Breathing Room (Waiting Room #2)

Chapter 9: Long Weekend (Part 4)

Cody was sitting on Jacky's bed eating Corn Pops out of a small mixing bowl when Jacky emerged from the bathroom. He chewed and took in Jacky's outfit. "You've changed," he said after swallowing.

"What? Is it bad that I want to look good?"

Struggling to a seat position, Cody set the mixing bowl aside. "I guess Ryan will be there?"

Jacky shrugged and adjusted his hair in the mirror.

"Dude," Cody said.

Jacky finally looked at him. "I don't know if he'll be there."

"You haven't talked to him? What about Monica, doesn't she know?" Cody heaved himself up and joined Jacky in the mirror, straightening out the hem of his hoodie. "I thought she basically lived up his ass—"

Jacky elbowed him. "Monica's cool now, remember? Anyway, she didn't say."

"So you're hoping he's there," Cody drawled.

"Yeah," Jacky said without looking at him.

For a minute Cody didn't say anything. Then, "You wanna smoke a little before we go? Like, drive around and smoke?"

"I guess we're taking your car, then, cuz you know my mom won't be cool with that going down in her car."

They left early for the party, and while Cody smoked more than Jacky, there was something about having spent a few hours hiking and now riding around in the golden hour before sunset that made everything feel like it was going to be okay. Jacky hadn't quite realized how much school was stressing him out, between worrying about completing his schoolwork and the constant battle not to think about Ryan and wondering if Braedyn was gay or not.

Monica answered the door and threw a hug around his shoulders before he could even brace himself. He crashed back into Cody and they all laughed. She smelled like coconut conditioner and strawberry wine coolers. "It's so good to see you guys again!" Monica gushed, and pulled Cody into a hug, too. Once released, he rubbed the back of his hair and blushed.

They followed Monica inside, where fewer people than Jacky expected had gathered in the living room. Jacky looked around at the familiar faces: Alex, the former football team captain, next to Peyton, the former head cheerleader; Lance, Ryan's best friend, arm wrestling with Matt, who had already gained a bit of a beer gut. A few people Jacky recognized from student council or sports teams, but also a girl Jacky remembered from English class – Jane, he vaguely recalled – as well as Tyler, the guy Billy had dumped Jacky for back in middle school.

And, Jacky noticed almost immediately, no Ryan.

He half-turned, wanting to ask Monica, then stopped himself. Beside him, Cody shrugged. "No Nina," he said glumly.

Jacky headed toward the kitchen to get a drink. "I don't know why you're still hung up on her. She seemed pretty happy dating Haylee all last year."

When Cody didn't answer, Jacky glanced back at him.

Cody had never had a good poker face. The look he gave Jacky now resembled a puppy who'd been found eating a shoe.

"Is there something you need to tell me, Cody Mitchell?" Jacky asked, trying not to smile.

"I might have hooked up with them a few times," Cody said, rubbing the back of his hair again.

"Them?" Jacky coughed out. "As in a threesome?"

"Haylee called us a 'thruple,'" Cody said. He looked back at the living room. "She's not here, either."

Jacky closed his eyes and shook his head. "Wait, wait. You were in a three-way relationship with Nina and Haylee all last year?"