Cameron returns eventually, another beer in hand.
"Finish your drink, slowpoke."
"I will!" I scoff.
He leans against the opposite railing and I ask about his new projects. He laughs and starts telling me more about the penises he's casting.
"I still don't understand how you got all those guys to agree to that," I laugh.
"It wasn't hard. I mean, they didn't really know going into it. They just wanted to be a part of my project."
"Sounds about right."
Cameron gives me a smug look and shrugs a shoulder. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if part of his project turns out to be a psychological test just to see how many people would take part.
"You gonna do Rudolf?" I ask, wondering if Rudolf would do something like that. It doesn't seem like him.
"Do or do?" Cameron snorts.
I let out a strained laugh. "Both, I guess."
He shrugs again and takes a sip of his beer.
"We'll see how it goes."
Huh. That sounds like a yes to me. It's not shocking. Cameron probably wouldn't even bother with Rudolf if he didn't have some sort of goal in mind.
In the end, it's not really my business what they do with one another. I can't say I don't care, though. I don't want either of them screwing things up and getting hurt. I just want them to be safe and careful. I want them to make sure they're both on the same page and getting what they want.
As the night goes on, Cameron continues to drink and so do I.
"You're a lush tonight," he says.
"Nah," I shake my head. I'm not drunk yet. Just tipsy.
I'm honestly surprised Cameron hasn't ditched me for someone more interesting yet. I just keep drinking and staring off into space. After a little while, I feel a heavy hand in the middle of my back.
"Don't you fuckers get cold out here?" comes a voice, and when I turn around I see Lydia, eyes half-lidded and looking unamused as ever.
"Oh hey," I grin. "When'd you get here?"
"Half hour ago," she blinks. "So, what? You're trying to look cool or something? Because I know you two aren't just nice enough not to smoke in the house."
"Hi Lydia," Cameron sounds annoyed.
"Whatever," she scoffs, turning back to me. "What's up, Avery? I never see you out anymore."
"Hah, yeah," I rotate my septum piercing. "Senior crunch-time, y'know?"
"She's busy playing house with Rose," Cameron interjects.
"Well, she's my girlfriend. So, yeah, I kinda wanna spend time with her."
I expect him to start yammering to me about how I should be making connections, but he doesn't. Instead, he just shrugs it off. Must be the alcohol.
"Right on," Lydia comments. "Well, good for you."
She doesn't sound like she cares that much, but that's just her. There isn't much that gets her riled up. I know Cameron hates her, but I think she's funny. Cameron just doesn't like her because she doesn't buy into the image he wants to portray. Maybe he'd bother me too if I didn't understand his situation, but I can't say people don't encourage him a little bit with all their fawning. I know he worries a lot about his future. He really wants to impress his parents. He doesn't feel validated by them so he tries to get that from everyone else, and it works because he's hot and charismatic.
"So, I heard shit got crazy last weekend," Lydia crosses her arms and taps her finger against her cheek. "What was that fun mess about?"
I look at Cameron as he twists his mouth into a tight frown.
"Ex-boyfriend," he says vaguely.
"Oh wow," Lydia chuckles, giving him a look of feigned surprise. "I didn't realize you actually dated anyone ever, you player."
"It was back in high school," Cameron scowls.
"It was so fucked," I add, wrinkling my nose.
"Yeah," Cameron murmurs in agreement. "It was pretty fucked."
"Yeah?" Lydia pries. "I heard someone got taken to the hospital."
Cameron lets out a sharp sigh. "Yeah, that would be my ex. He's insane."
"Wow, looks like you've got great taste."
"As I said, it was in high school," Cameron snaps.
Lydia smiles dismissively at him and then turns to me. "So, what happened?"
I briskly relay the night's events to her, filling her in on bits and pieces she probably missed. Cameron looks annoyed, but it's not like this is a secret. Tons of people witnessed that shit show.
"That kid Rudolf you met at dinner was with us," I tell Lydia, hoping she'll remember who I'm talking about. "I think the whole thing really freaked him out."
"Oh, that quiet kid Cameron's trying to bone?" she curls her lips. "I'm sure that the whole scene made a real good impression, Cam."
Cameron rolls his eyes yet again. "Yeah, whatever. Jackson's a fucking tweaker. It's not like anyone would believe a word coming out of his mouth."
"Seriously?" she sneers. "Who the hell are you trying to fool?"
For fuck's sake. Why the hell do they need to bitch and moan at one another every fucking time they're in the same vicinity?
Cameron doesn't bother coming up with a witty response. Instead, he scoffs at her and then walks away.
Lydia raises an eyebrow and then turns to me. "Can you fucking believe him?" she spits.
I just shrug, sipping on my drink. I don't know what to tell her. Honestly, I expected Cameron to say something ten times as rude back to her.
"How do you not get sick of him?" she asks point-blank.
"He's my best friend. I got used to it."
"That's probably the worst reason I've ever heard for putting up with someone's bullshit," she presses her lips into a thin line.
"Really?" she chuckles. "You smoke like a pack a day."
"Whatever, fuck off," I snort. "I don't smoke much really when I'm back home. I always have to try extra hard to make sure I'm not going through withdrawal or whatever the whole time I'm there."
"You get pissy?"
"It's bad," I admit.
She chuckles. "Well, good fucking luck."
"Thanks," I mutter.
Honestly, things would be a hell of a lot easier if I didn't smoke. It's an expensive habit to have and I hate lying about it to my dad. I'm not good at lying. It takes too much effort. I know he would push me hard to quit if he found out how much I was smoking, but it's not like I'm not trying. I am! It just feels fucking impossible. Every day I insist I'll try, but then I put it off. Even if I make it a few days, I end up giving in sooner or later.
Before either of us can say anything else, two people exit the house. They look kind of familiar, but I'm not sure where to place them.
They're bickering with one another. Lydia makes a face, clearly irritated. The two people don't seem to care that we're here and keep going at it. Well, mostly it's the girl. The guy's just listening and nodding along in a weary way. I recognize them now. I've seen them around at parties but never talked with either of them. I think they're dating.
"Can you two NOT do that here?" Lydia snaps.
The girl gives us a dirty look but the guy just seems embarrassed.
"Sorry," he mumbles.
"Don't sweat it," I say casually, trying my best to diffuse the tension. "You guys good?"
"Yeah, we're good," he tells me sheepishly.
They don't seem good though, and the look his girl is wearing tells me this dude could probably use some saving.
"Do I know you two from somewhere?" I decide to ask, hoping the recognition goes both ways.
At that point, the girl decides to interject. "Well, we go to a lot of these parties."
"Congrats," Lydia murmurs sarcastically.
"Cool, well, I just get dragged to them," I refrain from rolling my eyes. "What're your names? You look familiar."
"I'm Gwen," the girl says in an agitated tone. Then, jabbing a thumb at the guy next to her, tacks on, "This is Everest."
I hold up a hand and nod.
"Nice to meet you."
The guy named Everest nods back. "Likewise."
"Do you guys go to MAA?"
"No," Gwen says quickly. "I go to UofM."
She pauses and then looks at Everest. "He doesn't go to school."
She says it like it's the worst thing in the world.
"You work?" I ask.
He nods. "Grocery store."
"Oh, right on," I say. "Nothin' wrong with that."
Gwen sneers. She doesn't agree. I almost say something, but catch myself because it's not my place.
"It's low pressure," Everest explains, sounding like he's trying to defend himself. "High school sort of sucked so I was just like...why keep doing that?"
I chuckle. "I hear you. It took a lot of convincing for me to get my sorry ass out of my dad's apartment in New York and halfway across the country."
"Oh cool," he shifts from one foot to another. "You're from New York?"
"Brooklyn," I elaborate.
"Cool, cool," he bobs his head. "I've never been there. I'm from Little Falls."
"Little Falls?"
"It's like, two hours from here," he pauses. "There's literally no reason for you to have ever been there."
"He grew up on a farm," Gwen supplies with a snort.
"What!? That's lit!" I exclaim. "Like goats and shit?"
Everest cracks a little smile. "Some goats, yeah. Mostly cows though and then we had some other random animals. It was all right. Probably not much compared to growing up in a big city."
"The city is overrated," I respond lightly, joking around a bit. I miss it sometimes.
The conversation dwindles after that, but before things can get too awkward Cameron reappears. He has two drinks in hand and passes one over to me.
"Thanks," I say, taking a sip.
Jesus Christ, it's strong.
"Man, what the hell?"
He laughs. "Just drink, Avery. Don't be boring."