Page 112 of Faux Real
First contact must be treated with care.
“Nuthing!” she exclaims. “I don’t need you to call me anything! I just need you to go away because my mom says, out of sight, out of mind. And I am so sick and tired of you being in my mind, okay?” She pauses, distant music in the background. “So you go, okay? You leave, yeah?”
“Are you drunk?” I ask, ignoring her plea, mildly pleased that she’s revealed her true colors. “You should go home, Ken.”
She lets out a cynical laugh. “You don’t tell me what to do, ‘kay? I tellyouwhat to do. If I wanna drink seven White Claws, I will drink seven White Claws. You are not the boss of me,Oliver.”
“Where’s Maxine?” I ask as I get out of bed, scanning the room for my keys. Seven drinks? Christ, she’s hammered. “Is she there with you?”
“Max is long gone,” Kenny sings. “But me? I am standing strong! Like the fucking Great Wall of China!”
“I’m coming to get you,” I say, grabbing my helmet. “And I’m taking you to Max’s.” She doesn’t reply. “Kennedy? Hello?”
“Ooo,” she sings. “Jello shots!”
And then she hangs up.
Shit.
I dash out of the dorm room and run toward the parking lot, grateful that I resisted the urge to crack open a beer tonight.
As if the universe is on my side, I catch almost every green light as I ride to Lemar’s house. The closer I get, the more idiotic I feel. What am I doing? She didn’t invite me. She doesn’t even want to see me. Shit. Am I being pathetic right now? No, right? She did say I was on her mind. Straight from the horse’s mouth.
I enter the gates and pull up in the driveway, my gaze darting to Sawyer stuffing someone in a cab.
“KC, just lay down,” he says, keeping the door propped open as he looks at Corrine who’s crying. “I’ll be back after I drop her off, okay?”
“No!” she sobs. “You can’t leave me, Sawyer! What the fuck!”
My blood boils as I march over. “What are you doing?” I ask, looking through the passenger-side window of the cab. “Fuck, she’s gone.” I shake my head. “Why’d you let her drink so much?”
“Go home, Knight,” Sawyer states, catching his balance. “I got this.”
“Sawyer!” Corrine cries, clasping a bottle of wine. “If you leave with her, we are fucking done, you understand? Done!”
Sawyer runs a hand through his hair. “I said I’ll be back, okay? I’m just going to drop her off.”
“Why don’t you stay with yourgirlfriendand I’ll take Ken back to Max’s?” I suggest, glancing at Corrine who looks like a rabid raccoon. “Problem solved. Everyone’s happy.”
“Yes!” Corrine exclaims. “Let him take her.” She sniffles. “Stay, Sawyer.Please.”
Sawyer shakes his head. “You’re the last person KC wants to see,” he says, glaring at me. “You’re the reason she got so fucked up in the first place. Go home, Oliver. Like I said, I got this.”
My jaw clenches. “What are you trying to do, mate? Huh?” I ask, lowering my voice. “Your girlfriend is literally begging you to stay and you’re just ignoring her? Why?”
Sawyer briefly glances at Corrine. “She’s just drunk now. She’ll get over it in the morning.”
“You’re a bit of twat aren’t you?” I scowl, shaking my head. “Can’t decide, can you?”
Sawyer scoffs, opening the cab door. “No, I’m just a good friend.” He nods at Corrine. “I’ll be back, okay?”
I fight the urge to kick the bloody car as Sawyer hops inside next to Kennedy.
MyKennedy.
“I fucking hate you!” Corrine yells, tears rolling down her face as the cab drives away. She hiccups, taking a swig of wine. “I hate him.”
“Yeah, I’m not a fan either,” I mutter, walking to my bike. I take a water bottle out of the saddlebag and head back toward Corrine. “Here, drink this.”
