Daydream (Maple Hills, #3)(43)
Russ shrugs. “Dunno. Are you coming then? Since she’s going? Should I put your name on the list? It’d be cool if you came. No pressure, though, or anything. But it’s no problem if you want me to add your name.”
I still don’t want to go, but I do want to see Halle, and Russ is being kind of weird. Also, Robbie’s giving me the look I’ve seen him give Nathan a thousand times. JJ would joke that it was them communicating telepathically, but I’m getting nothing. I hate when people give me weird looks and expect me to know what the fuck they’re trying to say.
Everyone is being weird today.
“Sure, I’ll come. I’m going to nap here, though, before I get ready. I’m too tired for the stairs.”
My roommates both put their recliners up, nodding in agreement, and Robbie turns on Judge Judy. “I’ll set an alarm. Oh, this is a good episode.”
* * *
“WHY DO YOU LOOK SO mysterious and brooding?” Kris asks, holding his hand up to get the attention of the bartender.
“Thinking.” Trying to drown out the music by dissociating. “Not brooding.”
“Well, not to interrupt whatever plan you’re cooking up in that beautiful brain of yours, but Halle just walked in with her friends,” he says, nodding toward where our group is. “God, I’d let Cami Walker ruin my life.”
As excited as I am to see her, there’s something about Kris saying Halle is with her friends that makes me feel good. I think it’s because not that long ago Halle was saying she didn’t have any.
“Ask her out then.”
Kris scoffs. “I did. Last year at Robbie’s birthday party, and she told me she wouldn’t date someone younger than her. It’s a curse liking older women.”
Kris carries on talking about his recent unlucky spell with women, but I’ve stopped fully paying attention. I’m not sure one year counts as liking older women, but I don’t have the energy to debate it with him.
Halle’s taken the spare spot between Jimmy and Brody, two new guys from the team who love the band and were offered tickets by Russ. I don’t like either of them. I wish Russ had thought more about his generosity. They’re good at hockey, but they took the douchey athlete stereotype and ran with it.
Maybe it’s because I was raised by two moms or maybe it’s because I actually respect women, but I’m not a fan of how some of my teammates act.
“You might want to go and save her from Tweedledee and Tweedle Douche Bag,” Kris adds. “I’ll wait for the rest of the drinks.”
Brody is already hitting on Halle by the time I get over to them, which means I get to do the only good thing about dealing with men who respect bullshit hierarchy and misogyny more than they do human beings. “Leave.”
I feel like I’m pretending to be someone else when the harshness comes out of my mouth, but I do really want them to leave. Leave the venue, ideally.
“Sorry, Cap,” Brody says, hitting Jimmy on the shoulder to get his attention. “Didn’t realize she’s yours.”
She’s yours says everything anyone would ever need to know about these two, and I’m embarrassed to know them as they shuffle away to bother someone else.
I can tell Halle is buzzed as soon as she giggles and leans in to hug me. “My hero. I’m so happy I’m yours.” Her laughter is so loud I can hear it over the instrumental being played from the speakers while we wait for the band. “Sorry, that was straight out of, like, 90210 or some old teen show or something. ‘Leave.’ Oh my goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you actually look intimidating before.”
Her laughter instantly makes me feel better. “I’m very intimidating when I need to be.”
“I’m happy to be your damsel in distress if you’re going to be Mr. Serious.” She pinches my chin and shakes my head a little, pouting, and that’s when I realize she’s more than just buzzed.
“How drunk are you?” I ask, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear while she rummages around her purse for something. “Do you need help?”
“I am very drunk. I brought you a present but I can’t freaking find it.” She huffs dramatically as she continues to dig through her purse that is not big enough to warrant this amount of effort. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so flustered. Eventually she pulls out a tiny drawstring bag and drops it into the palm of my hand. “Open it.”
I don’t know what I’m expecting to find in the bag. “Is it seeds?”
“I love that I hand you a small mystery bag at a concert and you go to seeds before drugs. Just open the bag, Henry.”
She watches closely as I empty two black loops onto my hand. “Thank you, but I don’t have my ears pierced.”
Halle starts laughing again and takes each of the loops from my palm, poking them into my ears. The noise around us dulls instantly. “They’re noise reducers. It’s so I can divide my time between dancing with Aurora like I promised her and cupping your ears. Working two jobs tonight, Turner. You gotta share me.”
I can hear everything but it’s like someone turned down the volume. It doesn’t feel like someone is hacking at my head anymore. Her arms wrap around me as I pull her into a hug, truly grateful. “Thank you.”