Goodbye, Evan

19

"Ass," Amber mutters, grinning at Kyle. She looks at Kyle's mother. "But it's true."

"He's got it, love," the man says, flicking soapsuds at the person I assume is his wife. "You're embarrassing Kyle in front of his friends."

"Yes. Sorry, Kyle. Off you go."

So, we escape the kitchen and head upstairs, me and Theo and Kyle and Amber and the baby.

Kyle's room is barely bigger than Theo's walk-in wardrobe and situated next to the bathroom, making pointing it out even more

unnecessary. Even though the place he sleeps in is small, he's obviously made it his. His single bed is pressed up against the wall near the window and covered with a blue, pink and purple bedspread and remnants of his childhood - plastic soldiers, rag dolls, Lego horses, a castle made out of cheap matte plastic, even little girls' makeup kits - cover every available surface. It's a very messy place, but it somehow feels more lived in than Theo's overlarge bedroom.

Amber, Kyle and Theo sit on his bed and carefully share out the Coke while I push myself up onto Kyle's little windowsill and look out at the sunset, which is setting in colours of scarlet and gold between the rows of houses.

I consider letting it pass without Theo - who is laughing his head off at Kyle, the latter having started hiccoughing - seeing it, but the very thought makes my stomach twist.

"Theo," I say, quietly. He looks up, eyebrows knitting, before shuffling to my end of the bed and kneeling beside me. As we watch the sunset, I feel his skin ghost mine.

I shift my hand away, pretending to itch my nose. I glance at Theo, but he's looking determinedly at the sunset.

Even before the sun dips below the horizon, Theo returns to Amber and Kyle. He looks miserable, even when Kyle cracks a shitty joke. I stay sat on the windowsill, hating myself a little.

"Who's that man in the kitchen?" Theo asks after a few minutes, picking at the knitted bedcover.

"Daniel, my stepdad - he's actually nice, thank God. Zara's their kid. I'm just glad I don't have one of those cliché parents who hates their kid for being bi." Theo ducks his head and I can't help but grin nastily. I know.

(Fuck, I'm an asshole.)

"Yeah. He even knitted me this," Kyle adds, flicking his blanket (which I'm only just beginning to realize is the bisexual flag colors).

"That's cool," Theo says, looking at the blanket like he wants to take Amber's lighter and burn it.

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When Kyle's parents come in to say goodbye, they take Zara with them, saying they've reconsidered and want to drop her off with Kyle's aunt.

"It's not that we don't trust you, Kyle," his stepdad says, wringing his hands.

"No, we don't. We trust Amber-" Amber grins smugly at Kyle. "But this is your party. It's important for you to have fun! So have fun, mess around - but keep your virginities, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

She walks in to kiss Kyle's hair and take the baby, leaving with her husband in tow.

"That won't be a problem," Kyle mutters when she's gone, twisting that black ring on his middle finger.

Amber snorts. Theo and I glance at each other, confused, but I look away quickly.

A few minutes later, declaring that she's going to need mood-altering substances to get over the loss of "her" baby, Amber suggests

that they break into the Thapa's liquor cabinet.

"No!"

"Well, it's either this, Kyle, or I get high in your bedroom. Plus, it's not illegal and the we're mature enough not to start fucking each

other."

Kyle rolls his eyes.

In the end, with me and mostly Amber against one (Theo doesn't seem interested in taking part) Kyle nods in defeat. Laughing

silently, Amber disappears downstairs and returns a few minutes later with a bottle of vodka, a cartoon of orange juice and four cups with accompanying shot glasses.

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"It's like water if water could go off!"

"Water does go off, lightweight," Amber says, handing me the next shot. I take it without hesitation, knowing it won't do much.

Amber hands Theo a shot before taking her own. Now it's Kyle and Amber walking down the road of tipsy, me unaffected and

Theo staring at his tiny glass like he might spontaneously combust if he drinks its contents.

"Take the damn shot, Theo."

He looks at Amber sideways, still apprehensive. "Isn't this peer pressure?"

"Nobody's forcing you," she says, mixing a screwdriver. "But it'll be more fun if you drink with us."

Theo sticks a middle finger up at her, which makes her splutter with laughter, before downing the shot and accepting the

screwdriver. "You three are the worst friends," he says, looking me right in the eyes as he does.

"Oi - don't blame Kyle, he's being just as pressured as you. He's just more of a pussy."

"Hey!"