Chapter 24 Now #2
Andre runs through the rules (with a few clarifications from Maren), reminding us what action each number and face card translates to.
“Nine is rhyme. Ten is categories,” he says, rattling off the last few tasks. “Jack is GOAT-ed, of course—if you pull one, you can make up whatever rule you want. Queen is question master. King means you have to finish your drink.”
“Your card goes under the tab of the can after your turn, and whoever cracks it loses,” Theo interjects. He gestures to the can in the middle of the ring of cards.
“And has to drink the whole thing,” Maren adds, helpfully.
“Everyone have a drink?” Henry asks.
“Now they do,” David says, reaching across the table to top off my wineglass.
I catch Sebastian’s eye and note a flash of concern. I’m surprised by the defensiveness I feel, like we’re teenagers again and I need to prove I can keep up.
The game begins, and despite myself I do regret choosing to play it with wine pretty quickly. By round two I’m feeling more than a little buzzed, and I’m sure the color in my cheeks shows it.
“Six. Chicks!” Maren flips her card around, and us girls all reach for our drinks. In place of my wineglass I find a Solo cup of water. I shoot Sebastian an accusatory glare but he pretends not to notice.
My phone, which is facedown on the table, buzzes. I pull it toward me as Andre pulls a Jack.
“Make a rule!” Maren squeals. Hana laughs, snorting a little. At least I’m not the only one the wine is getting to.
The text from Sebastian reads: Doesn’t hurt to mix in a water.
Thanks but you really don’t need to worry about me, I tap out. Just have fun.
I am having fun, he replies before I can put my phone back down. Two more texts quickly follow.
I just want us to be able to have more fun later.
IDK about you, but if I drank that much wine I’d be asleep by 9.
If it’s possible for my cheeks to redden even more, I’m sure they do. I try not to smirk at my phone as I type. On second thought, I think I’ll stick with water after all.
As Sebastian reads the message, then returns his phone to his pocket, I notice with satisfaction that he looks as flustered as I do.
Andre strokes his chin dramatically and scans the room, pondering.
“Superlatives,” he says finally. “Each person has to give out a superlative for someone else in the room, high school yearbook style. If you accidentally repeat a person, or if you can’t come up with something after five seconds, round’s over and you have to drink. ”
There’s a collective groan in response to this task and the relative brainpower it requires, but soon everyone begins looking around, plotting their moves.
“Your rule, Andre,” Maren says. “Start us off.”
“Easy,” he says flirtatiously. “Maren: best smile.”
Maren actually blushes. Yep, definitely time for us all to lay off the wine. “Why, thank you,” she says, flashing the smile in question. She really does have a good one. “For Lina: best host.”
Everyone raises their cups in agreement. I’m a little disappointed because I wouldn’t have minded hearing Sebastian come up with something for me, but then I remind myself to chill. It’s just a game.
“Thank you, thank you,” I say, turning to David. “Most likely to become president.”
Claps all around. David stands and delivers a presidential wave. “As much as it pains me to admit defeat: Henry’s best dressed—for tonight, at least.”
“Is someone recording this?” Henry quips. He considers the few remaining options, then goes for Hana. “Best laugh.” She lets out another cute little chortle, affirming his choice.
“My husband’s most likely to sleep through class,” she says. “Or in our case, sleep through an infant’s wails.”
Theo throws his hands up. “It’s a gift.” His eyes dart between Andre and Sebastian. “Let’s change it up a little. Sebastian: Least likely to end up back in Brantley Beach.”
“Oh shit, T. That’s a good one,” Andre says, toasting Theo’s cup with his. “If this really were high school, he would have been most likely to get as far away as possible.”
Theo and Andre both laugh, as if Sebastian’s disdain for our hometown is the funniest thing ever.
As if it’s as harmless and obvious as Maren’s beautiful smile or Hana’s adorable laugh.
Sebastian’s good-natured smile doesn’t reach his eyes.
My body tenses, but I keep my face stoic, even as I notice signs of alarm in Maren’s and David’s expressions.
“Andre’s still biggest flirt—all these years later,” Sebastian says, finishing the round.
Maren rolls her eyes. Andre bows, then delicately slips his card into the stack beneath the tab of the beer can. Just as he’s about to release the card, the can lets out a hiss of air, followed by a definitive crack.
“Fuck! I knew it was gonna be me.” Andre pops the tab the rest of the way and starts chugging.
Suddenly I feel stone-cold sober. I sense Sebastian’s gaze boring into me, but I ignore him and head to the kitchen for more water.
I position my cup under the water dispenser on the fridge door. While I wait for it to fill, I feel a hand on my shoulder.
“Hey,” says Andre. “I hope that superlative thing didn’t weird you out.”
I glance over at the living room. Sebastian is mid-conversation with David and Henry. Maren, Theo and Hana are out on the balcony.
“It really was just a joke,” he adds.
“There was some truth to it, though,” I say, turning to face him. “He’s back in town because he feels like he has to be, but you and I both know it would be far from his first choice.”
Andre rubs the back of his neck “I probably shouldn’t say this, but honestly? We were kind of relieved he called the wedding off.”
I raise an eyebrow and ask, “Because of Claire?” I hate the petty jealousy I hear in my voice. I know that Claire isn’t my enemy. In fact, she seems like a rather lovely person. But I’m only human.
“It’s not so much that we didn’t like her. She was a great girl. Super confident and successful. Fun to be around.” Andre glances toward Sebastian as he says, “It was more so that we didn’t love who he was with her.”
“He acted different when they were together?”
“Yeah. He never seemed fully relaxed. Like he was putting on this perfect-guy act instead of just being himself. Which, sure, maybe he’d put on that front in the past, in school or at work, but around us?
It felt like he was building his walls up higher and higher, shutting us out.
” Andre takes a sip of his beer, shaking his head.
“He puts a lot of pressure on himself. Always has.”
I nod, because I know this to be true. Sebastian has always been solid, the one everyone could rely on. It wasn’t until later that I realized you can find cracks even in the toughest-looking armor if you’re willing to look closely enough.
“And what about now?” I dare to ask. I feel Sebastian’s gaze on us, but I keep my eyes on Andre, awaiting his answer.
“Now? Now I feel like we’re starting to get the old Sebastian back,” he says, one corner of his mouth turning up. “And I’m pumped. I really fucking missed that guy.”
I smile back. I did, too.
I’m standing outside with Maren, waiting for her Uber.
Theo and Hana reluctantly left around eleven to relieve Hana’s parents from babysitting.
They offered to add a second Uber stop for Andre, whose eyes practically popped out of his head when Maren planted a chaste yet decisive goodbye kiss right on his mouth.
David and Henry announced they were calling it a night about an hour later, and I felt certain they’d make it to London to visit Maren before I would. Sebastian is still inside, cleaning up.
I blink back tears as Maren hugs me fiercely. She speaks into my hair. “It’s funny.”
“What?” I ask.
“How we were convinced all those high school summers were supposed to be monumental, and in a way they were, because everything feels monumental when you’re fourteen, fifteen, sixteen.” She pulls back to look at me. “But honestly? I feel like we’re just getting to the good stuff now.”
“That’s deep, Mar,” I say. “Maybe you should have been the writer.”
“It’s true! God, think about all those nights we stayed up for hours in my room, spinning dilemmas out of nothing.
We were itching for things to happen to us, and I don’t just mean getting attention from boys.
I wanted to travel and design, you wanted to write.
If I could go back in time I’d tell those girls that the real fun would start when they stopped waiting around for something to happen and finally just went for it. ”
I smile, because I’ve been thinking about those girls—high school Lina and Maren—a lot lately.
They feel so real to me; if I were to drive over to the Murphys’ house right now and walk up the stairs, I wouldn’t be surprised to find the two of them there, sitting cross-legged on the pink waves of Maren’s comforter. Eyes wide, voices hushed.
Sebastian loomed over that time in my life, so much so that whenever memories of it broke through to the surface over the years I typically pushed them right back down.
But the more I let myself think about those two girls, the more I start to wonder if any of it really had much to do with him at all.
High school Lina had been filled with desires; maybe Sebastian just happened to be the moving target she directed them toward.
And maybe that said more about me than it did about him.
“I don’t think he’s as much of a flight risk as he used to be,” Maren says now, “but you should still be careful.” I’m startled by the subject change and the sudden seriousness in her glacial eyes. “I’m all for second chances but if he breaks my best friend’s heart again …”
“You’ll put a hit on him?”
We both laugh, but then Maren gets quiet.
“Let’s just say I’d do anything to protect you, within the limits of what’s legal.” She smiles. “Just promise me you’ll try to protect yourself, too.”