He drunkenly pointed at an empty bottle of Jack tossed amongst theleaves.
“Oh my God… are you serious? Thewholebottle?” I hung my head. “Thewhole thing,Bo?”
He vomitedagain.
“Hey, he’s just a kid,” Noahsaid.
“I know.” For some reason, the fact that he was there aggravated me. Him telling me that my brother was just a kid annoyed me. I didn’t need him telling me to go easy on my brother. Noah Greyson didn’t know me, he didn’t know my family. For all I knew he was down there, feeding them alcohol. I was tired and stressed, and an unwarranted wave of repulsion rose inside me. “Why areyoueven here? What, were you giving themliquor?”
He frowned before pushing to hisfeet.
“Why are you down here with a bunch of drunk teenagers, Noah?” I askedagain.
“God, you really are no different, areyou?”
“Excuseme?”
“Poor white boy, has to be trouble, huh?” He laughed sarcastically, widening his stance and crossing his arms over hischest.
“I didn’t say that, I just…” I struggled for the words,embarrassed.
“They’re loud as shit. I could hear them from my Grandma’s frontporch.”
“I just—” Iswallowed.
“I came down here to take keys away. You know, so they couldn’t drivedrunk.”
Glancing down at the leaves, I rubbed my lips together. “I’msorry.”
“I could have just called the cops, but I’m not really that big of a shit, youknow?”
Bo dragged in a hard breath. When he glanced up at me, his face crumpled. “I shouldn’t have gotten drunk, I just, I just don’t want Momma to… I just want to be anywhereelse.”
I knew how he felt and it broke my heart. “It’s fine, Bo, it’s fine…” I sighed and grabbed his arm, throwing it over my shoulder and attempting to hoist him up. “Can you getup?”
“Yeah.” He staggered to his feet, and I fought to keep us both upright. Noah’s hand landed on my waist, steadyingme.
“Whoa, you’re gonna hurt yourself.” His hand subtly glided over my hip as he moved behind me, wedging his way between Bo and I. “Come on, kid.” He looped Bo’s arm over his shoulders. “One foot in front of theother.”
“I’m sorry I slung shit on you,” Bo slurred, his eyes crossing when he glanced up atNoah.
“It’sfine.”
They stumbled through the leaves past the crackling timbers of the bonfire with me a few steps behind. When they passed one of the trucks, a group of girls whistled, catching my attention. “Hey Noah!” they sang out. He ignored them, but I watched them watch him. The thing about Noah was, he commanded attention by simply existing. He walked like a bad boy, but he had just enough soul that he could get any good girl close enough to ruin her. Guys like him—they may have the best intentions, but they live to destroy themselves, and by proxy, they destroy you in theprocess.
“Where’s your car?” Noahasked.
“Up there.” I pointed up thehillside.
“Come on, Bo. Help me out,man.”
When we reached the top, Noah glanced over his shoulder. Bo swayed, and Noah steadied him while nodding toward Daddy’s truck. “And don’t tell me… you’re stuck?” Stifling a laugh, he dropped his chin and shook his head. I felt like the stupid, helpless girl, and I didn’t likethat.
“I was gonna get itout.”
“Uh-huh.” Noah dragged a half-conscious Bo over to me. “Got him?” I grabbed onto Bo and he slumped against me, groaning. Noah glanced at him. “Just keep him upright and give me five minutes.” He lifted his eyebrows, waiting for aresponse.
“Okay.”
