“Boy Toy!” Drew sniggers, filing in with Dannii in tow. “Glad to see you, man.”
“Yeah, you too.” I take the sight of them in for a moment: he’s wearing jeans and a tight plain black t-shirt with a black leather jacket. She’s wearing the same, just a tighter version.
“You had us all real worried. Dipshit over there would have had to take your place as lead.” I smile as TJ turns and flips Drew the bird.
“Are they coordinating their clothes or something?” I ask TJ under my breath as we file into the kitchen and grab drinks.
“Yep,” he sniggers as he pushes Drew’s back, “She’s * whipped him good!” he barks out.
“Screw you!” Drew retorts uninterestedly, not bothering to even turn. Dannii does though, and if looks could kill, TJ would be so dead they’d have to bury him twice.
We sit around the island talking. Blair handles most of the questions, seeing as how I can’t really recall shit, and I sit back, happy to let her do it as she perches on my lap.
“You know you look like shit, right?” Jackson tells me before taking a long pull on his beer. Everyone is in the kitchen, laughing and joking. I’d slipped out to clear my head, and Jackson followed. I fiddle with an invisible piece of lint on my leg as I look out over the pool.
“Thanks, man.”
“Seriously, bro, you okay? I heard what’s going on with your old man. Your mom called my mom. You know how they are…she said he needed a pretty big op.”
“I don’t really want to talk about it, but thanks.”
“Hey, no pressure…if you do though, I’m here.”
We stare at each other for a beat too long and it’s weird as hell.
“Dude, should we like hug or shit?” he says, and I push him off the side of the lounger he’s settled on.
“Quit being a *.”
“Score! Who’s * are we talking about?” TJ asks with a grin as he takes a seat.
“Your mom’s!” Jackson and I deadpan in unison.
“That’s gross, assholes! So, you guys do realize I’m the only single one now since this dick,” he points to Jackson who scowls in return, “decided to shack up with the rack on legs inside.”
“Dude that’s my fucking girlfriend—don’t call her that!”
“Seriously, YOU were calling her that a few days ago!”
I laugh and look over at Jackson. “How did that come about? Since when do you do girlfriends?”
“Says Mr. Bang Them and Bail himself! Things change; you of all people should get that. I like her, she’s cool.”
I nod knowingly and TJ groans.
“What the hell is up with everyone? Damn, next you’ll be braiding each other’s hair and talking about your periods syncing and shit.” Jackson and I laugh as he stares at us disappointedly. “I’m going back inside. Casey talks better smack than you two powder puffs.” With that, he steals Jackson’s beer and disappears into the house hollering for someone to turn the chick music off.
Jackson leans forward and blows out a breath. “So I need to give you a heads up; there are some rumors circulating around school. I’m not sure if you and Blair are planning on being there Monday morning, but I thought you should know.”
“Okay, what rumors?” I ask feeling suddenly on edge.
He cringes a little before answering through gritted teeth. “That you were hooking up with Della before you and Blair set off on your trip. You didn’t, did you?”
I stare at him with a panicked look on my face.
“Shit. You did, didn’t you?”
“What? No! At least, I don’t think I did. Fuck, I don’t know…I have amnesia for god's sake! I wouldn’t do that to her. I love her, I…I…” My leg thrusts out as I kick the lounge chair TJ just vacated in a fit of frustration, and watch as it digs into the lawn and tumbles onto its side.
“It sounds like something I would have done before Blair. What if I did?”
“What if you did what?” she asks, appearing on the patio.
Fuck.
“Um, I’ll be inside,” Jackson says, giving me a wide-eyed stare that tells me I’m screwed as he passes.
I run my hands over my head and grip the back of my neck. She stays unmoving, like she knows I’m about to say something she doesn’t like. I pull her into my lap and kiss her temple quickly. “Don’t be mad okay?”
“That’s the worst opener to a conversation you could ever say, Ethan!”
I take a deep breath and tell her about the rumors in one long exhale.
“Did you do it?”
“Truthfully? I don’t know; I don’t remember. But I swear to you, Princess, the way I feel about you…I don’t think I could have. I love you, Blair, honestly. I can—” my flustered rambling is cut off as she places two fingers over my mouth, silencing me.
“Della’s jealous. She pretty much hates me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s started these stories up herself to break us up. If you say you think you didn’t do it, then I believe you.”
My jaw goes slack, and I look at her in awe. “As easy as that?” I say in a disbelieving tone and watch the frown grip her lips.