Drunk or Sober

FRIDAY/SATURDAY

"Wes, you were kind of in a-"

"A fight? Tell me I was in a fight. Fucking hell yes!"

"Are you still drunk?"

"What? I don't know."

She smiled and put the icy vegetables over my swollen eye.

"Did I win?"

"The fight?"

"Yeah. Did I at least get a little," I punched the air in a kung-fu motion. "action with him? Like roughen him up?"

She smiled and bit her bottom lip. "Totally!"

"Where's Lennox?"

"A party."

"A fucking party? She's at a fucking party where?" I covered my mouth quickly after those words escaped.

"Downstairs actually."

"Well, fuck me. They seem pretty quiet."

She giggled. "That's because it's just her and a few other freshmen playing truth or dare or spin the bottle or something."

I sank back into the soft cushions. "Those were the days."

"I miss them too."

"Why aren't you down there?"

"To make sure I don't need to call an ambulance."

"Oh yeah." I forced a smile.

"So Harleigh told me you came onto her and then tried starting a fight with her friend."

"Her friend? That's what she's calling that asshole? Was it Ryder?"

"It was Bennett."

"Bennett? Bennett, your boyfriend?"

Her eyes scanned around the room anxiously. "Yup. Him."

"You think they're uh, hooking up?"

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't suspect it. She swore she was only giving him a blow job for some weed though."

I sprang up and ran my fingers through my hair. "Oh my god, what?"

"Relax! I'm only kidding. He doesn't sell weed, I think. You never really know anyone." She laughed and sat on the table across from me.

"Are you okay, Ramona?"

"It's funny."

"What is?"

"Everyone always likes her better than me."

"Likes Harleigh better than you? Ramona, don't-"

"And I get it too. Who wouldn't want her, right? She's confident, strong, beaut-"

"One piece-of-shit kid who didn't deserve you shouldn't make you think like that. You're incredible, Ramona. And smart, you're so smart. And-"

"You know the only reason she's passing physics is because she screwed the teacher and now he gives her A's to keep her quiet or something."

"Really?"

"Yeah. So there goes your mysterious tutoring with her!" She pushed my legs over and sat next to me. "It's like she wants every guy in my life. She took Ryder, she took Bennett, and she's still even got you wrapped around her finger."

"You say it as if I want to be."

"Because you probably do. Just like every other-"

"Ramona, she's the only girl that's ever showed interest in me; of course I was into her."