Page 52 of Forever

Honestly, it was exactly what Brick would do.

“I see your parents,” Brooklyn said and grabbed my hand. “Let’s go say hello.” She pulled me through the crowd to my parents.

They were dressed like the couple from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Well, kind of. My mom was in a satin yellow dress and my dad was in a tux. But they were both covered in fake blood.

“You just couldn’t resist making it gory,” I said.

“Ah I’m so glad you could both come!” My mom went to hug me, but the frame was kind of in the way. “At least I’m clothed.”

I laughed.

My dad snapped his fingers. “Wedding Crashers, right?”

Brooklyn nodded.

“Ah, there you are,” James and Rob’s dad said as he pushed himself in between my parents. He had glasses on and had left his hair curly like James. “I saw you across the room, Matt. And I noticed that although you’re naked and your date looks gorgeous, you’re not tenting your fig leaf. There’s an easy fix for that. I brought some magazines.” He lifted the paper bag in his hand. “Plenty of nudies. They’ll help.”

My dad burst out laughing and slapped Mr. Hunter on the back.

Wow, James wasn’t kidding when he said his dad was going around giving awkward sexual advice. He was just like the dad in American Pie. And so much more fun as their third than Nigel was as ours.

“You must be Mr. Hunter,” Brooklyn said and offered him her hand. “James looks so much like you.”

I’d forgotten that the two of them had never really met before.

Mr. Hunter smiled and took her hand. “Well I should hope he looks like me. I made sure to put it in the right hole. Unlike when I caught him with that pie.”

Brooklyn laughed.

“Who is that?” Mr. Caldwell asked.

I turned to see an old man walking into the party. I laughed. No, not an old man. Even though the wrinkles and crazy white hair looked very real, you could tell the guy wasn’t actually old because he was ripped. He was in swim trunks and wearing a wrestling helmet, and he had his arms slung around two topless girls in cutoff jean shorts. They were wearing gold pasties, but it didn’t make it any more tasteful. Tanner and I had watched Old Schooltogether recently. But I never would have guessed he’d come asthatcharacter.

“Is that Tanner?” Brooklyn asked. “He makes an incredibly realistic old man.”

I laughed.He really does.“Yup, that’s Tanner.”

“Who is he supposed to be? And why does he have two topless girls with him?”

“It’s from Old School,” I said.

“Oh. Right. Are either of those girls the one he brought to prom?”

“Doubtful.”

“Huh.”

“My boy, Blue!” I yelled over to him.

Tanner smiled and walked over to us.

“You old sailor, you,” I said. “Are they built for speed or comfort?”

“I actually am a navy man. World War 2. Thanks for noticing,” Tanner said.

Was that in character? Or was he saying that for real? But then I got distracted because he leaned down and motorboated the brunette.

She giggled.

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