Someone pounded hard on the door. “Open up! It’s the cops! We got you surrounded!”
I froze, but the guys started laughing. “Always the same corny BS,” said Koala. He walked to the door and opened it. “Get you some new jokes, homie,” he said.
Sung strode in grinning. “The party’s here,” he said. He sat down next to Fiona at the foot of the bed. “My friends treat you okay?” She nodded, smiling. “Yo, we got the other room, right?”
“Yeah, 201. Down that way.” Koala threw him a set of keys.
“Let’s go for a walk,” Sung said to Fiona. He plucked at her elbow. “Come with me for a sec, will you?”
“Where?” Fiona said.
“I want to talk to you,” Sung said softly. He stood and held out a hand.
Fiona stood from the bed. She was wobbly on her feet and reached toward Sung to steady herself. He threw an arm around her waist. “There we go,” he said. “Nice and easy, gorgeous.”
“This mother . . .” Koala muttered. “Mr. Smooth Operator.”
Viet and Johnny were sitting up on the other bed. Someone had turned the TV on. Koala stood by, waiting for Sung and Fiona to make it to the door so he could open it for them, like some sort of butler.
“Hang on.” I stood up and grabbed Fiona’s arm. “She’s— You can’t just take her—”
“Chill,” Sung said. He lowered his mouth to Fiona’s ear and whispered something. “See?” he said with a triumphant smirk. “She wants to come with me.”
“Come on, Jane. You don’t want to hang with us?” Koala said. “I thought we were getting to know each other here.”
“Janie,” Fiona mumbled. “It’s okay. I’m okay.” She shook me off. “I’ll be right back. We’re just going to talk.”
“You heard her,” Sung said.
I pressed two fingers into my chin. “Fiona. You see this?”
“What’s all the commotion?” Johnny called out. His voice was a song. “We’re trying to watch porn over here.”
Now Koala was pulling on my arm—I stumbled a few steps. Fiona turned back to glance at me over her shoulder. I tried the signal again. She smiled and shook her head, then looked away. Her hair was a cascade down her back. I watched them walk through the door. Koala shut it softly behind them, and then my best friend was gone.
* * *
? ? ?
“Another drink?” Koala said brightly. He parted his lips in a grin. His teeth were stained dark yellow along the gums.
I glanced over at Viet and Johnny on the far bed. A synthetic melody played from the TV speakers. Viet rubbed an open hand across his crotch, roving in slow circles. His athletic pants gave off a crackling silky sound, as if static electricity sparked when he touched himself.
Johnny’s face was nestled in the space between Viet’s neck and shoulder. He raised a loosened fist softly toward Viet’s moving hand, but it was batted away. Johnny sighed: a mournful sound. He buried his head deeper inside the crook of Viet’s neck, then started to kiss his collarbones, his chest. He licked at the two dark coins through Viet’s white tank.
If any of what Johnny was doing to him had any effect, Viet didn’t show it. His eyes were pinned to the TV screen, where two naked bodies, a man on top of a woman, writhed on a bed with red satin sheets. As if he suddenly remembered I was still standing there, Viet turned his head in my direction. He looked at me through half-closed eyes.
“I’m not gay,” he said. “Just so you know.” His eyes drifted back to the TV. “Cut the lights, Koala. Too bright in this bitch.”
Then the room was dark, except for the glow of the TV. I couldn’t look at it. I turned around and caught Koala staring at me from his chair, bathed in a weird green light. He opened his mouth, dragged the tip of his tongue over his chapped lips.
“You get down like this, College?” He slid his eyes over the empty bed and back to me. “I know your type. You act mean at first, but once you get a couple drinks in, you’re down to party.” He stood and took a step toward me, a crooked grin painted on his face. The hoops in his ears shook and glinted. Before he could get any closer I crossed to the door. I slid the chain off, and then I was outside.
* * *
? ? ?
I ran down to Shamu—luckily, Fiona had left the doors unlocked. I sat in the passenger seat, shivering. Room 201 was only a few doors down from where I’d just escaped. Five minutes, I told myself. If Fiona didn’t come out, I’d go knock on the door.