Uncomfortable

[fourteen]

He remembers.

My sophomore year of college.

Alden's fraternity was having a neon paint party. They'd rented out a rooftop club in New York City, and Carter had invited me.

They'd both shown up in an Uber to pick me up.
I came down with a tear-stained face, that I'd tried to wash off, to tell them I wasn't going anymore, but they could both tell I'd been crying.

Wyatt had refused to come. He'd said it was stupid. He'd called me silly, and told me that I didn't even do drugs, so he didn't understand why I would want to go to a rave anyway.

I didn't want to go alone, but I desperately wanted to go. I thought it would be fun. I wanted to dance. I wanted to get coated in paint and glow neon under the lights.

Alden had sat there silently looking out the opposite window while Carter got out and tried to convince me to come and forget about Wyatt; that I should break up with him. He told me I'd have him and Alden at the party, but I knew Carter would disappear with his girlfriend as soon as we got there.

Alden had leaned over and begged me to get in the car. He told me he promised he wouldn't leave me, that he'd hang out with me all night. I didn't believe him.

"Do I have to do ecstasy?" I ask Ava as she's rummaging around in her massive closet.

I'm lying on her king bed with my arms and legs spread out like a star in a bedroom on a boat that is bigger than my apartment. She has a mirrored vanity filled with makeup in one corner. In the other corner, there is a balcony with two chairs that extends out over the ocean. Her closet is tucked away in a small hallway that opens up into a luxurious bathroom.

"No," she laughs. "Not if you don't want to. I don't. I just get drunk off all the neon shots. Brooke and Conrad probably will though, so if you want to, you totally can."

I shake my head even though she can't see me. "I'll stick to shots."

Hangers scrape back and forth until Ava emerges buried under all the white clothes in her arms. She throws them on the bed next to me and smiles.

"Alden said you'd only come back for the paint party, but I really hope y'all will stay for a couple of days." She makes me sit up and holds a white top against my chest. She meets my gaze intently. "He must like you."

"Oh," I chuckle. "No, not like that. We're just friends. He's friends with my brother."

"I've met Carter before." She turns and says, "You sure?" before she tosses the shirt and digs in the pile.

"Yeah," I insist. "There's nothing going on. You and Alden?"

I can't help myself. The curiosity is overwhelmingly... not good.

Ava laughs. "Please. He friend-zoned me the minute we met. Could you imagine? Alden would hate to date someone like me. All the pictures and tabloids." She lowers her voice. "Besides, I'm dating Neil Crawford."

"The actor?"

I mentally face palm myself. Of course, she's dating the actor Neil Crawford. She's Ava. Why would I ask that?

She doesn't notice and nods. "He'll be here tomorrow. We just celebrated our year anniversary. We try to lay low."

Yes, I feel a sense of relief for some reason now that I know Alden wasn't sleeping in this bed at some point, but I won't ever mention that to her.

"Good for you," I say then groan and squeeze my eyes shut. "Sorry. I don't know how to talk to you."

Her green eyes sparkle when she laughs and picks up a white dress and inspects herself in the mirror. "I can see why Alden likes you so much."