The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried(27)

My stomach is a swirling pit of sewage, and I feel like I’m trying to breathe from under a pallet of bricks. I don’t know whether I’m this anxious because July’s a walking, talking, rotting corpse or if I would have been like this introducing her to Rafi and the group while she was still alive-alive. Guess I missed my chance to find out.

When we’re still ten feet from the door, it opens and Leon runs out, shoots past us, and darts down the street. Gwen trails behind, followed by Rafi, who grabs and stops her.

“Let me go!” Gwen says. She’s tiny compared to Rafi, but she’s got three rough older brothers, so she knows how to throw a punch.

“You’re making it worse. Please go inside and let me handle it.” Rafi’s wearing blue medical scrubs for bottoms and a Hufflepuff house T-shirt. His hair is kind of messy, but on Rafi it totally looks charming and unplanned.

I cough, and both Rafi and Gwen finally notice we’re standing here. Rafi’s face explodes with a smile so bright it drowns out the rest of the world. With the power of that spotlight beaming at me, everything else is dark. Gwen stomps her foot, goes inside, and slams the door.

Rafi rushes me and kisses me, but I put my hand on his stomach and nudge him back.

“Don’t stop on my account,” July says. “I’m good to watch as long as the show’s free.”

I slide my hand down Rafi’s arm and into his hand. “Rafi, this is Roxane.”

“Roxy,” she says.

“You didn’t mention you were bringing a friend.”

“Surprise,” I say with mock enthusiasm.

July wisely keeps her hands buried in the front pocket of her hoodie. “I’m Dino’s cousin, down for the wedding. From Knoxville. That’s in Tennessee.”

Rafi chuckles. “Thanks for the geography lesson.”

“You got a nice house,” she says. “Very . . . pink.”

“Hideous, yeah?” Rafi says. “Dad’s been fighting the historical society for years to paint it a different color, but we’re not allowed.”

July’s eyes grow wide and she says, “Wow. That’s super fascinating.”

I can’t tell if Rafi knows July is making fun of him, and the best I can do is give her angry eyes and send mental pictures of the many ways I’m going to torture her when we’re done here, so I try to change the subject instead. “Hey, was that Leon who ran out of here?”

Rafi nods. “We did well keeping Leon and Adonis apart at first—”

“Adonis?” July asks.

“Leon’s ex,” I say. “And apparently Gwen’s current.”

“But then we started a game of Fortune Street—”

“Which is?” July asks.

This would go a lot quicker if July would stop asking questions, but I remember how confusing it was when I started dating Rafi and hanging out with his friends, so I say, “A sadistic version of Monopoly for the Nintendo Wii.”

July shakes her head. “Monopoly isn’t sadistic enough?”

“You have no idea,” Rafi says. “It started fine. Leon was in first place but then Gwen rigged the market, sending Adonis into first place, and—”

“Leon flipped out?” I ask.

“He flipped the coffee table.”

“Damn.”

“And I should find him before he gets in trouble.” Rafi squeezes my hand, and I feel both his and July’s eyes on me at the same time; the weight of their expectations heavy and unyielding.

July sucks air through her teeth and then says, “Go find your friend. I’ll mingle inside.”

“I’m not so—” I begin, but Rafi cuts me off.

“There’s pizza in the kitchen and drinks in the fridge. The liquor cabinet is off-limits, but you’re welcome to the beer.” And then he pulls me away before I can argue.





JULY

I WATCH RAFI AND DINO take off. Yeah, okay. Mostly I watch Rafi. That boy is way too good looking for Dino. That ass in those scrubs, and the hair and that two-day stubble he’s got going on? Damn.

I mean, damn. I might actually owe Dino an apology. If I was hooking up with a boy like that, I would’ve ditched me too.

Telling Dino to go with Rafi was easy. He likely thinks I did it so that he didn’t have to choose between me and his boyfriend, but I really wanted the chance to meet his friends without him hovering over me. July might have embarrassed him, but I’m Roxy, and she’s a class act.

Kidding. Roxy’s the worst!

The inside of Rafi’s house is as gaudy as the outside. The walls are painted weird pastels and there are family photos crowded on them, and every room has at least one bookshelf. Someone in this house loves to read. I peek into the living room and see that the party’s moved outside to the patio. The shadows of Dino’s friends are outlined by the lights from the pool, and bass from whatever music they’re listening to is drifting in. I start to go out there so I can introduce myself, but with Dino and Rafi both gone, Roxy can’t pass up the opportunity to do a little snooping.

After exploring a bathroom, an office, and what I think was Rafi’s parents’ bedroom, I finally find Rafi’s room on the second floor. A person’s bedroom is a microcosm of who they are. Take Dino’s room, for example. He always throws his dirty laundry in the hamper but he never makes his bed, which says he likes order but isn’t afraid to abandon it for expediency. The LEGO sets he keeps displayed say he’s patient and loves building things, and isn’t afraid to show that trait off, but that he also thrives on following directions, and doesn’t do so well when he’s got to improvise.