Staying Grounded [BXB]

Emergency Exit

CRAIG:

"You shouldn't be here," Sebastian murmurs to Ashleigh while feigning study of his Scrabble letters. It's an observation I anticipated him stating far sooner.

Ashleigh ignores him, studying the board for a long minute before hesitantly placing three of her tiles beside an 's' to spell 'dips.'

Dad snorts as he marks down her score, and I fervently wish I had the balls to tip the table on him.

"He's right," I hiss into her other ear. The girl has played her part beautifully tonight, ever courteous without stepping the line, and she's received nothing but snide comments and derision in return.

"Dang, wait," she ignores me too. "I've just thought of a better one. Take backsies?"

"I'm afraid not, dear," Mum shakes her head as she takes her turn. To Kathryn, she adds, "these art students, eh?" And Kathryn titters, slying a glance across the table.

Sebastian's gaze sears me like this is entirely my fault, and I've no defense. "Let's just forget that the art student lashed us all at Monopoly, should we?" He says, his smile barely curving his lips. 

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm taking a toilet break."

"Not going with?" Gary mouths at me with a smirk.

The taunt doesn't go unnoticed. "Think I'll manage just fine on my own, thanks."

I turn away, slumping in my chair, and down the last of my Sprite. Drinking anything that'd dull my wits in this wasp hive is well beyond my level of stupid, tempting though it may be. We still have Trivial Pursuit to endure through after this, and then, when the adults are sufficiently jolly, the cards will come out, and the evening will take a viciously competitive turn.

Sebastian's watch of me doesn't relent as he leaves the table, and I figure if he still suspects me of adding vodka to my drink, then so be it. Rising from my seat with my empty glass in hand, I cross the room to the bar. "Get your orders in now, people!" I announce, feigning a study of the spirits.

Gary's little brother, Damien, perks up from his slouch. "I'll take a dash of rum for my coke!"

"Nope," their dad, Louis, instantly deflates him.

"So lame," Damien huffs, sinking back down.

I'm mighty deliberate in blanking Sebastian's sharp glare, and the heady kick I get out of provoking him goes to show just how far below lame this evening has dragged me. It's kind of disturbing.

But then Gary pipes up, demanding attention, and at his mention of Marley Higher, I immediately shut myself off.

It's no surprise when Ashleigh draws up beside me a minute later. She sets her empty glass on the polished bar beside mine and props her elbow in the gap between them. "Why didn't you tell me he's now at college with you?"

"Why would I?" I pull out a second bottle of Sprite from the fridge and hold it out to her, cracking open my own. "What's it to do with you?"

There's a distinct sense of pity in her eyes I don't like seeing. "You gave up so much to get away from him."

My head shakes. "No," I sigh. Because the Tinwell's are considered practically family and try as I might, that's not something I can escape. "He's not why I left."

She wraps her warm fingers around the bottle, hesitating to take it from me. "Craig, who are you trying to —"

"Son," Dad interrupts her, exacting an instant hush without raising his voice. "Gary's just told me about the 87 he scored on an Ethic's test you neglected to inform me of."