“Are you trying to lure me somewhere to murder me?” It’s the first, and only, thing that comes to mind.
Eddie sighs again like his world is ending. “It’s Mark’s birthday.”
Technically, Eddie’s implication makes sense. Practically, I struggle with my interpretation. “You’re inviting me?” Again, I’m mean about how I answer. As if I’d rather die than attend.
Eddie roughs up his hair with a scowl. “Yes! I’m inviting you, dickhead. You better turn up.” He storms off, leaving me to stare after him in confusion. As Mark’s closest friend, Eddie has seen first-hand my bad language and stupidity, and he hasn’t taken kindly to it. Who would?
“Why would he invite you?” Louis asks, confused. “He knows you and Mark don’t get along.”
“Right,” I say.
“If everyone would stop acting stupid for five minutes, all of you would be best friends,” Bethany puts in. She continues eating her lunch, clearly not suspecting the invite is in any way malicious.
Tommy doesn’t look worried either. I would guess he’s thoughtful, based on his expression. He looks at me contemplatively. I don’t get an answer out of him until we’re walking to class.
“Eddie is Mark’s closest friend, right? And he doesn’t like you,” Tommy says. “So if he’s inviting you, then he must think that Mark wants you to be there.However, if it’s Mark’s birthday party, there will be a lot of guys there that don’t like you.”
That’s probably true, but…I gnaw at my bottom lip. “I could go?”
“If you’re going, I’m going.”
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Uh-huh. And what about when you pick a fight with Mark, and his friends take it personally?”
“I won’t pick a fight. We’ve had actual conversations, now.”
“You were picking a fight with Eddie two seconds ago.”
I hesitate. I’ve gotten much better around Mark. But Eddie is still…but…I want to go. Especially if I’m going to ask Mark out. Going to his birthday party seems like a good lead-in to that. If I can have a civil night with Mark and his friends, then I can try asking him out for…drinks? Dinner? A date of some description.
I’ve not beenon a date ever, so I’ll have to give it some thought.
My mind zings back to Eddie. “You can go?” I double check.
Tommy gives me a long look before nodding.
Chapter Ten
“You look nervous,” Louis says.
I’m antsy, though doing my best not to fidget. My new prosthetic arrived only a day before Mark’s birthday party, so I haven’t had the chance to get completely comfortable with it. It’s the exact same as the last one that snapped, but in a short two weeks, I grew accustomed to the crutches.
I glance at Louis, who’s standing next to me in the living room. We arrived together, and Louis is dressed nicely. I’ve thought about what Tommy told me, though haven’t drudged up the courage to ask Louis for any details. He sips from a clear plastic cup and regards me with his wide, innocent eyes. “Do you want to leave?” Louis asks when I’m slow to answer.
“No,” I say. “I’m just looking around. I don’t see Mark.”
Truthfully, I’m nervous because a lot of guys that are friends with Mark and not on friendly terms with me are eyeing me up. Their attention is very focused. Nerve-wracking. It’s making me hyper-aware of how I’m standing. Ugh. I rub the back of my neck and sip my drink—alcohol-free beer. I’ll need to be dead-steady on my feet before I’ll brave drinking alcohol out somewhere.
“Oh.” I spy a familiar face. “Bethany has Eddie cornered. See?”
Louis follows my gaze. “She does! Why’s she doing that?”
It looks like an interrogation to me. But like Bethany is doing the interrogating. Which means I don’t need to approach them, right? It would be nice if she kept him over there for the entire night.
“When is Tommy coming?” Louis asks.
“Soon as his shift at work finishes up,” I reply. “It should be—”
