"That's the last one!" Collin jumped out of his seat with so much exuberance that the black cushioned chair he'd been sitting on fell behind him.
"Does that mean we can finally go get those Sourdough Jacks that you promised me hours ago?" Tom asked, scooting back from the table.
"I'm hungry, too," Heather said, standing. "But I need to get changed if we're going to a party."
Collin looked at her. She was wearing jeans and a pale pink t-shirt. "You look great. Besides, it's not that type of party."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.
Tom laughed. "Yeah, Collin. What does that mean?"
Collin held out his hands. "It means jeans and a t-shirt are basically the dress code." He shrugged and then leaned over to pick up the chair he had knocked over.
"Well, I want to change my top, at least. You guys can walk up with me." She straightened out the stacks of envelopes and then headed out the door of the back office. "You coming?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.
They followed obediently.
She led them down the hall and through the double-doors that led to the outside staircase. They'd been inside a windowless office for so long, working under fluorescents, that Collin didn't even register that the sun had set until they were outside in the purple haze of late evening.
Heather climbed to the second story and walked down the open-air corridor towards the side of the building where Collin knew the laundry room was located. A few doors down, she stopped and pulled out a key card.
"I need a smoke," Tom announced, stopping under the glow of an overhead lamp. In one smooth motion, he pulled out his pack, hit it against his palm, and took the raised cigarette between his lips. "Can I smoke on the balcony?" he asked, the flame from his zippo already dancing in the slight breeze.
"Sure, I guess," Heather answered. "I'll be right back." Then she disappeared into her room, leaving Collin wreathed in Tom's smoke.
"So..." Tom exhaled, leaning back against the half-height wall, but stopped when the neighboring door opened.
Veronica and Monica walked out, dressed casually in jeans and t-shirts with minimal make-up.
"We thought you kidnapped her," Veronica said, her voice high and dramatic.
"Not really," Monica added, flipping her dark hair. "You don't seem like the kidnapping type."
"Hel-lo Ladies." Tom stood up straight. "Care for a smoke?"
"Mind if I die?" Veronica retorted.
Tom shrugged one shoulder and leaned back, taking another drag.
Collin knew that wasn't how the billboard went, but he chuckled at the comeback anyway, and then addressed the kidnapping accusation. "We've been down in the hotel office for the past four or so hours."
"Likely story." Veronica rolled her eyes as she pulled out her own key card and pushed into the slot on the door. It turned green and beeped.
"Actually, that sounds pretty likely," Monica echoed as she followed her friend through the door.
Collin and Tom exchanged a look.
"Dude," Tom whispered, his cigarette butt hovering in front of his mouth, "imagine if I had challenged you to nab a date with one of those two." He let out a low whistle and then took a drag.
"About that," Collin said right as the door swung back open, revealing Heather, still in jeans, but in a patterned flowy shirt over a white camisole. "Shit," the word escaped his mouth as he exhaled. "You look really..."
"Hot," Tom finished.
Collin kicked him.
"Ow! Why did you do that?"
Heather cleared her throat. "Boys?"
Veronica and Monica appeared behind her in the door. "Stealing her away from us again?" Veronica asked.
"You're invited, too," Collin said.
"No, we're good... Just get her home safe," Veronica said in an imitation of a mom-voice.
"Don't worry, I will," Collin promised.
"So, I was thinking," Heather said as she walked back towards the stairs. "I'm not really in the mood for fast food. What about the Saturn Cafe?"
"That sounds good to me. How about you, Tom?" Collin turned his head, but Tom was still on the balcony, talking to Veronica. "Tom?" Collin repeated.
A minute later Tom caught up with them, slipping his phone cak into his pocket, a smirk painted on his lips. "Yeah?" he asked.
Collin decided not to ask about why he had been talking to Veronica. "Heather suggested going to the Saturn Cafe instead of Jack-in-the-box. You good with that?"
"The vegan place?" Tom asked, taking the stairs two at a time.
"I think it's vegetarian, not vegan," Collin said. "Plus, it's on the way to my house."
Collin was a fan of meat–beef, chicken, pork, fish; he wasn't picky–but the Saturn Cafe had a killer menu and an even cooler vibe. They had Wear-a-Wig-Wednesday where you could get a discount just for wearing a wig to dinner. And their bathrooms were non-gendered, which was a major plus. It was fun, quirky, weird, and one of Sam's favorite places. That Heather suggested it was just one more reason to like her.
"Fine. I guess I can handle a fake burger as long as it has real cheese," Tom grumbled.
The three of them ambled several blocks until they reached the rounded front of the restaurant's building. Inside, a butch woman with green spiked hair and Buddy Holly glasses seated them at a booth.
"Which booth is it?" Collin asked as he slid into a seat next to Heather and across from Tom.
"What do you mean?" Tom asked. And then he looked down and noticed the scene under the glass table-top. "Woah."
Heather laughed. "Don't like dolls?"
Under the glass was a scene made with several barbie dolls sitting on a red checkered tablecloth. "What are they eating?" Collin asked.
"Eating?" Heather pursed her lips.
"Isn't it supposed to be a picnic scene?"
"I don't see any food," Tom chimed in. "Unless they are cannibals or something."
Heather laughed. "Cannibals?"
"I don't know. Could be commentary on how we are all made of meat or something."
"How are you still this stoned, man?" Collin asked just as their server came with a round of water and menus.
"I'm not stoned, man. I'm starving." Everyone picked up their menus and silently scanned the options.
When their server returned, everyone ordered a different burger. Service was relatively quick, especially for a Saturday night. Even though the burgers were not beef, even Tom said it was delicious.
It was nice eating with both Heather and Tom. The conversation was comfortable as they swapped customer-service horror stories and complained about different professors.
Soon their plates were empty, the dishes cleared, and the check delivered. After Collin paid the bill, they walked out to the sidewalk.
"Are you sure you don't want to come to the party?" Collin asked.
"Not really my jam, but thanks for the meal." Tom slapped Collin's shoulder. "Have fun tonight, you two." Then he winked and walked away towards the bus stop.
"He really is a cornball, isn't he?" Heather mused as they walked down the block.
"Yeah, but he's a good dude."
As they walked down the street, the gibbous moon was high in the sky and illuminated their way. Heather hooked her elbow around Collin's arm, pulling their bodies close. He could feel the movement of her hip against his and their steps naturally fell into sync. A sense of warm calm spread down his shoulders. The air around them shivered with pure unharnessed possibility.
They heard music as soon as they turned down his block.
"How long until the cops get called?" Collin asked.
"I give it, oh..." She bumped his hip. "A half hour."
"Better make it count, then." He smiled and picked up his pace.
People were spilling out into the empty driveway of his house, smoking cigarettes and drinking from red solo cups.
"I changed my mind," Heather said. "Fifteen minutes. Tops."
They muscled through the front door and sidestepped up the stairs. Collin had no idea that so many people could fit inside his house. When they got to the top landing, Collin jumped up to look over a sea of heads, but the livingroom was so packed that he couldn't make out any individuals.
A minute later, as they pushed towards the kitchen, Sam popped up in front of them. "Hey Collin. And, Heather, you made it!"
"Hey, Sam!" Heather said.
"Girl, you are at least two drinks behind. Come on, let's get you some jungle juice!" She dragged Heather off, disappearing into the kitchen, leaving Collin alone in the crowd.
Collin debated following them, or heading over to the keg, which was on ice, near the dining room table. But then he remembered the photo from the roller coaster ride, which had been in his back pocket for far too long, so he headed to his room.
He snuck down the hall and into his room. He took a second to breathe in the open space, then he took the picture out of his back pocket. It was wrinkled and warm, but the envelope it came in had protected the photograph and he slipped it into his desk drawer to look at in the morning.
With the picture away, Collin turned back towards his door, planning to go find Heather and hopefully get a drink for himself.
Instead, when he twisted the knob and pulled open his door, he found himself face to face with Avery.