Left Drowning(26)

“I most certainly did not fall asleep!” I protest. “You were wonderful. Honestly, Sabin, it was a great show.”

He beams. “Thank you. That’s very kind. Okay, who’s next? Who else has endless praise ready to be lavished upon the world’s best actor? Anyone? Really? Nothing? I’m crushed.”

“You know you were awesome,” Estelle says. “Your ego is big enough without us fawning all over you.” Then she cups a hand to her mouth and whispers, “But you were fantastic.”

The boys toss more deserved praise his way, until even Sabin starts to look humbled. “So, c’mon, everyone. There’s a band playing up on the hill, and I’ve got just the spot to watch them.” He starts leading the group across campus, and he has to yell to be heard over the noise of the band’s warm-up and the chatter from the theater crowd.

I am frozen in place, unsure what to do. Am I supposed to go with them? Am I invited? Do I even want to go? “I … I’m going to head back,” I say to no one in particular. “Thank you so much—”

“I heard that! Blythe, get up here!” Sabin calls over his shoulder. “You’re not going anywhere, is she, guys? I think she’s stuck with us now, right, everyone?”

“Shitting rainbows!” the rest of the group yells.

I scurry up to Sabin and let him throw an arm around my shoulder. “Shitting rainbows? Explain.”

“Stupid family joke. Bucking up in the face of tragedy and whatnot.” He waves a hand. “I gather you’ve been there.”

Chris has told them about my parents. Awesome. They are taking me in like the orphan that I am. “Really, I should get back to the dorm and—”

“Shut up,” he says teasingly. “I know what you’re thinking, and that’s not why you’re here with us.”

We walk for a minute. “Why am I?”

Sabin shrugs. “Does there really have to be an answer to that? Sometimes it’s just right. You fit. Jesus, kid, can’t you feel it? Don’t question everything.”

I smile. I do feel it. Belonging. It has been hard to recognize. Even the drama with Chris doesn’t change what’s here. I hear Chris’s voice in my head. Stop fighting it. Plus, Sabin has a warm, protective hold on me that is irresistible; a big guy with his arm over my shoulders just feels good right now.

“Stop calling me kid. I’m older than you are.”

“Ooooh, feisty girl! I like it!” His big arm shakes my shoulder, and I giggle.

“So where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

He leads us through the lighted paths between campus department buildings and up a back hill to the most modern building at Matthews. “Welcome to Architecture 101. Have you been here?”

I shake my head. “It looks cool, but we can’t go in, right? It’s kind of closed.”

“We’re not going in. We’re going on.” As he pulls down the fire escape from the side of the building, the noise seems to echo across the entire campus. “Up we go.”

“Sabin!” But he is already starting to climb the ladder. “Sabin!” I yell again.

How I am going to manage this shaky fire escape in Estelle’s crazy shoes is beyond me. I look up. Sabin has already reached the roof. Shit. I’m not much of a rule breaker, but this is only a minor infraction, so I’m not about to wimp out because of sexy shoes. Tentatively, I start up the first few rungs.

“Need a hand?”

I don’t have to look down to know who it is. His voice is unmistakable, both because of how it sounds and because of how my pulse goes f*cking crazy.

“I’m perfectly fine,” I say and continue up.

I hear Chris and the others talking below, their voices fading as I near the top. Sabin is leaning over the concrete ledge that looks across campus.

He raises the bottle as if toasting me. “You made it, feisty girl!”

I kick a foot out in front of me. “Barely. No thanks to Estelle’s shoes.” I stand next to him now and take in the view. The campus looks pretty spectacular at night.

“Hey, about before,” Sabin starts as he puts his arm around me again, “I really am sorry about your parents. That absolutely sucks.”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry you lost your mom. You were really little, huh?”

Sabin nods. “We were.”

“I’m glad you’ve had your father.”

He laughs. “You shouldn’t be.”

“Why? You don’t get along?”

Sabin glances behind us. Chris is holding his hand out and helping Estelle up over the edge of the last ladder rung.

“My father’s kind of an *. Chris makes him out to be worse than he is, but it’s just easier not to deal with Dad’s crap.”

“Oh. Then I’m doubly sorry.”

“Not a big deal. We pretty much stay away from him, so it’s not much of an issue anymore. We’re all good now.” He brings the bottle in front of us. “Unscrew, please, madam. I’m not ready to let you go. Chris might snatch you away from me.”

I practically snort. “Yeah, right. Hardly.” I unscrew the cap on the tequila.

“Don’t be so sure.” Sabin looks behind us as Chris and Estelle head our way. “Where are Eric and Zach?”