Page 195 of Phobia
Chapter 4
When I woke up this morning, I took a few minutes to think about my plans for the day, like usual. Normally the thought of going to one of Blaine’s parties wasn’t something I looked forward to, no matter how much I hyped them up to other people. They’d become more of an obligation than anything. It upset Blaine if I even hinted at missing one. I’d asked him once why it mattered so much that I show up and stay the whole time. “It would look ridiculous if my best friend didn’t come, or dipped out early,” he’d said. “I expect you to be there.” He’d shrugged, and that had been that. I supposed I felt a sense of duty to attend, and I did want to make him happy. After all, he’d helped me fit in when I’d moved to Ohio. I owed him that much.
But I was genuinely looking forward to tonight’s party. Even the knowledge that there would once again be people walking around in creepy masks wasn’t enough to kill the butterflies fluttering around my stomach in excitement at the thought of spending time with Kellen.
After a quick shower, I slid into my desk chair and picked up my phone to check for any texts. Blaine was usually at his finickiest on party days, and I’d often have a stream of messages from him if things weren’t going exactly according to his plan. The morning of his spring break party, for example, he’d had a laundry list of complaints about the setup crew.They’re moving too slowly.They dropped a box of linens.Those fuckers are staring too much—they better keep their hands off the shit they don’t need to touch, or they’ll regret it. Etcetera. Etcetera.
I had no missed messages from Blaine, which either meant that things were going well, or that things were such a shit show that he didn’t even have time to text me and bitch about it.
ME:Happy Halloween! Need me to pick up any last-minute stuff on my way over later?
BLAINE:Xanax
ME:You know I don’t take that, and I have no script for it. Anything not illegally obtained that I can grab for you?
BLAINE:Condoms
My nose scrunched up. I tapped a finger against my desk, and the metal skull ring I wore made a clanking sound each time it hit.
BLAINE:I’m kidding, obviously. I don’t need you to bring anything. That’s what the house staff are for.
ME:You send the staff out for Xanax and condoms?
Even I knew how ridiculous that sounded.
BLAINE:Condoms, yes. Pills, no. You know that. And don’t get all high and mighty on me.
ME:Do you need anything or not?
BLAINE:Yes, for you to come over now. I need your help with something, so just bring whatever you need for the night, and you can get ready here later.
ME:I was planning to ride over later with Kellen once he gets off work.
BLAINE:He’s a big boy. I’m sure he can manage to find his way here without getting lost, and you’ve known him for like two seconds. You can stand to be without him for a little while.
Not only had I originally planned on arriving to the party with Kellen, but I’d also been thinking about stopping to see Grandma as a surprise on my way. I didn’t think Kellen would have minded, but that would have to wait another three weeks now. Later tonight Grandma was headed off to California to visit her sister before things got too hectic with the holidays.
It was moments like these that the comments and messages I’d gotten from people over the years, warning me about Blaine’s selfish attitude, resonated the most. My best friend was a spoiled trust-fund brat at heart. I loved him but I didn’t always like him—though I’d always defend him against anyone talking trash about him.
I got up and began grabbing my things. Kellen and I would still be able to spend the whole party together, I reasoned with myself, whether we arrived separately or not. After going back and forth in my head a few minutes, I found myself texting him.
ME:Would it work for you to meet me at the party after you get off this evening?
I didn’t have class today, but he did so I wasn’t sure how quickly he’d see and be able to respond to my text. Thankfully, he responded right away.
KELLEN:? Thought we were riding together.
ME:I need to head over early.
KELLEN:Let me guess why.
ME:It’s a huge party. He needs my help with setup or something.
KELLEN:And I need a gorgeous man to sit down on my tongue and ride my face before I have to go hang out with the zombies and werewolves.
I snorted and shoved my phone charger and a navy-blue Danville University sweatshirt into my backpack.
ME:Will you be okay finding the Colfields’ house later? I’ll send you the address. You’re not gonna change your mind, are you?
