Riding With Brighton(42)
“I’ve never been sloppy drunk.”
He smirks at me. “I never said you have been.”
Jones shows up with my beer, and I take it from him but don’t drink it as the three of us stand there talking. Eventually the wires shake hands and agree to be cordial, and I think, this is easy. The three of us are coexisting just fine.
And then Molly shows up.
“How’s it going, Jay Hall?” she asks in that annoying tone that she always uses when calling me by my full, goddamn name.
“Really well, thanks. How are you doing?” A small spark shoots through my head as the straight wire looks at the gay one kind of funny.
“I’m excellent, thanks for asking. I was just telling my boyyfrieend Shaw, how awesome it is that you and Brighton have become so close all of the sudden.”
“It is awesome, isn’t it? I totally love hanging out with him.” I sling an arm around Brighton just to prove my point. I know Jones will think I’m just fucking around, and I hate myself for caring. And maybe Brighton does too because he remains stiff with his arms crossed over his chest.
“So, Jay, are you still with Sadie Newcomb? That cute, girly little cheerleader?”
“Actually, Molly, since you’re asking, I’m sorry to tell you the two of us broke up.”
“What?” Jones asks. “Are you serious?”
That snaps me back to reality. I shouldn’t be discussing this in public. “Yeah. It’s okay, though. I mean, we’re still good. She’s just looking for the guy she’s gonna spend forever with, and I’m not him.”
“Shit. That sucks.”
I take my arm off of Brighton and shrug. “It’s okay. We’re still cool, you know. She’s still part of my life. We were both just looking for different things.”
He chews on the inside of his lip, which means he’s holding back words, and it’s not too hard to guess what those words are. “If you think you can treat her right, go for it,” I tell him.
He stares at me for a moment, dumbfounded. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. I think you could make her happy. And I want her to be happy.”
He shakes his head at me. “That’s messed-up, man. But… thank you?”
I shrug again. “No problem.”
“So, what exactly are the other things you’re looking for, Jay Hall?” Molly asks.
God, she’s relentless. “I don’t know… someone who’s nonjudgmental for starters.”
“And?”
God, the wires are totally putting their boxing gloves on. “Someone who’s not like me—maybe someone creative, you know, artistic or musical.”
“I’m artistic and musical. Am I what you’re looking for?”
Jesus, what does she want from us? Yes, I’m talking to that gay part of my brain. “I prefer dark hair and green eyes. Maybe someone tall, you know, who I can look up to.”
She doesn’t say anything, just glares at me. I make a point to smile at her. I also make a point to touch Brighton in all the socially acceptable dude ways. God, this is so stupid. And it’s not like I’m doing it for Brighton because his stiff posture and crossed arms and general lack of attention is making it clear he knows exactly what I’m up to.
It’s almost a relief when Nico tells them it’s time to start.
Chapter Ten
Brighton
I’VE REALIZED something. I don’t like being with Jay around our peers. Specifically, in a room full of them. And also, I don’t like high school parties—never have. They seem completely pointless. All these kids seem convinced that it’s their last night on planet Earth and nothing they do matters because they’ll be dead tomorrow anyways. The whole thing is just depressing.
So, yeah, I’ve been in a shit mood ever since I was reminded that, for Shaw and his love for Molly, I promised to fill in as their lead guitarist tonight. I mean, I literally went from my ideal, fantasy night to my worst nightmare within a half hour.
And now, from my vantage point, I’m forced to stare at my surroundings as Molly leads us through our songs.
I’m not pissed at Jay. Annoyed, maybe. I wish he’d just act normal, like the Jay I know from history class. But he’s not. He’s not acting like the kid I’ve been falling for all day long either. He’s treating me like a bro. You know—punching my shoulder and rustling my hair, slapping me on the stomach. It’s a lame cop-out. I’d respect him more if he just ignored me. But I suppose that’s impossible to do with Molly hounding his ass.
Did I really think she’d back off just because I explained that the kid means something to me and he’s having a rough day? I know she’s just worried about me, but she also has some personal vendetta against Jay based solely on the fact that he’s extremely popular, and, so basically, what she’s really doing, is sabotaging us. Thank God she’s up on stage with me and not out there with him. There’s no telling what she’d do if I weren’t there to supervise.
I’ve been purposely avoiding looking at Jay. I’m afraid that if I do, he’ll give me the devil horns while banging his head with his tongue out. Seriously, that’s how unlike himself he’s been acting since we got here. But I can feel him staring at me. So I look. And thank God, he’s just standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, his head moving the appropriate amount with the rhythm of my guitar. And when I look at him, he gives me his smile. And, yeah, I’m smiling right back at him like a damn fool.