Page 170 of Becoming Us
That was weird.
Bedside table. Bathroom drawers. Wallet. Nothing.
Guess I ran out last night. Or maybe someone stole what I had left.
I shrugged. Wouldn’t be the first time. Definitely wouldn’t be the last.
Either way, I had to go out tonight. Anthony was around, and he’d have to do a drive-through delivery. That was the new plan.
I lit a joint, leaned against the doorframe, and let the smoke fill my lungs before heading out. When the car pulled up in front of the packed house, I sat for a moment, eyes on the glowing windows, pulse already picking up.
Time to turn the charm back on, Noah.Can’t let anyone see the real mess now, can we?
I shoved my way inside, already scanning for something to drink—anything to make this whole thing remotely tolerable. It was the same as always—a too-hot, overcrowded house, pulsing with people either hunting for something quick and dirty or hopelessly chasing true love. Only one of those groups ever walked away satisfied.
Frat parties never changed. Just lukewarm beer in flimsy plastic cups and cheap music vibrating through the floorboards.If you wanted anything stronger, you either had to be sleeping with one of the brothers in the house or come prepared.
Pushing past a group of strangers, I was nearly at the kitchen—otherwise known as the shrine of the sacred keg—when someone called my name.
I turned, already halfway checked out, and spotted Colin, one of my old teammates.
Grinning wide, he was already stepping in with an outstretched hand. “Hey, man. Haven’t seen you in forever! I didn’t know you were back in school.”
Debatable. Technically, I was enrolled, but I hadn’t actually shown up to any of the classes I’d blindly signed up for.
Still, I clasped his hand and pulled him into a half-hug. “Yeah, just getting my bearings. How’ve you been?”
I wasn’t really in the mood for pre-beer small talk, but Colin was cool. He’d never been anything but decent to me. In another life, maybe we could’ve been best friends.
“Great,” he said. “We won a tournament today.”
“Congrats.” Still doing the volleyball thing. Cute.
“Thanks. It was a good game. I’m actually here with a few guys from the team—you should come say hi,” he offered, already waving me forward.
Seriously?
I gave him a tight smile and followed, dragging my feet a little. This was what I got for being nice. Should’ve pretended I didn’t hear him and kept walking. Now I was about to get trapped in a conversation about volleyball—of all fucking things—while my hands were already starting to tremble.
I needed a drink. Or a smoke. Or a goddamn miracle to get me through the next ten minutes until Anthony texted that he was nearby. If I could just slip outside, light up, buy some time?—
Colin stepped aside to let me catch up, guiding me toward his friends.
His friends.
Holy. Fucking.Mother of Jesus.
My breath caught as I laid eyes on one of them. The bigger one.
Who the hell wasthat?
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FIVE
AFTER
The day was almost perfect for it.
