I Wish You All the Best(44)

“You want another?” Todd asks, already holding two more.

“I don’t think so.” But another one is already in my hand.

“Come on, one more.” Todd slips his arm around my shoulder, and I don’t ever think I’ve been more uncomfortable with someone my own age so quickly.

“Seriously, I’m good.” I guess that’s enough for Todd to drop the subject. Or maybe he just forgets.

“I like this one, Nathan. He’s good people.” Todd gets in close, and I swear I could get drunk off his breath alone. Jesus, the dude needs a mint, like, yesterday.

“Thank you?” I half say, half ask.

Nathan jumps up on a clear spot of the counter. “You okay?”

“I guess?”

My head already feels fuzzy, and there’s this weird warmth in my stomach. Just after one shot? Do people really pay to feel this way?

“So, Benny boy, you having a good time?” Todd’s grip around my neck tightens, his words slurring. He doesn’t wait for my answer before he’s yelling to everyone else. “This here is Benny’s first party, everyone!”

There are a few fake cheers, actually they sound more like pity cheers.

“You look like you’re having a good time.” Todd looks back at me. “But I don’t think you’ve ever looked this good,” Todd belts out again, and I get another face full of liquor breath. “Got to show off the goods for the ladies, right? I know the feeling.” Then he slaps my ass. I need to get out of here. Has it been a half hour yet?

“Sorry, he’s wasted,” Stephanie apologizes for him. She sounds nicer when she isn’t screeching at me through a megaphone.

“You know it!” Todd shouts at no one in particular.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you around school, Ben,” this one guy says. He must be one of Todd’s friends. They have the same look, tall guys with short brown hair and weirdly strong jaws. He also might be the least drunk of the group. Not counting me and Nathan.

“I moved here back in January,” I say.

“Yeah … you’re in my Calc class,” a girl says, and she seems vaguely familiar, but I have no idea if we are actually in the same class or not. “He’s really smart.”

“Oh, thanks.” My face is getting hotter.

“Seriously, I think he’s got the highest grade in the class,” she adds.

“Oh, geez, Em.” Todd starts to laugh. “Go ahead and blow him already, we’ll give you two some privacy.”

“While we’re at it, we’ll give you and your left hand some alone time too.” Em rolls her eyes, and the room fills with “oooos.” Todd seems unbothered though. He just plucks another drink off the counter and wraps his arm around my shoulder.

“Come on, Benny boy here’s very attractive.” Todd winks at me and then looks at Em. “And you’re newly single.”

“Hey, um …” I tap on Todd’s bicep, hoping he’ll let go. But I’m pretty sure his grip only tightens. “Todd, I can’t—”

Breathe. I can’t breathe.

“Leave him alone, Todd,” someone says.

“Oh, please. Ben, wouldn’t you love to take the lovely Emily Rodgers on a date next weekend?”

“I …” I stammer. “Can’t …” It actually feels impossible to breathe. And I don’t know if it’s because of Todd’s grip, his words, the pairs of eyes staring at me now, the alcohol, or some combination of them all.

“Please don’t tell me you’re into the fellas, Ben. I like you and all, and I’m cool with the homos, but I don’t think—”

I need to leave, right now.

“Hey, Ben, you want to go dance?” Nathan leaps off the counter, and before I can answer, his arm is around mine. I don’t care, because this finally gets Todd off me. Nathan pulls me in close, leading me out of the kitchen and back down the hallway.

“Nathan, wait.” But he keeps dragging me along. “Nathan.” I yank back but he still won’t let go. “Stop!” God, he’s got a strong grip. At least we’ve stopped moving. “I don’t want to dance,” I finally say, worried he won’t hear me.

“Oh.” He grins. “I wasn’t serious. You just looked like you wanted to leave back there.”

I slouch against the wall. “Oh. Well, thank you.”

“Sorry. If I’d known Todd was that wasted, I wouldn’t have let him drag you along. When he’s drunk his boundaries totally disappear.”

“Yeah, I can tell,” I say, rubbing at my neck. I’m sure the skin there is red by now.

“Do you want to go?”

“Has it been half an hour?”

Nathan pulls out his phone. “You know you don’t really have to stay, right? We’ve still got ten more minutes, but we can leave if you want to. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“Can we just find Sophie or Mel?” I rub my elbows. Most people have migrated into the living room, where the music is the loudest, but the hallway and dining room are still pretty crowded too.

“Yeah, sure.” Nathan glances around. “They’re probably dancing.” He takes my hand. If I let go, then chances are high I’ll get lost in this place.