Page 22 of Love me, Maddie Mendoza

In a reply, I turned around and opened the fridge just enough to get another beer. “Beer, Nick?”

“Keep them fucking coming.” He replied.

Jason huffed, leaving the table and heading for Aisha, who he took her by the hand, “Come on, princess, it’s double date time.”

Maybe Jason had a death wish.

They shuffled around. Maddie glanced my way and waved her fingers. I dipped my chin just a second before Peter dragged her away. I only breathed again when I heard the front door close, and I knew it was only me and Nick.

“Shit.” He let out a breath as if he’d been holding it for years.

I eased my shoulder down, but offered nothing.

Iused to be the party type, first and second year, but it got old real quick. There were parties for winning and parties after a loss. I was on the team and we were the core of social events. That was until my injury. When all parties became a pity party.

I still went for a while. I’d pick up Maddie if she called and always ended up dragged in for a beer, but it had been a year since I set foot in a party.

I squared my shoulders, drawing a breath. Nick rolled his chair and bumped into my foot, so I got out of the way. I scanned his face, pretending I didn’t know the reason for his sudden change of heart. We were at the party. The party both of us didn’t want to go. I thought I was being a good friend when I offered to come with him, now I was wondering why I bothered.

The music was loud. People were calling our names in recognition. Nick was well known because of basketball, and I didn’t exactly fly under the radar. Yet, I had no energy for a small talk.

I glanced back to Nick just to catch him scanning the place for a sign of bleached hair, no doubt. I was unsure about his game. I knew he was interested, but he never made a move. Aisha kept him at arm’s length. The confidence he exuded left the building every time Aisha came in.

I knew a drunken party would not be the place he tried something. For the man who measured his words most of the time, I felt he was acting on instinct rather than reason.

“King! Maddie said you weren’t coming.” I felt the pressure on my bicep when someone grabbed it. I turned to my left to find a ginger girl with a huge smile looking up at me.

Kath? Kelly? Karen? I knew it was with K, and worse, I knew her from many other interactions, but they were always cut short for one reason or another, and her name never really stuck. I looked down at the grip she had on me. Firm, and lingering long enough to let me know she wanted me for more than a five second greeting this time around.

Nick noticed too. With a raise of his chin, he left me to it. Traitor. I turned to Kath/Kelly/Karen, and she still had a bright smile, waiting for my reply. She was a beautiful girl. I wasn’t blind, but flirting demanded more of me than I was willing to give. And honest to god, if Nick was going to abandon ship and do his own thing, I might as well go home. Without Kath/Kelly/Karen.

“Hm, yeah. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Have you seen Maddie?”

“She was dancing with Aisha.” She pointed in a general direction where the music was especially loud. “Are you guys really just friends?”

I turned to her in a frown. It has been a while since anyone grilled me with that question, particularly since Maddie and Peter had been a thing for a year.

I shrugged Kath/Kelly/Karen’s hand off me, in the gentlest way I could, scratching my arm as an excuse. “You know we are. Since we were little.”

She hummed, curling her tongue, and it rubbed me in the wrong way. I did not know her name, and I wasn’t going to stay around answering her dumb questions.

“It was great to see you… hm…” I stepped back, dying to escape the awkwardness.

“I’m sorry if I offended you.” She said, taking me by surprise. “I know Maddie is with Peter Adamson, isn’t she?”

“Adamson-Burton III.”

“Excuse me?”

“That’s his name. Peter Adamson-Burton III.”

“God, that’s a mouthful ofsomething….” She shook her head, cringing.

I chuckled, the weight coming off my shoulders. “Sure is.” Feeling like a dick, I added. “I’m just not very social today so I wanted to say hello to my friends and get going.”

Kath/Kelly/Karen seemed to understand, which made me want to know her name, and not just because I was trying to be less of an asshole. She was nice and pretty and tomorrow morning I’d probably regret blowing her off. It was better to keep things vague and friendly. With a smile, I said, “See you around?”

She smiled back, and I slipped through the crowd to where she pointed. I had never considered myself anti-social before, but as I flinched every time I saw a familiar face, I had to come to terms with it.

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