Allegiant (7 page)

He smiles. “Sure thing.”

Less than an hour later, Garrett and I
arrive at Wayside. I ended up changing clothes before we left after
all, but my outfit is a far cry from Samantha’s painted on one. I
made sure the remnants of my tears were gone, threw on some lip
gloss, pulled a comb through my hair, kissed LB, and out the door I
went.

The bar is packed. At first, we have a hard
time locating Samantha and Todd. We finally find them standing by
the bar, not the entrance, with Jessica. She waves excitedly at us,
and I can’t help but notice how cute she looks, all five feet of
her, with her brown hair meticulously curled. I instantly feel a
pang of regret for not taking a longer time with my appearance.
Both girls appear to be looking for a night out on the town. I just
wanted to leave my apartment.

“
Hi guys!” Samantha greets
us. She turns toward the bar, grabs something, and turns back
toward us. She’s holding a shot glass in each hand. “For you.” She
hands one to Garrett and then one to me. I notice Jessica and Todd
are already holding theirs.

“
To new neighbors!” Todd
says and raises his glass.

Ah. Barbie and Ken like to party. I should
have guessed.

“
To new neighbors!” We
clink our glasses and throw back the shots. I try to keep my
composure as the liquor burns its way down my throat. What was
that? Samantha, Todd, and Jessica slam their glasses down on the
bar. I look at Garrett and make a face at my glass.

“
Whiskey,” he answers my
question.

Ouch. My throat burns. “Remind me not to do
that again,” I whisper, and he laughs.

Jessica spies an empty table between the
dance floor and the bar. “I’m going to claim that before someone
else does,” she says and heads over.

I follow her. The table has a good view of
the dance floor, and I sit on the end, so I can people watch
without having to look over heads. Garrett sits between Jessica and
I; Samantha and Todd take seats across from us.

“
So,” Todd says,
simultaneously snapping his fingers at a passing waitress, “how’s
everyone enjoying our humble abode?”

“
My apartment is great,”
Jessica pipes up from beside Garrett, “aside from the paper thin
walls.” She eyes Samantha and Todd pointedly. “Really? Three
a.m.?
Every
Saturday?”

I’m surprised by Jessica’s boldness. She’s
such a little thing. I look at Todd and Samantha for their
reaction, expecting them to be embarrassed. Instead, it’s just the
opposite. They show no signs of remorse.

Todd smirks. “I’ll buy you some ear plugs
for Christmas.”

I look at Garrett, my eyebrows raised, and
he looks at me with the same expression. What is up with these two?
I’m immediately grateful I live on the bottom floor.

The waitress stops by our table. “What’ll it
be?”

Todd defers to me first. “Nothing. Wait,
water, please,” I order.

Everyone but Garrett looks at me with a
puzzled expression. Todd moves on to Garrett, who orders a beer,
Jessica gets a Fuzzy Navel, Samantha orders a Cosmopolitan, and
Todd gets a Jack and Coke.

“
You don’t drink?” Samantha
asks me, like it’s a tragedy.

“
Not very often,” I
shrug.

She turns her attention to Garrett. “I can’t
help but notice your eyes,” she says in a flirty tone. “Where do
you get your color contacts? I get mine online.”

I study her eyes. Obviously they are not
naturally blue. My gaze falls to her chest. I’m starting to doubt
that’s real as well.

Garrett smiles. “I don’t wear contacts.”

“
Really?
” Samantha looks impressed.
“You must have some amazing genes. Does that color run in your
family?”

Garrett shakes his head. “Nope. I’m the
lucky one.”

“
I bet your kids will have
that color,” Jessica says, joining the conversation. I notice the
dreamy expression on her face as she looks at Garrett. Does she
have a thing for him?

Todd snaps his fingers loudly and points at
me. “That’s where I know you from!”

I look at him confused. “I’m sorry?”

“
I knew you looked
familiar,” he says. He looks at his girlfriend. “Didn’t I tell you
she looked familiar?”

Samantha nods empathically.

“
Your James Davis’
girlfriend, aren’t you? The guy who died winter
semester.”

I’m shocked to hear James’ name. I’ve never
met Todd before I moved in a few weeks ago. I slowly nod.

“
I knew it!” He slaps the
table like he just won a bet. “I was at that bonfire thing this
summer for his birthday.”

“
Did you know James?” I
ask. I can’t imagine James being friends with someone like Todd.
He’s too arrogant.

“
Not personally. I crashed
the party with some buddies of mine that knew him.”

Well, we can add rude next to arrogant on
Todd’s list of character traits.

“
You crashed a party for
someone who died that you didn’t even know?” Jessica asks
skeptically. “That’s kind of low, don’t you think?”

I shoot her a grateful look for saying aloud
what I was thinking. She gives me a smile.

“
It was no biggie,” he
shrugs.

Samantha leans forward, her fake-blue eyes
wide. “Is it true that he was trying to outrun the cops when he
crashed?”

My face twists in irritation. “No. He fell
asleep.”

“
Well, I heard that he was
either high or drunk or both. He had to be to hit that tree as hard
as he did.”

“
That’s insane,” I say,
agitated. “Where did you hear that?”

She shrugs. “Word gets around. I also heard
that he got in a big fight with his girlfriend…I mean, you, that
night.”

My heart starts to pound, and I snap,
“That’s none of your business.”

Samantha leans back and holds her hands up
in front of her likely fake breasts. “Whoa. Okay.”

My mouth settles into a thin line. I don’t
want to make enemies of my neighbors, but these two are something
else.

Noticing the tension, Garrett interrupts,
trying to change the topic. “So, what do you think about the
football team this year?”

“
Oh, hey!” Todd grabs the
arm of someone walking by our table. He seems unfazed by the fact
that he’s just been called out as extremely rude, and his
girlfriend and I almost came to blows.

“
Hi Todd!” a female voice
squeaks. He stands up to give this person a hug. She walks around
him and hugs Samantha. “Hey, you!”

When she faces the rest of us, I recognize
her immediately. My chest constricts, and my expression hardens.
It’s Rebecca. The same girl who, at the birthday bonfire,
accidently told me about the time she spent with James – my James –
the night he died. Now I understand who Todd crashed the party
with. This does not improve my opinion of him one bit.

“
Who are your friends?”
Rebecca asks slowly, focused on me.

“
These are our neighbors,”
Samantha says, oblivious to Rebecca’s change in demeanor. “Jessica,
Garrett, and Emma.” She points at each of us.

Rebecca gives us all a tiny smile, but she’s
still focused on me. “Nice to meet you.” Her hands wrap around the
arms of a sweatshirt she has tied around her waist, and her action
pulls my attention away from her face. Judging by the way her
fingers clutch the material, it can only be one thing. James’
hoodie, the one he gave her the night he died. Does she never take
it off? My eyes widen, and I inhale sharply. Garrett notices,
giving me a questioning look.

Our waitress appears with our drink order,
distracting everyone. Rebecca makes a hasty departure, saying
goodbye to Samantha and Todd, as the glasses are passed around. The
waitress hands me my water, but I stop her by asking, “Could you
bring me something stronger?” This day has gone from bad to worse,
and a little numbness sounds appealing.

“
Sure. What would you
like?”

I consider her question for a second. “A
Long Island Iced Tea.”

The waitress nods. “I’ll be right back.”

Todd overhears my order and nods
approvingly. “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”

I’ve never been this drunk in my life. The
daiquiris at Matt’s on the Fourth of July were nothing compared to
this. That was giggle drunk. This feels a little more serious.

I downed my first Long Island quickly and,
with the whiskey shot from earlier, I was pleasantly buzzed and
having a much easier time of putting up with Todd and Samantha. It
also helped that they left the table to grope each other on the
dance floor. To my right, however, I did have to listen to Jessica
coming on to Garrett for most of the night. She wasn’t being overly
obnoxious though. She’s actually a very sweet girl. I ordered
another drink for something to do, and I was half way through it
when things started to get fuzzy. I’m such a lightweight.

“
Everything okay?” Garrett
moves toward me as Jessica leaves to use the restroom.

“
Umm hmm.” I blink slowly.
“I think she likes you.”

He smiles at me. “What’s not to like?”

I laugh hard enough to snort, which makes me
laugh harder.

“
It looks like I’m driving
us home,” he says and finishes the last of his beer. When the
waitress comes back to ask if he wants another, he tells her
no.

“
So,” he says, “you don’t
handle stress well.”

I pretend to be shocked and press my hand
against my chest. “Whatever do you mean?”

“
Just the thought or the
mention of James pushes you over the edge.”

“
Pffftttt.” I playfully
push him away from me. “What was your first clue? My nervous
breakdown or,” I pick up my glass, “my random drunkenness?” I take
a drink.

“
Both.”

I wink at him. “Well, I’ll tell you what. If
James could love me the way I love him I wouldn’t be in this state
of which you behold me now.”

He smirks. “That makes absolutely no
sense.”

“
It does!” I say
adamantly.

Garrett reaches for my nearly empty glass
and takes it away from me. “I think you’ve had enough of this.” He
places it far out of my reach on the table.

I cross my arms and pout dramatically, which
makes him laugh.

“
Are you going to tell me
what happened today?” he asks.

My face lights up. “Yes!” My voice is a bit
too loud, and I reach for his arm. Holding on to it with both
hands, I shake it. “I went shopping and I bought you all kinds of
good stuff and I was singing.”

He looks at me, puzzled. “You were singing
about buying me stuff?”

“
No silly!” I shake my
head. It feels wobbly on my neck and my vision blurs. I reach out
and grab his shoulder to anchor myself. “It
made
me sing.”

Garrett pries my fingers from his shoulder
with his frigid hand. “You’re stronger than you look.”

I lean in to him conspiratorially. “Not on
the inside,” I whisper and then look around. “Don’t tell anybody.
It’s a secret.”

He deposits my hand back into my lap. My
body feels like it’s swaying, like I’m on a boat in the water. I
set my elbow on the table and then rest my head against my hand.
“Why are you so cold all the time?” I ask. “Are you sick?”

“
No, I’m not sick.” He
looks me in the eyes. “I’m healing.”

“
From what?” I ask, overly
serious.

“
From a lifetime of
servitude.”

I roll my eyes in an exaggerated way. “Now
who’s not mandating sense?”

“
Still you,” he
chuckles.

I turn and look at the
dance floor. I see Jessica talking with Samantha while Todd has his
face practically buried in his girlfriend’s chest.
Gross.
“Do you think
they’re happy?” I ask Garrett.

“
Who?”

I gesture toward the dance floor. “The
Samanthas and Todds of this world.”

He looks past me and grimaces. “I think
they’re made for each other, that’s for sure.”

I sigh and rest my head on my hand again.
“Do you think you can fall in love with more than one person at the
same time?”

Garrett looks surprised. “I don’t know. I’ve
never done it.”

My eyes grow wide, and I sit up straight.
“Me either!” I say emphatically. “I’m still in love with James! You
believe that, don’t you?”

He eyes me, puzzled. “Sure. Whatever you
say.”

“
But Dane, he’s engaged.
Engaged!” I grab Garrett’s arm again and whisper, “Do know what
that means?”

“
It means he’s getting
married?”

“
Yes! To some woman
named
Teagan
,” I
twist her name in my mouth.

“
I take it you don’t want
him to get married?”

I let go of his arm and move to rest my head
against the table. I try to put it down gently, but it makes a thud
and pain shoots across my forehead. “No, I don’t!” I whine. “And
ow!”

“
Do you love Dane too?”
Garrett asks me.

I stare at the table. “Yes. No. I don’t
know.”

“
It would be okay to fall
in love with someone else,” he says softly.

“
No, it wouldn’t!” I pull
my head off the table too fast and when I look at Garrett he has
three faces. “James is my Guardian! He can
see
me!”

Garrett looks around quickly, as if making
sure no one else heard my outburst. “We need to get you home,” he
suddenly decides and grabs my elbow to help me stand. “Where are
your keys?”