Ocean Blue | gxg ✓

chapter eighteen

alyssa

"TannerTannerTanner!" I yell as soon as I'm through the front door. I slam it shut behind me carelessly, because, no, I do not care. I feel invigorated. Alive. Like I'm full of potential energy or something. I'm on the verge of flying.

"Whaaat?" comes a shout. "Can't I go to the bathroom in peace?"

"Bro!" I race around miscellaneous boxes, through our single hallway, and batter the door with my hands. "Broskiii!"

"What? I'm trying to lose weight in here."

"There's a party," I say. I wasn't excited till Elliot parked next to the curb. It feels like I've just woken up after a too-long nap. "There is a party, and I think you should go with me, and together we shall do party things, and it will be amazing, and—"

The toilet flushes.

"And I think that it will be fun and you should come with me so that we will do fun party things!"

The obnoxious running tap drowns me out.

"Tanner!"

The door swings open, and a scowling Tanner flicks water from his fingers onto my face. "I have literally never seen you excited about a party before. Were you body-snatched? Are you Jeff Goldblum?"

"I will punch you," I tell him, somehow breathless.

"With your spore fist?"

"Listen," I say, already yanking my hair out of its ponytail, "I know you like parties. Hangouts. Intimate get-togethers, whatever. Elliot and some girls from work asked me to come, and I literally refuse to go alone, so please come."

"You seem too excited." He pats his hands dry on his gym shorts. "You would probably go without me. Maybe you should."

"No. I refuse. No. People? People are blech. People bad."

He frowns. "Then why are you so preoccupied with hanging with Elliot?"

I stare blankly.

"Are you okay?" he asks. "After yesterday, I mean. We didn't really talk about it much, but I will totally murder this Elliot-thing if need be. She will be vanquished. And hidden. Not even Ducktective could solve this mystery."

Even though I don't want to, I snort. "She's fine. Seriously."

"Unconvinced," he says, giving me a very unconvinced brow. "I am very unconvinced."

"You can vanquish her later. After the party. But, believe me, you won't want to." My neck heats up as I say this, and I try my best to give Tanner wide, uber-convincing eyes.

Tanner sighs. "This means I have to get changed, doesn't it?"

"Maybe."

"Damn. It's so hard to look flawless all the time."

-

Elliot texted me a few minutes ago and said she'd be here in just a few. I feel like a total simp, waiting on the front steps while Tanner lingers inside and mocks me through the door, but it's fine. I just need to get out of the house, I tell myself. I'll get out of the house, and then suddenly, I'll feel a whole lot better about moving here. That's why I want to do this. Certainly. Yes.

They wanted me to move on. They brought this upon themselves.

I leap up when Elliot's beat-up Toyota turns cautiously into the drive, meeting her at the side-door before she's even stopped. The window rolls down, and we share a grin.