Page 32 of Life of the Party

“Oh hey, I think they’re here.” Charlie declared, watching a pair of red taillights pull into the parking lot outside.

“They?” I peered out into the dark.

“Well, him, anyway. I asked Zack to pick me up after work.”

“Oh.”

Charlie smiled. “Come on. Maybe someone’s here for you, too.”

The thought was appealing. I nodded excitedly and grabbed my purse and coat, handing Charlie hers. We waved goodbye to the group around the tables and headed out into the warm summer night.

The faded silver car was pulled up at an angle outside the brick face of the restaurant. Music greeted us dimly from its opened windows—heavy guitars, thrashing, screaming vocals. Zack noticed us and jumped out of the driver’s seat to greet Charlie, just as the rear door of the car opened and Grey stepped out.

I couldn’t stop the wide smile that leapt across my face at just the sight of him.

Dressed again in dark jeans, Grey was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt over top of a white long-sleeved. I loved the way he dressed; I loved his constant stubble and his dark tousled hair.

His blue eyes met mine as I approached. I’d wanted to kiss him, to run into his arms, but even with my coke-confidence, the look on Grey’s face was enough to discourage me. I was a little taken aback by the hard, cold expression he greeted me with. Awkwardly, I stood there, my smile falling.

“Can I talk to you a minute?” Grey wondered, his voice cool and indifferent. He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Uh…yeah. Sure.”

“Here,” he motioned with his head for us to move. I watched him, dumbfounded, following as he grasped my arm and led me away to the edge of the parking lot.

“What’s up?” I tried to keep my voice light, casual, but the expression on his face had me deeply worried. A deep spasm of dread crept into my belly, with it the feeling I wasn’t going to like whatever he had to tell me.

“Listen, Mackenzie.” He started. I liked the way he always said my full name when so many people felt the need to shorten it. I shook my head at the random thought and tried to focus.

“Yes?”

“I just…I don’t know. When I woke up this morning, I got to thinking about it, about our night last night, and I don’t know…I kind of feel…bad.”

“Bad? What for?” That was the last thing I felt when I thought of the night we’d spent together, the last thing I wanted him to feel.

“I hope I didn’t give you the wrong idea.” Grey stood, casual and cool, his hands in his pockets, his eyes on the pavement below our feet. I stared at him in wonder.

“Wrong idea about what?” I crossed my arms as if to shield myself from the blow of his words. I knew what was coming next.

“About us.” He looked up from the pavement then, and met my eyes. His were totally blank…deep blue and gorgeous, but void of any emotion. I wondered if my eyes looked the same way, or if they were betraying me, giving away my devastation.

I took a breath and nodded for him to continue.

“I mean, we had some fun together, right?” Grey grinned at me.

“Yeah, oh yeah.” I tried to force the same enthusiasm into my voice.

“Okay. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. Don’t get me wrong, last night was great—but…”

“No, yeah, totally.” I nodded agreeably, even adding a good, forced smile. “It was just fun, for sure. I get that. No big deal.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Of course, yeah.” I smiled at him again…but my façade was dissolving rapidly. I had to get away from him before it all fell apart.

Zack and Charlie were waiting in the car when Grey led me back to it. I followed along beside him, hugging myself despite the warm temperature of the air.

“You coming? We could drop you off.” Grey eyed me, with what I couldn’t tell…dismay, indifference? It didn’t matter. Clearly, I wasn’t invited to join them again.

---