Page 69 of If This Gets Out

“Do you think we should check in on him?” I ask.

His eyes flicker to mine. “Would you mind?”

I roll my eyes and launch forward on the bed to grab his discarded shirt and throw it to him. “One day you’re going to do something without permission from everyone in the room, and I’m going to pass out from shock.”

“Am I that bad?” he asks as he pulls it over his head.

I head over to his side of the bed and offer him my hand to pull him up. “The worst. But don’t panic, you’re still the best.”

Jon’s already in Angel’s room when we get there. Like Zach had hoped, there’s only a handful of visitors this time. Nothing like Paris. But unlike Paris, I don’t recognize anyone, and everyone seems to be buzzing. The conversations are all happening in double-time, with most conversation partners both speaking over each other. And whether they’re standing by the window, or kneeling on the bed, limbs are trembling and postures are odd and eyes are a little too wide.

Angel, who was speaking earnestly with Jon by the bathroom door, flings himself at us when we enter. Beads of sweatare glistening on his forehead, and his hair is hanging in damp strands. “Youmade it,” he cries out, flinging his arms around us both so our heads knock together. “I thought you were gonna ditch us and do yourown thingtonight.”

I rub my head while Zach grabs Angel to hold him steady. “Angel, you haven’t told anyone here about… that, right?” he whispers.

Angel narrows his eyes and pouts. “That’s a secret,” he says. “I’m not stupid. Or a piece of shit.”

His voice hardened at that last part, and I wonder for a second if he’s offended Zach suspected him. But there’s no time to ask, because he’s bounded off to talk to an unfamiliar, petite girl with long dark hair styled into twists.

Jon joins us by the door. “I think I’m gonna go to bed soon,” he says in a heavy voice.

I know just how he feels.

Two guys dressed head to toe in gaudy designer clothing head in our direction. They’re covered in logos and insignias, just in case anyone missed that they are, indeed,very rich—ironically, the exact sort of outfit that announces to the very people they want to fit in with that they’ve only been rich for five minutes, tops. The taller of the two reaches out to shake each of our hands and introduce himself as Elias, like we’re heading into a goddamn business meeting. “It’s so good to see you three,” he says warmly.

He talks like we’re old friends, but I’m perfectly sure we’ve never met before. My guess is he’ll probably spend the next year of his life talking to anyone who’ll listen about the time he hung out with the guys from Saturday and changed our lives forever through the sheer power of his charisma and wisdom or some shit. God only knows how he knows Angel. Howanyof these people know Angel.

Elias holds out a clear baggie of what can only be cocaine,as casually as if he was passing a cigarette. “Want some?” he asks cheerfully.

The three of us glance at each other.

“Oh, no,thank you, though, that’s so nice.”

“Huge day tomorrow.”

“That’s extremely illegal.”

Everyone turns to look at Jon, and the two guys hesitate, their expressions unreadable. I wave a hand at them in the hopes it’ll diffuse any tension. “You two go on ahead,” I say with a forced smile, and they disappear into the bathroom, pulling the door closed firmly behind them. My guess is they were initially aiming for the surface of the wooden stand beside us. If I ever have the inclination to snort a line of coke, I wouldn’t want to do it under the judgmental eyes of Jon, either, though, so I don’t blame them.

Angel waltzes back over, holding hands with the pretty long-haired girl. “We’re going to the roof,” he says.

“Theroof?” Zach asks. “It’s freezing.”

“It’s fine. We’re going to say hi to the fans!”

“From the roof?” I repeat.

“Yes. Lina wants to greet them.” He mimes waving like the queen, pursing his lips together, and the girl, who I assume is Lina, bursts into too-loud laughter. “And our window doesn’t look down upon the crowd, Ruben, my love.”

“We’ll come,” Zach says, giving me a meaningful look. “We can all say hi together.”

“No offense, Zachy, but I don’t need a third wheel.” Angel pinches Jon’s cheek, then mine. “Or a fourth. Or a fifth. I’ll be back in a minute, get adrink,have somefun,for god’s sake. It’s not like we get many fucking opportunities.”

Before we can protest further, Angel steers Lina past us and out the door.

The three of us stand in a group, uncertainly, staringafter him. I steal a glance at Zach. He’s biting his lower lip so hard it’s disappeared.

“They aren’t going onto the roof, are they?” I ask.

---