Chapter Nineteen - Thalia
BLAKE IS ASLEEP on the couch because we found another bottle from Owen’s secret stash. Vera ended up going back to her apartment at some point. I think, but I’m not quite sure. Penelope is still sleeping, which is what I wish I was doing right now. I rest my cheek on the cold counter, debating whether going to class is worth it. It’s just a lecture. I bet I could ask my friend to send me the notes. I think if I go, my head might explode.
The front door opens, and Owen starts complaining too loudly for my brain to comprehend. “Be glad you don’t play a sport.” I cover my ears to block out my brother’s annoying voice.
“Shhh, you’re making my head hurt. Penelope and Blake are still asleep. Don’t turn on the lights,” I grumble, lifting my head to look at them.
Owen looks as bad as I feel, and even Bash seems a little worse for wear. He’s faring better than everyone else after cutting himself off long before everyone else did. He might be the only smart one of us.
“I’m getting in the shower. Maybe that will make me feel better.” Owen moans as he slowly walks past to the back of the apartment.
Sebastian waits until the shower is turned on to kiss my cheek. “How are you feeling?”
“Why did you let me drink that much?” I ask as he wraps an arm around me from behind, and I lean into him.
“I tried suggesting you stop, but then you told me I wasn’t the boss of you and took another shot. I’m surprised you’re awake,” he says, his deep voice sounding like music to my ears.
“I’m trying to decide whether it’s worth it to go to class or not. I didn’t mean to drink that much; Penelope is terrible about egging people on to drink. I guess I was also a little upset that Vera came over when she did.”
“Oh, believe me, I saw Penelope in action. Don’t worry about Vera. There are only a few more weeks before everyone knows.” He kisses the top of my head. “If I had to guess, you aren’t going to class today.”
I wrap my arms over his. I could stay like this all day. “Bingo.”
“You should try to eat some food. It might make you feel better, but it only works if you eat it,” Sebastian suggests, moving to pull away, but I hold tight.
“Don’t let go yet. It helps.”
“I doubt that, but if you say so. I’m sweaty, and I smell.”
“You don’t smell; if you do, I can’t tell over the smell of tequila coming from my pores.” I groan dramatically in pain. “How were workouts? Owen didn’t sound good.”
“He threw up a few times. Coach went hard on us this morning. I’m glad I cut myself off when I did, or I would have joined Owen at the trash can.”
I shake my head, regretting the sudden movement immediately. “I don’t understand why he drank so much. He knew he had workouts this morning.”
“I think he hoped Blake would break up with her boyfriend, which didn’t happen,” Bash explains, and now that I think about it, that makes a lot of sense.
“Explains his mood. Now that you say it, that’s probably what happened with Blake and Owen. They might not have broken up, but I still don’t think her trip went well if you look at her passed out on the couch.”
“If you weren’t half-dead, I’d suggest hiking. You could show Penelope what’s so special about North Carolina, and I promise to sit patiently for hours if that’s what it takes for you to get the perfect shot.” That sounds perfect. Bash is annoyingly good at this whole relationship thing. I smile, tilting my head to look up at him.
“I knew you were talking about yourself when you said that.”
“Am I still drunk, or are you guys hugging?” Blake asks hoarsely, and Sebastian unravels himself from me.
“Drunk. You had a lot of tequila last night. I’ll get you a glass of water.” Bash fills up two glasses of water, setting one in front of me before giving Blake one. “How was California?”
She groans and leans back on the couch, pressing a hand to her forehead. “I don’t want to talk about it. Why were you hugging Thalia?”
I take a sip of the water, knowing I need it. My headache will last longer if I sit here and do nothing. “Go back to sleep, Blake.”
“Are you guys like…together?”
Bash looks questioningly at me, but I don’t care if she knows. The more people that find out, the harder it will be when we do tell Owen. No one else can find out before we tell him.
“Yeah, we are. We’re not telling people yet,” he explains briefly, causing Blake to laugh before she holds her head in pain.
“Yeah, you might want to be more careful then,” she warns, covering her face with a pillow. At the same time, I hear the shower click off.
“You might want to hold your liquor better,” I reply, laying my head back down on the counter. I’m not moving from here. I’ll wither away and die in this spot.
Sebastian runs his hand up and down my back. “You should take your own advice. Lia, why don’t you go back to bed?”
If I’m not going to class, then sleeping is the answer. I wish I were going to sleep in his bed. “Heading there now,” I say, peeling myself off the counter. I lean up to kiss his cheek briefly and wander back to my room. Penelope is still knocked out in the bed, and I climb in to lie beside her, crashing hard.
~
Once alive and back to normal, Penelope and I left the apartment while the guys were at practice.
“It’s so quiet here,” Penelope says, and I agree.
“It’s still busier here than in other parts of the Carolinas, but nothing compared to what you’re used to in Paris.”
Today is the first day it’s chilly enough to need anything more than a shirt. I successfully stole another one of Sebastian’s sweatshirts that I never plan on returning to him. It’s mine until it needs a refresher of how he smells. Then he can wear it once, and I’ll take it back after.
“The architecture is amazing.” She looks up at the high arches of the tunnel we’re walking through. “So is that guy of yours; he’s much better than Louis.”
“When we’re not fighting, yeah, he’s pretty great—definitely an upgrade from Louis in every way.” It’s weird hearing Sebastian referred to as mine. I mean, I guess he is, but it’ll take some getting used to. “Trust me, I wish we were still back in Paris. Everything there feels like it was so much more…simple. Penelope, we went everywhere we wanted without any real sense of responsibility.”
“You should finish school at least. You’re welcome anytime you want to visit too. It’ll just take some adjusting while being back here,” she says, looping her arm with mine. “You didn’t like France very much when you got there either,” Penelope reminds me, and she’s right.
“That was because all the people there are mean, but at least they say shit to your face. Here? I have no idea what people are thinking. I took it for granted,” I complain, rolling my eyes.
“I’m not sure who we’re talking about now. You’re being vague.” She can see right through me. I’m not sure why I’m even surprised by it. “It can’t be Sebastian because I think he’s very clear about what he thinks. You weren’t listening.”
I shake my head, causing pieces of my blonde hair to fall in my face—stupid curtain bangs. I was sold on a trend, but they never stay pulled back. “No, it’s not about him. It’s about Vera. I’m starting to think she’s not my friend, which sounds nuts. I mean, am I crazy?”
“Can I ask for more background knowledge because I thought she was your best friend? Isn’t that why she was at your place last night?” Penelope asks, and I can see why she thinks that. Our conversations have been preoccupied with figuring out Sebastian’s intentions, not Vera’s.
“You’re my best friend,” I correct Penelope. “I have no idea why she was there. V showed up and said, ‘Hey, aren’t we having our movie night tonight?’ Except I don’t remember nailing an exact date for our movie night. Nor did I tell her I was interested in our friend Landon, but she still told him to ask me out.”
Penelope and I turn a corner to walk farther into the heart of campus. “That sounds harmless, but I’m assuming there’s more?”
“The first night I got back, she came over and brought some other people, telling them there was a huge rager happening that night at my apartment. It was too late to stop it, but I didn’t mean or want to throw a party that night. I had jet lag, and I wanted to sleep. When Owen and Sebastian got back, she pinned the entire thing on me, further escalating the fighting between Bash and me. He was unhappy about the party—to put it lightly.”
It feels good to say this out loud. I could try telling Bash, but he’s known her just as long as I have. He might think I’m insane, but telling Penelope is refreshing. She doesn’t have the years of history clouding her thoughts.
Her gasp tells me I’m not imagining the wrongness of the situation. “Okay, not cool. You let me do shots with her!”
I bump her with my hip. “You would have done shots with her regardless. Probably would have done more so she’d feel as crappy as I did this morning.”
The fresh air feels great, and it reminds me of how we used to walk through the market when grocery shopping. We used to go every few days because everything was fresh. None of the preservatives pumped into everything here.
“Why is Vera doing all that if you are supposed to be best friends? You’re my best friend, and I’d never do that to you,” Penelope reassures me, and I smile, holding tightly to her arm.
“Because you’re the best. I have no idea why any of it has happened. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out, and it’s been driving me up the wall on top of everything else that was going on with Bash. At least I have that solved for the time being.” It’s nice not fighting all the time with him. We coexist when Owen’s home, but I live for the moments when he isn’t there, because we get to be something other than roommates. Something other than his best friend’s little sister. We get to be Thalia and Sebastian.
I still plan on calling him an asshole when he deserves it, but I can’t call him that for no reason anymore.
“I can’t believe it took you so long to jump his bones. None of the pictures you showed me did Sebastian justice. I hope you know how lucky you are. He embodies what I meant when I asked for photos of hot American men.”
He is pretty hot. She’s right, though. None of the pictures do Sebastian justice. He’s tall, has whiskey brown eyes that can see right into your soul, a strong nose, his lips are full, and in my opinion, Bash’s dark hair is the perfect messy length right now. I wouldn’t change a single thing about him.
“I know. You were right. I wish it were simple and that he was literally anyone else. Even though he’s Owen’s best friend, I think we are a good match. There’s a lot for us to figure out, but for now, everything’s great.”
“Good. You deserve happiness. Now tell me what we’re going to do about this snake?”
I throw my head back and laugh, attracting the attention of a few people, but I don’t care. “What do you think we should do? I don’t know anything for sure, but my guess is that something happened while I was in France. I don’t know what. Bash and Owen haven’t mentioned anything.”
“Is it possible you’re both different people now? Lia, you are not the girl you were when you came to France, so why would she be the same person as when you left?” she asks, and I consider that possibility. That is what everyone keeps suggesting. It’s frustrating to hear, because why do I have to bring it up when Vera is the one with the problem? Penelope has a good point. It’s not fair of me to expect Vera to be the same when I’m not.
“You could be right. Maybe I should try talking to her…”
“Talking won’t excuse everything she’s done. We can still give her a taste of her own medicine if that’s the route you want to take,” she suggests, and it’s honestly really nice hearing her validate my suspicion.
“Oh, Pen, what will I do without you?”
“You don’t have to find out for a little bit, lucky you.” Penelope hugs me tightly, and I can’t imagine my life without her in it.