Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 87395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
"Even quickies take time, you know," Nicky said.
"Don't make me sick."
"You know, if you'd get around to popping Katelyn one, you wouldn't be so anal." Nicky ducked when Aaron threw a wadded-up napkin at him. "It's true. You are bringing her to the banquet, aren't you?"
"I haven't asked her yet."
"I think Andrew should ask her and see if she can tell the difference."
Andrew's smile was slow. "Okay."
"You aren't funny," Aaron said to Nicky. "Shut up."
They ate in silence when their ice cream showed up. The money Aaron left on the table was too much for just dessert, so Neil assumed they'd gotten their drugs.
The line outside Eden's Twilight was half the size as it was last time. Nicky blamed it on South Carolina's blue laws. Apparently alcohol sales were prohibited on Sunday, which meant the bars had to stop serving it at midnight Saturday. The group only had an hour and a half to drink, but Nicky promised there was a stash at "the house".
"But whose house is it?" Neil asked.
"Technically it's mine, but I consider it ours." Nicky waved to include the entire group in that. "I left Germany so I could be Aaron and Andrew's guardian, did you know? It was me or my super religious parents, and I figured I had a better chance of surviving Andrew. I bought that house so we'd have a place to stay. Dad cosigned it, but Erik helped fund it. I use my monthly stipend to make payments on the mortgage."
"If you have a house, why did you stay with Abby this summer?"
"Because Andrew didn't feel like driving Kevin back and forth to the upstate for practice every day," Nicky said.
He pulled up to the curb outside Eden's Twilight long enough to collect a VIP parking pass. The others went inside while he went down the street to the garage. It was easier to get a table tonight thanks to the shortened hours, but the club was still more crowded than Neil was comfortable with. Andrew left Aaron and Kevin to guard their seats and brought Neil with him to get their drinks. Roland the bartender was on duty again. Judging by the look on his face, he remembered Neil and couldn't believe he'd returned.
"He said no," Andrew said. "Keep them clean."
Neil was half-sure this was just a show, but Roland passed him an empty cup and a sealed can of soda. Neil checked the glass for residue as soon as Roland went to mix the others' drinks.
"Paranoid," Andrew said.
"If you're such a control freak you shouldn't be drinking either."
"I know what my limits are," Andrew said. "I'm not going to test them."
"And dust?"
"Too much crazy in this system for dust to make a difference, I guess. We got into dust for Aaron's sake. He needed something safe to get on when he was coming off everything his mother gave him."
Andrew gestured between their faces. "Do you remember this game? We're doing the honesty thing again, at least until I grow bored of it. In a moment you're going to be perfectly honest with me and tell me what I have to do to keep you here."
"Here's some honesty," Neil said. "I don't like you, and I don't trust you."
"It's mutual," Andrew said. "That doesn't change anything."
"Nicky says you're only keeping me here because of Kevin," Neil said. "What happens if Kevin gets bored of me?"
"Keep his interest," Andrew said, and it wasn't really a suggestion.
Neil gazed at him in silence, wondering how stupid and desperate he must be to put his trust in someone like Andrew. "Can you protect me from my past?"
"Your father's boss," Andrew guessed.
The truth burned Neil's tongue, sharp and sour like fresh blood. He swallowed it and said, "Yes. Word got around that the Moriyamas didn't trust his people anymore, and his business never really recovered. He's been after me ever since. He was arrested on some small charges a while back but he won't be in jail forever. You said the Moriyamas can't touch me this year because of Kevin, but he won't stop. If he finds me, he'll kill me."
"What a mess." Andrew sounded unsympathetic. "Easy enough to take care of, though."
A group of people shouldered their way up to the bar counter at Neil's back, pushing him into Andrew. Andrew didn't budge beneath his weight. He was something solid to lean against, something violent and fierce and unmoving. Neil couldn't remember what it felt like to have someone hold him up. It was terrifying and liberating all at once. His life was out of his control now; he was giving it to Andrew and hoping Andrew would keep it safe.
Roland returned with a tray of drinks. Andrew took it and motioned for Neil to go ahead of him and lifted the tray over his head. He'd just finished unloading drinks onto their tabletop when Nicky showed up.
Neil thought he'd seen them drink fast last time. It had nothing on tonight when they were racing the clock to midnight. He nursed his soda and watched them get trashed. They broke out the dust earlier this time, and Aaron and Nicky vanished to the dance floor shortly afterwards. Andrew collected empty cups and took the tray back to the bar.
It was the first time Neil and Kevin had been alone since the broadcast. Despite everything that happened that day, they had nothing to say to each other. They stared in opposite directions and sat in awkward silence the entire half-hour Andrew was gone. Neil was starting to think Andrew had gotten lost on his way back from the bar when Andrew finally returned with a load of drinks. He almost said something about it, but let it go in favor of watching them drink.
Last call for drinks went up at ten 'til midnight. Aaron and Nicky came back for a final round. Kevin had to climb up Andrew's side to get to his feet after downing thirteen drinks in an hour and a half. Neil thought it a miracle he stayed standing. Andrew helped Kevin out, so Neil kept Nicky from wheeling off the sidewalk into the road. Neil offered to drive, but Andrew ignored him and got into the driver's seat.