Every Which Way (Sloan Brothers) (5 page)

Anne squeezed Severine’s cheeks together and cooed. “Because I give you the world’s cheesiest examples, and I’m gonna find Ben. Then I’m gonna make him dance with Lily. That’s why we’re friends.” She grabbed Lily’s hand and stomped towards the front room.

“I hate you!” Severine shouted.

“You freaking LOVE ME!” Anne screamed back.

She rotated on the counter-top and stared at the people dancing. For once, she wasn’t out there. She wasn’t in bliss. Her mind wasn’t content.

Severine felt like shit.

Thayer glanced across the room at her. She wanted to look anywhere else. Her mind whispered that it’d be incredibly weak of her to turn away first. But she did anyway.

Her feet touched the wood floor. She needed some air.

“Mac, I think we should leave. I hate-”

Severine heard the name Mac, and her ears perked up. The voice that was speaking was high-pitched and annoying. It was Fran Drescher on a bad day.

Macsen and Haley stood huddled together in the tight hallway. She didn’t know what was going on between the two of them. Truthfully, Severine didn’t really care. Macsen was here, and it perked her mood up slightly.

Her lips turned up in a smile. There was something about this guy. He had on a baseball cap, and even in a shaded, dark hallway, it fit him. He stood tall, leaning against the wall. His arms were crossed as he listened to Haley talk. His eyes were focused on her, but they looked vaguely bored.

“Macsen, oh, Macsen!” Severine sang out.

His head snapped in her direction, and recognition showed in his eyes. Her confidence was back. It made her movement fluid, her smile secure. Unlike his, which was hesitant as she came closer. “Hey.”

Severine leaned against the wall. She attempted to stare at his eyes, but it was too dim. “What are you doing here?”

His expression was dull, almost uninterested. “It’s a party. What do you think I’m doing here?”

“I mean literally. Why are you here?” She made a face and tapped the wall behind him. “You’re standing in a creepy, dark hallway that looks like the set for the next Freddy Krueger movie.”

He smiled widely, and Severine’s heart escalated into a never-ending hammer. It was wrong that she could amass so much satisfaction from their encounters. But it was a good kind of wrong.

“So what are you doing here? Thayer’s...” He flung his hand toward the sounds of people. “Well, he’s somewhere. Shouldn’t you be with him?”

Did he still think she was after him? It was Severine’s turn to give a dull expression. “If I wanted to get in his pants, don’t you think I’d be with him now, close enough to be a second skin?”

Macsen’s cheeks colored. It seemed like every time Severine talked to him, she always managed to take him off guard. And when she did, his face showed his shock. His eyes widened before they flicked down to the ground. He scratched at the black stubble on his face and rubbed his neck. He didn’t hide anything: annoyance, anger or happiness. Severine could read his emotions. It sent a feeling of euphoria through her body.

He shook his head back and forth and slowly grinned. “Do you ever not say what you’re feeling?”

Severine smiled mischievously. “Do you want me to?”

Briefly, his eyes glanced behind her. His eyes were deep in concentration, almost callous. Before Severine turned to look behind her, his eyes drew back to her face. With a light smirk on his face, he leaned closer. “No, I don’t think I do.”

Someone coughed loudly behind Macsen, and he jumped at the sound. He was lost in her. But, then again, she had also forgotten Haley was there.

“I need to go to the restroom,” Haley bit out sharply.

Severine watched as he nodded and smiled a friendly smile. Friendly. She stored that away in her head.

The bathroom door slammed. Severine cringed and moved toward the opposite wall.“Are you two together or something?”

Macsen dug his hands deeply into his jean pockets. His expression was amused as he looked at her. “No.”

“Not together, but she acts like she owns you.” Severine tsked lightly. “Sounds like there’s something there.”

He shrugged. “We’ve known each other since high school. We’re just good friends.”

“Ooo-kay,” Severine drew out slowly.

“She’s just a protective friend,” Macsen admitted.

“That’s what the passive dumb girl says about her abusive relationship with her boyfriend.”

He remained silent and Severine continued, “So all this time we’ve had the same class together...”

“And two others,” Macsen said quickly.

Severine gave him a look and said, “No, we don’t.”

“Yeah, like, we totally do,” Macsen said in a girl’s voice.

“Fine, name them.”

“Psychology 101 and Literature. And if you don’t believe me, you usually slip in before class begins and sit near the back with your friends.”

“So you watch me? Are you one of the quiet, stalker types that silently keeps watch of all the girls in the room?”

“What kind of predator description is that?”

Severine looked up at the ceiling in thought and snapped her fingers. “Ted Bundy! Hah!”

“No, that’s a serial killer,” Macsen smiled widely. “You compared me to a serial killer. Nice.”

“You never know, it could happen.”

“All right. Okay, fine. If I become a serial killer all because of this conversation, I am bringing you down during my trial.”

“An accomplice?”

“Precisely.” His expression showed his amusement. She finally realized that she didn’t know where Lily was, Anne could be in a fight with some dude, and her mind hadn’t thought about Thayer in...a while. It felt good.

“I think this is the most messed up conversation I’ve ever had,” Macsen said slowly.

Severine schooled her features into shock. “What? You usually don’t talk about your ambitions? I’m honored to be the first.”

His laughter came out choked. “I think my ambitions are directed toward a different road.”

“Oh yeah? Where...”

“Mac, I’m ready to go,” a voice snapped out. It cut their moment in two.

Haley locked her hands firmly on her hips. She pierced Severine with a harsh stare, eyes flared with a challenge. Severine arranged a smile on her face, one that showed just how relaxed she was with this girl. There was nothing to prove against Haley.

“You okay?” Macsen asked her with concern.

Haley shook her head. “You’re my ride, and I don’t feel good.”

“Oh.” Macsen glanced at Severine with conflict in his eyes before looking at Haley. “Yeah, come on. I’ll take you home.”

“I’ll see ya later, Macsen,” Severine called out.

He nodded his head slowly. It was like he was recognizing her for who she really was. “I’ll definitely see you later.”

He brushed past her and walked down the hall. Severine waited. Whatever was coursing through her, she wanted more. There could be substance between them; a level of interest with Macsen that she didn’t expect. Before she had walked into this house, Severine knew the element that held her the most was curiosity. It was eager and intense. But how much of her interest was inquisitive? And when did it morph into something more?

No one would ever know where Severine truly came from. No one would know that her dad was a magician that never seemed to stop disappearing.

Anyone who looked at Severine would see a girl that was confident and strong.

Her mom’s voice flashed into her head, along with the memory of her mom wiping away the tears from her face
.” You should never show your emotions. Someone will steal them away, and you’ll be left with nothing, Severine...”

Severine didn’t want to be crumbled into nothing. But she wanted to have that feeling. Severine wanted to know if she was really missing out—was there something to relationships that she just wasn’t seeing? Was it truly worth it?

But Macsen might be. He seemed like a risk she wanted to try to take.

She walked back to the island next to the kitchen and leaned in the same spot she had been in before.

Tim slid up beside her and pointed at Ben and Lily. They danced close together, and Severine watched her friend with a smile that was genuine, yet pensive.

“They’re really hitting it off,” Tim stated.

“Yeah, they look good together.” Severine grabbed his beer and took a long drink. She was over- thinking everything. Why was she building a situation up that wasn’t even there?

Severine turned and placed the empty bottle on the counter behind the two of them and yanked his hand. “Come on, let’s dance.”

Chapter Four

“How much do you want?”

“Everything you have.”

“Do you wanna get your stomach pumped?”

Severine groaned and held out her hand. “Whatever. Just give me some. I’m dying over here.”

Lily shook out four Tylenol and dumped them into Severine’s outstretched hand. “Why did you drink so much?”

Severine held up a finger and quickly swallowed the pills down. They needed to kick in. Fast.

She looked like shit. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face pale. The first thing she did when Lily woke her up was grab her sunglasses. Lily was determined to keep up with their Saturday routine, whether Severine was hung-over or not.

That’s how Severine ended up at IHOP, staring at the menu until her eyes crossed. “This is your fault,” Severine muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Right. I forced you to sit in front of the Jager-train, held your mouth open, and shoved the liquid down your throat.”

Severine adjusted her glasses and leaned further back in the booth. “I’m glad that you can at least admit it.”

Lily’s food came, and Severine sipped from the coffee in front of her. Last night she acted stupid. Did she regret getting drunk? Hell, yes. Who wouldn’t? The side effects made Severine want to boycott parties altogether. More than anything, she regretted the reason why she drank.

When her vision settled on the dark liquid in front of her, Macsen’s face swirled in the cup. She blinked once, and his face was gone. She was falling apart over a guy—a guy she had only spoken to twice.

Severine grabbed a napkin and picked it apart. Pieces fell to the slightly clean table. She used this as a distraction from the nausea brewing in her gut and the confusion in her head.

Lily’s fork dragged across her plate, and Severine scrunched her face up in pain. “You’re eating like a pig.”

Lily bit into her pancake and made a face of bliss. “Seems like someone’s a little jealous they can’t enjoy all my yummy food.”

“Blech,” Severine grumbled and laid her face on the table.

“Stop. You’re ruining my perfect breakfast. And besides, I have Ben news.”

Severine moved her head and smiled across the table at her friend. “Yeah? Was it a love connection?”

Her fork clanked loudly onto her plate as she leaned forward. This time, the noise was an accident. “He’s amazing! I swear, we talked for hours last night. Ben’s just...so...sweet, attentive.” Lily paused and quickly shook her head. “Okay, now I’m rambling like an idiot.”

“It’s okay.” Severine’s smile was tiny, but she was so happy for her friend. “You’re happy. You deserve to be. So, when are you gonna see him again?”

Lily’s face was blank, “Uh...in class?”

“Oy!” Severine wanted to clasp her head in frustration but that would only bring more pain. “Lily, did he say he wanted to?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s Benji, so he probably will. But you need to keep going, no more being shy! And if all else fails, lure him in with pizza.”

“What if he doesn’t like pizza?” Lily asked.

“Then he’s a cyborg robot and needs to be executed immediately!”

The waitress came and took away Lily’s food. When she left, Lily drummed her fingers repeatedly on the table. “Why did you drink so much last night?”

“Lapse in judgment. It won’t happen again.”

Lily’s laugh came out in a short burst. “I’m not judging. It’s just not like you to do that.”

It wasn’t like her to be this confused either. But apparently her mind wanted to travel down a different direction lately.

“What’s going on with you?”

Severine stood up straighter. Lily narrowed her eyes. She couldn’t hide anything from Lily, and even when she could, it didn’t last long. She’d better make it last. “Nothing is wrong. I’m still seeing double. Other than that, I’m fine.”

“I should make you take those damn sunglasses off,” Lily finally muttered.

“But you won’t, because you love me.”

The waitress came back with their bills and handed Severine a to-go box with food.

Lily gave her a strange look. Severine placed her money on the table and slid out of the booth with her food in one arm. “I’m hung-over, not stupid. You better believe I’m getting food to go.”

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