19. River
RIVER
So the thing about breaking up? Or whatever it was that happened between me and Sloane.
Most people aren’t then forced to see that person every day.
They aren’t forced to see them laugh and smile and sometimes even…
flirt? Okay, maybe she wasn’t flirting, but even if she was, did it matter?
They certainly weren’t forced to see the other person get asked out by another man while also being in front of my family.
Besides the obvious, if this wasn’t a cautionary tale about getting involved with a student, I don’t know what the fuck was.
Because now I was being forced to witness her date people she actually could.
I know I ended whatever it was we were doing, and I know it’s for the best, but I’m still pissed about it.
The thought of Mack kissing her or messing around with her after homecoming… fucking her.
Dammit. I hate this.
This is why I don’t get involved. Why I was perfectly fine just having casual sex.
It was supposed to just be casual sex with Sloane!
It’s like somewhere between the conversations with Ellie and Rowan about wanting to settle down and meeting Sloane, I got confused because why am I so tied up in knots over her?
Even when I thought she was going to college, did I really see a future with her?
I mean, you were open to it.
She’s funny.
And charming.
And gorgeous.
And the best sex I’ve had in years, maybe ever.
She’s interesting.
And her experiences make her seem older and more mature.
She lied straight to my face about her age and being in HIGH SCHOOL, how is that mature?
Well, besides that.
I’m on my couch watching highlights from a team we're playing later on in the season just to take my mind off everything after I’d made up some excuse as to why I couldn’t go to Rowan’s after the game tonight that I am pretty sure he actually bought.
Because of course, why wouldn’t his fuckboy of a brother be going out to get over this bullshit with Sloane?
But the truth was, Isla was hyper-fixating on Sloane’s homecoming proposal, and I didn’t want to spend the night fielding questions about that.
I could spot an Isla Kincaid reenactment a mile away.
And even if I could get through all of that, Rowan would be able to tell that something was off, and it would only be a matter of time before he figured out that the girl who’d been asked out in front of the entire football team and half the crowd still in the bleachers was Sloane.
And I did not want to get into all of that.
Why didn’t I block her? That was the first question I asked myself when my phone rang with an Instagram call.
Why is she calling me? Was the second. I knew she was probably at a party and maybe a little drunk again. But I told her we had to stop all of this.
I should not answer, was the next thought.
Before I can tell myself to ignore the call, I answer it. “Yes, Sloane?”
“Don’t hang up,” she says, and I can immediately tell that she’s been drinking.
I put the phone on speaker before tossing it on the coffee table, and I rub my hand across my face. “Why are you calling me?”
“I just… I feel like you’re so mad at me.”
“I’m not.” And honestly, I wasn’t. I’d mostly gotten over her lying to me about her age. I was mad about the situation we were in and mad at myself. “Where are you?” She doesn’t respond, and then I hear laughter in the background. “I’m guessing you’re not alone.”
“A party at Sam’s house,” she tells me. I’d figured out that was where the party was last weekend, so I’m not surprised that they’re back there again after tonight’s win.
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” she says quietly, and I can hear the sincerity in her voice.
“I didn’t expect for that to happen.” Her voice cracks, and I hate that she feels so torn up about something that she should be excited about.
“Hey, don’t be upset. Certainly not over that.”
“Why not? He’s sweet but he’s not who I want to go to homecoming with, but who I want to go with isn’t an option. I don’t even want to go at all,” she rambles.
Remembering she’s not alone and also drunker than she was last time, I ask her, “are you by yourself?”
“Yes, sitting on the steps of the porch. But no one is paying attention. Everyone is pretty drunk.”
“Do you feel safe?”
“I think so.”
“Don’t think. Do you know?”
“There’s just a lot of people here. A lot more than last weekend, and it’s loud. I just hope he doesn’t get a noise complaint.”
Jesus, the last thing I need is half my guys getting alcohol citations. “How many people are there?”
“I don’t know, maybe a hundred?”
WHAT? A hundred underage kids? Oh, everyone is getting it at practice on Monday. “Are you kidding?”
“Seventy? I don’t know, River. I wouldn’t say my counting is reliable right now.
” I am toying with the idea of texting Sam, Mack, or another senior to shut that shit down.
But I don’t know how else I would know about it in real time that wouldn’t also implicate me for talking to a student at twelve thirty at night.
I hear the sound of a sniffle breaking my thoughts. “Sloane?”
“Yeah?” she asks, but I can hear the tears in her voice. Why is she upset? What happened?
“Why are you upset? Tell me what’s wrong?” Anger surges through me because there’s no reason she should be upset. Unless it’s over me?
“I’m just drunk and I feel like you hate me.”
Shit. “I don’t… but Sloane, I think you should go home. I don’t like that you’re this intoxicated right now and all alone.”
“I am alone.” She sniffles. “My parents are on another continent. My aunt and uncle are always gone. And then I meet a guy… A guy I really like, and I don’t even have him anymore,” she says through her tears, followed by another sniffle.
Okay, so she’s this kind of drunk. “You are not alone, sweetheart,” I tell her, trying to bring her back from the headspace that alcohol can easily put you in when you’re already upset. “You have your cousin.”
“Not right now. She’s with her boyfriend.”
“How are you getting home?”
“I’m going to call an Uber… I was just trying to sober up some. I don’t feel super comfortable taking an Uber by myself in this state.”
Absolutely not. I would go get her before I let her do that. Rules be damned.
I don’t know any teacher who wouldn’t go get a student that they knew was in trouble.
It was messy and could get complicated, but there was an unspoken rule among the teachers at Westlake that we would always help a student get home safely if they couldn’t do so on their own. “I don’t either. Where is Mack?”
“Not sure… I left him inside when he was playing beer pong with some girl.”
“I see.” Well, that didn’t last long. Not that I’m surprised.
“I don’t care! And he realizes that now, and I think he’s mad at me too, honestly. I told him I just wanted to be friends.”
“You did?”
“Yes! I don’t want him, River. I never wanted him,” she cries, and I know she probably has no spatial awareness right now, and who knows how close she is to anyone.
“Sloane, honey, volume.” I can’t exactly tell how drunk she is, and I don’t know if she’s close to crossing into hysteria, so I am placating her a little.
“No one is around!”
“Okay! Okay. You’re just drunk, and you’re screaming my name.” I sigh, knowing that there was only one way I could ensure that she’s safe and also might calm down. “I’m coming to get you,” I tell her, before opening my garage door and climbing in my car.
“What? Don’t be silly! I wouldn’t ask you to do that.”
“I don’t want you taking an Uber by yourself. I imagine everyone at that house is drunk or has had something to drink and can’t drive. I don’t know who is there and if there is a party that big… I don’t want you getting in trouble.”
“Just me? What about your guys?”
“I’m going to text them once I pick you up and we’re on the way back. With that many people there, anyone could have narced on them.”
“How long till you get here?”
“Twenty minutes.”
“There are a lot of people from Westlake here, but also from other schools.” She explains.
“Once I’m here, I’m going to drive down the block so I can still see you, but yes, it won’t be smart for me to pick you up right out front.”
“Okay.”
“I’m going to stay with you on the phone till I get there.”
“Okay,” she repeats, and I chuckle.
“Can you say anything else?”
“I thought you said we shouldn’t be talking.”
“We shouldn’t be. But you’re in trouble or at very least in an inconvenient situation, and I can help. Are you okay with leaving Delaney?”
“Shit, let me text her. Oh wait, she texted me already!” I can hear her mumbling the message, then, “Oh! Okay, cool,” she says aloud, and I assume she’s responding to it. “She said she wants to stay here with Cole. I haven’t told her I’m leaving yet, but I will once I’m gone.”
“Cole is one of Sam’s best friends,” I tell her. “I imagine he was probably always planning to stay.”
“Cole seems like a good guy,” she says.
“I don’t know him well, but Sam is, which is why I’m surprised by all these parties he’s been throwing. But I know his parents’ divorce just got finalized, and his dad has a girlfriend in Philly that he visits a lot. So this might be a bit of rebellion meets freedom meets access to an empty house.”
“Oooo tea!!” Sloane responds and I chuckle in response and I’m grateful it seems like she’s in a better mood.
“You still okay?” I ask her. I’m definitely going a little faster than I usually do, but I’ve seen the way parties of that size can get out of hand in the blink of an eye, and I don’t want anything to happen to Sloane.
“Yes, I’m okay,” she says, and I can still hear the alcohol and the sadness in her voice, but at least it doesn’t sound like she’s crying anymore.
“I’m all alone.” Her words resonate with me, and I hate that she feels that way.
It’s been two weeks in a brand-new school in a brand-new town that she’s only been in for a month.
Her parents aren’t here. There doesn’t seem to be much parental supervision despite what I thought after our first meeting, and Delaney has her own life. I’m not surprised she feels lonely.
I hated that.
And I also hate that I somehow made her feel less lonely, only to take that away, even if it was for the best.
It’s still for the best, River.
You are going to pick her up so that she’s safe.
Nothing more.
We stay on the phone until I get there, and sure enough when I drive by the house, it looks like a rager like one you’d see in college.
How had no one called the cops? My eyes look around all the houses in the cul-de-sac and I see that most of the lights are out.
Does no one care?
My windows are down and while the music from the house isn’t necessarily blasting to the point of disruption, it’s loud enough to know that someone is having a party there, if the cars parked all along the street weren’t a dead giveaway.
I hope no one is driving.
“Come walk to the end of the street.”
“You’re here?”
“Yes,” I say while I pull up my group text with a handful of the seniors from the football team.
Me:
Whoever is at Sam’s– Shut that shit down NOW. I mean it.
Ruddy:
Oh shit! I left straight from the game to visit Brooke at UMD tonight. I have been seeing the pics *eye emoji*
He says referring to his girlfriend who’s a year older than him and a freshman at the University of Maryland.
Jameson:
Do not look at me. I had curfew. I left already.
Mack:
Everything is fine, Coach. We’re good.
Me:
What did I say?
Sam:
Who snitched!!
Me:
If the cops show up and you guys all get citations, you can kiss starting the rest of the season goodbye. Also, if you’re eighteen, you’ll get a second charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for those under eighteen.
Ruddy:
Coach, are you there? Is shit still crazy?
Me:
No.
Sam:
Are you coming to pick up Margot? I know she mentioned being ready to go and was probably going to call you. I swear everything’s under control.
My heart practically slams in my chest the second Sloane gets in the car.
“Sorry, I wanted to let Delaney know I was leaving. She’s fine, though.
Thank you for coming,” she says and gives me a sad smile.
She looks gorgeous despite the black smudges beneath her eyes, and I reach across the console and gently wipe my thumb under them.
I cannot leave Margot here. Had I known she was here, I would have come to get her a long time ago.
I let out a sigh. “My niece is in there.”
Her wide eyes flit out the window and then back to me. “Oh… I don’t think I know your niece.”
“Her name is Margot. She’s a cheerleader for the team we played tonight.”
“Oh! I think I met her.”
“I can’t leave here without her.”
“I get it,” she says, starting to open the door.
“What are you doing? I am not leaving you.”
“But…”
“I will figure it out. She’s my niece. I’m not worried about her ratting me out to the school. But I can’t leave her here knowing she’s ready to go.”
Me:
Where are you?
Margot:
Who wants to know!
Me:
Margot Juliette, now is not the time.
Margot:
Party, why?
Me:
You feel safe?
Margot:
Sure!
Me:
One of the guys said you wanted to go
Margot:
Who?
Me:
It doesn’t matter who. What matters is that my seventeen-year-old niece is at a party, probably drunk, and mentioned wanting to leave.
Margot:
Oh, probably because one of those dorks wouldn’t leave me alone, and I dropped your name to get them off my back.
Me:
I’m outside. Come out.
Margot:
What? Why?
Me:
Long story. And come alone.
Margot:
I’m here with Mel!
Me:
You cannot bring her.
Margot:
I came with her, and she’s my best friend. Be for real. Her sister is going to pick us up at 1 AM!
Me:
How old is her sister?
Margot:
Twenty-one? She came home from college for the weekend.
Me:
She’s sober?
Margot:
She doesn’t drink. What is your deal!
Me:
You’re out drinking at a party at seventeen, and you’re asking me what my deal is?
Margot:
You act like this is new! I’m not even drunk.
Me:
I would just feel better if I could take you home. This party looks out of hand, and I don’t want you there if the cops get called.
Margot:
Do you think they will?
Me:
I don’t know. You want to risk it?
Margot:
Give me five.
Sloane, who was staring at my screen, darts her eyes to mine. “Are you sure you’re okay? I can find—”
“No,” I tell her. “You are probably ten times drunker than she is, and she’s with her best friend. I am not leaving you alone to get home on your own.”
I pull up the text with Sam only.
Me:
There are A LOT of cars out here.
Sam:
No one is driving who’s been drinking, Coach. Swear.
Me:
Do you want someone to get hurt, and then it’s on your hands because they were at your house? I don’t know the legalities, but you could be held liable.
Sam:
A lot of those cars are DDs, and some of them are staying the night. My dad’s a lawyer. I know the rules lol
Me:
But you don’t know not to throw a party of seventy-five plus people when you’re all underage?
Sam:
Everything’s fine. I swear.
I see movement next to my car, and then I notice Margot standing by the passenger-side window, looking at Sloane before looking at me, then climbing into the back seat.
“Okay, what the f?”