I appreciate his candor, though. Most people would pretend they know what I’m talking about.
“It’s an illegal drug. One people take at parties and dance clubs and places like that. It heightens all your senses and makes you feel…euphoric.”
“So you’ve taken this drug before?”
“Who me? No. No way.” I’m the last person who needs to turn up the dial on her senses.
“But you drink.”
“Yeah, so? Don’t you?” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I realize there’s no red cup in his hand, or anywhere close by.
“Sometimes.”
“But not tonight?”
He simply shakes his head.
I can’t figure this guy out. Who comes alone to a frat party, doesn’t drink, and doesn’t talk to anyone but a complete stranger? And who doesn’t know what OD means? On the outside, he fits in. He’s as good-looking as any of the Omega Chi brothers, his clothes and hair are in fashion, and he doesn’t have a foreign accent—or any accent, for that matter. So why does he seem so out of place?
I’m blatantly studying him and he’s letting me. He doesn’t lookaway or try to fill the silence with small talk. I’m in wonder of him, and that’s dangerous.
When I murmur, “Are you from Mars?” he erupts in the deepest, warmest laugh.
He hooks a reassuring hand around my arm and gently squeezes. “No, I promise you, I’m not from Mars.”
“Sorry.”
“For what?”
“It’s just…you’re different.”
“So are you.”
I scoff. I’m exactly like every other girl at this party.
“Tell me about the guy who overdosed. Do you know if he’s okay?”
“He is. He got out of the hospital last night.”
“That’s good news.” Leo looks genuinely relieved.
“Yeah, I just found out a couple of hours ago. He’s all I’ve been thinking about for the past two days.”
“So it was really that bad?”
I wrap my arms around myself to keep from shivering. “He was having seizures.”
“Seizures?” There’s concern in Leo’s tone, not excitement. Maybe he doesn’t just care about getting the scoop.
“Yeah, and I saw it happening.” And now I can’t get it out of my head.
“You seemed pretty upset.”
“Well, I’ve never seen anyone having seizures?—”
“No, that’s not what I mean. I’m talking about before then.” Leo bends his head low, forcing me to step closer to hear him. “You knew something bad was happening, even though you didn’t know what it was.”
Everything around me goes still, and suddenly I’m as sober as a Sunday morning. “I’m sorry—what?”
