True Places(70)

Reid found an empty spot on the wall to lean against and drank his beer. Alex was grinning and nodded at everyone who walked by and made small talk with a girl in jeans and a muscle tee with Tweety on it. Maybe Alex had taken different stuff than Reid had. He drained his beer. The sharp tingling was easing off. His heart was still racing, but he didn’t care.

Alex leaned toward his ear. “Flip cup out back. Come on.”

They followed the girl outside. Reid scanned around for Robby. The guys all looked like Robby, in one way or another. The backyard was lit up with Japanese lanterns and Christmas lights. Each little light had a prism hovering around it. Pretty. The girl, Kiley or Kailey, led Alex into position at the table with a row of beer-filled cups lining each side. He was laughing, swaying, touching the table to ground himself. Through the screen of the weird sensations inside him, it occurred to Reid that he shouldn’t have taken random pills with his friend. But he couldn’t hang on to it; it was only a thought and it didn’t last. Reid moved away from the game, past a picnic table. Two girls and a guy were dancing on top of it to the shitty music, kicking off half-empty cups. The crowd egged them on, and the girls started rubbing themselves up and down the guy, who was having trouble staying upright. The girls kissed.

Reid’s temples ached and his mouth felt stuffed with newspaper. He started to go back inside for another beer—anything to improve his mood—when he spotted a couple making out against the brick wall, shadowed by a tree. The guy had his hands on her butt and she was grinding into him; that much he could see. The couple broke off kissing. Reid kept walking, embarrassed, but a second later looked over his shoulder and caught sight of the girl’s face. Brynn.

Holy shit.

Seeing him, she froze, unbelieving, or maybe so lit she wasn’t sure what she was seeing. The guy stepped back, out of the shadow. Robby, of course.

Perfect. Just perfect.

Reid jogged the three steps to the back door, swung it open. It smashed against the side of the house.

“Hey!” someone said.

“Fuck you!” Reid barged inside, his head swollen with fury.

He was almost to the front door when he remembered Alex. “Shit.” He pushed his way to the backyard and found Alex waiting his turn at the drinking game. He didn’t look so hot. “We have to go.”

“Now?”

Reid fought the urge to look over to where Brynn had been. “Right now.”

Alex let himself be dragged inside. A bunch of people blocked the front door, arms around each other, singing something incomprehensible. Reid pushed his way around them, impatience and disgust frothing inside him. That stinging in his groin was back, and his heart was thumping. If only these douchebags would move out of his way. On the wall by the door was the control panel for the alarm system. He flipped it open. Three buttons on the side marked with a red flame, a green cross, and a blue shield.

He hit the red one.

The siren went off. The throng in the hall loosened. He pushed through, opened the door, and thrust Alex ahead of him. “Run!”

His friend took off down the street, away from the Corner. Reid sprinted after him.



Iris crouched with her back against the wall and her hands clamped over her ears. She’d been there for a while, since Brynn had gone outside with Robby. Iris had wanted to follow but knew she shouldn’t. Brynn wouldn’t want her.

Just like Sam.

He’d been there when she got to the house, standing on the porch smoking something with Brynn and two of her friends. Iris would’ve liked to have stayed out there, but they herded her inside.

Sam had his hands on her shoulders. “Come on, Iris.”

Sam gave her beer in a red cup. She was thirsty—being nervous made her thirsty—so she drank some and felt light-headed right away. The others were drinking one cup after another. Sam was behind her and moved his hand onto her hip. The room tilted and an ache washed through her lower belly. Brynn was watching her, grinning, and snapping photo after photo.

“Show us your drink, Iris!”

Sam pulled her closer. It felt so good and, at the same time, so wrong. His hand moved over her breast. She gasped. Brynn took a photo.

“Sammy boy!” one of Brynn’s friends shouted.

Iris wriggled away. Her hands were shaking and her beer spilled.

“Watch out!” Brynn shouted, jumping back.

Iris spoke into Brynn’s ear. “Those photos are private, right? Like yours?”

“Sure.” Brynn winked at her. “Sure they are.”

Sam disappeared into the crowd with the others. Robby took Brynn outside.

Iris slunk along the walls like a mouse. She found a spot against the wall, covered her ears, and closed her eyes. That was where she stayed.

There was too much going on. The music was too loud, and people were shouting and laughing, touching each other, kissing and grabbing. A sick, nasty feeling swirled inside her, a new feeling and one she never wanted to have again. She wanted to leave but couldn’t figure out how to do it without going through the crowd, touching all those people, or them touching her. If she just sat there, it would be over eventually. It couldn’t go on forever, could it?

A wailing, screaming noise startled her. She opened her eyes. Everyone was looking around, wondering what to do.

Iris stood, hands still over her ears, took a deep breath, and headed into the crowd, slipping through the small spaces between people who were making for the front door. It was open; people were spilling out. She reached the porch. The fresh air hit her face.