Misfit Theater Company 2

10. Induction

"Patti told me she told you that I lied," she says as soon as she fills her cup with water. She takes a big sip. "So... what are your thoughts?" she asks after swallowing.

How am I supposed to tell this "messed up" girl that I'm angry she lied and that I'm scared, not so deep down that because she is Hermia, she and Thatcher will fall in love over Shakespeare and I'll be left on my own?

I decide to dodge the question entirely. "We can talk about that later. Are you feeling better now that you've had some water?"

She nods, her eyes closed, and her head vaguely moving to the beat. "Maybe some food."

I move around the kitchen island to grab one of the paper plates and a slice of plain cheese pizza in case her stomach can't handle the pepperoni or she's meat-free like me. It suddenly occurs to me that I don't actually know anything about this girl except that her parents are divorced, she likes theater and Shakespeare specifically, she used to like Thatcher (and may still considering the secrecy), and she apparently gives into peer pressure. All in all, she doesn't sound that much different than me last year, when I was still friends with Gina and doing everything she asked.

I hand her the plate with the pizza on it, which she drops on Sean's white tile floor as soon as she lifts the pizza into her mouth. With her eyes closed again, she stuffs the slice into her mouth in five or six big chomps, and then chews forever on the mouth full of food. I laugh, since she can't see me and won't be hurt by it.

When she finally swallows, she opens her eyes and smiles. "That was really good."

"Good. Feeling a little better?"

"Yeah. Hey so I'm sorry I lied."

"Why did you?"

I've heard when people are drunk they are their most honest selves. Maybe this is my opportunity to see if I can trust her around my boyfriend.

She shrugs. "I liked your boyfriend. I don't know, he's still cute to me. He's so genuine, you know?"

"Uh huh."

"And like, he's really real. So many guys are jerks and players."

"What about Moth? Didn't Patti tell you they aren't a couple anymore?"

"Yeah, but a girl can't go after her friend's ex. That's, like, against the code."

"So... you won't go after Thatcher then? Because he's very much still my boyfriend."

"Oh my god, Janie, this is what I was afraid of, this is why I didn't tell you. I'm not a snake, I'm not going to try to get your guy."

Her words slur as she says them and her arm falls heavily on my shoulder.

"I'm going to try my hardest not to like him again," she says, looking me straight in the eyes.

Her hardest? That's not quite good enough for me to trust her, but maybe that's just the alcohol talking. Maybe when she's sober, try her hardest translates to I promise it won't happen. I hear people also tend to lose their morals a bit while drunk.

"I'm also going to try my hardest not to puke," she says. "But that may be more challenging. Where is the bathroom again?"

She suddenly looks pale, so I take her hand and pull her toward the bathroom just around the corner, back in the hall where all the bedrooms are. I close the door behind us just in time for Paige to make it to the toilet and vomit all of the pizza she just tried stuffing in her stomach, as well as what I can only assume is all the alcohol she's had.

I run to hold her hair back as she continues to hurl the contents of her day into the toilet. She cries between vomiting, and I do my best to look away and not smell it. If I get a good whiff, my head will be right there beside her, so I tuck my nose into my shirt and look to the ceiling.