Dead Girl Walking ― Aaron Minyard

31. halloween

baby, it's halloween
and we can be anything
― phoebe bridgers

♦

HAVING TEN PEOPLE ALONG on a Friday night meant Andrew had to make an actual reservation at Sweetie's, regardless of the fact that they got there half-past ten. A small crowd of people was waiting at the hostess stand, but the L-shaped corner booth was marked with a RESERVED placard.

The booth wasn't made for ten people, especially not in Halloween costumes, but the Foxes made it work, squishing thigh-to-thigh to pore over menus.

Usually Mara and the others settled for ice cream (and drugs), but it'd been six hours since any of them ate and they had a long night ahead of them. Dinner was also the safest icebreaker any of them could think of. The Foxes had never socialized en masse outside of team events and practices. They weren't sure what to do with each other when Exy wasn't involved.

Aaron and Andrew did nothing to make the night easier on anyone. Aaron refused to speak to any of the upperclassmen, even when one of them said something directly to him, and radiated quiet anger from his spot between Mara and Nicky. Mara wondered if his attitude had anything to do with his pesky deal with Andrew, but said nothing of it. It wasn't exactly the upperclassmen's business.

Now that Renee was allowed to play as a goalkeeper again, Andrew only had to stay sober through first half. He'd taken a pill during halftime tonight and was still buzzing. He spent most of that considerable energy on his own group or Renee. He was a little more cooperative than his brother in that he answered Dan or Matt if they asked him something, but his answers were lightning quick, borderline rude, and always followed by a redirect to someone else at the table.

It could have been the most awkward dinner in the world if not for Nicky. Nicky hated how isolated the twins were and was desperate to make friends with the rest of the team. It was as if he'd developed a sudden allergy to silence. Any time the conversation started to slow, he threw out another topic to salvage it. Mara played along, if only because she actually liked her roommates and Matt, and they were happy to go with it as well, save for Allison and Kevin. To Mara's surprise (and faint amusement), even Neil tried to keep the conversation flowing.

They were working on dessert when Andrew's high started to noticeably peter out, and Mara didn't miss the curious looks the upperclassmen sent Andrew's way. Andrew's withdrawal wasn't a new thing, but they'd always seen it through the smokescreen of a game. Here there wasn't a court and another team to distract from his slow crash.

Andrew acknowledged their attention with a sly grin and an elbow in Kevin's side. Kevin shifted in his seat enough to put his hand in his pocket. The rattle of pills against plastic was so soft Mara might not have noticed it if not for Andrew's reaction. The look Andrew shot Kevin's hand was so intense it made Mara worry about Kevin's safety. Andrew dragged his stare back up to Kevin's face with obvious effort. The slow smile that curved his lips said he was pulling free of his drugged haze and was not at all amused by Kevin's silent offer.

"Don't make me hurt you," he said. "I don't want blood in my ice cream."

Kevin only shrugged and pulled his hand free. Across the table the upperclassmen were silent. They didn't know what they'd missed but they'd heard Andrew's threat. Nicky shot Kevin an accusatory look for making things awkward and distracted Matt by asking about a recent movie.

In quiet French, Neil asked Kevin, "Why do you have his drugs?"

"I hold onto them when he's adjusting his schedule," Kevin answered. "Game nights or nights like tonight when he wants to go into withdrawal, it's better if someone else keeps the bottle. If he has his pills he'll take them. He won't be able to help himself."