14
Cheyenne
I hadn’t been able to do it. There was no tunnel for me.
Midway through the second period, I was jumping at every roar and cheer and buzzer, and I felt like my skin was trying to rip off of me. I called it quits, but I tried to reassure Melanie I could cab it home alone. She didn’t need to stay. And yeah, she never left my side until I was in my apartment. She still waited until the game was done, which we finished watching on television.
By the end of the third period, I was much more sane.
I hated using that terminology, but it was how I felt.
There’s a reason for everything, not enough receptors or dopamine or neurotransmitters in the brain, but when a person felt the world was spinning around them, that was the general vibe of this. We were nuts. But I was home, and safe, and I knew what was happening, and that was most of the work. It allowed me to become grounded.
Melanie took off after the game, planning on meeting Cassie at Tits, so when she left, I shot Cut a text before turning off my phone.
Me: Feeling under the weather. Went home. I’ll call you tomorrow? So sorry.