I step back from the wall because being nosey is only worth it if it’s something good. This is some kind of tortured breakup makeup relationship. But just as I’m double-checking my reflection, the guy’s voice says something that sounds way too much like “Kallie.” My eyebrows scrunch as I press my ear against the wall.
“If Kallie finds out …” He is talking about Kallie. There’s only one that I know of in our school. “She’s going through a tough time right now and the last thing I can do is break up with someone whose mom’s really sick. Let’s just wait a little longer. You better not say anything.”
Wait. Mrs. Vate—sick? What’s he talking about? Todd. It’s Todd. And it must be Molly in there. Oh. My. God. Todd’s cheating on Kallie with Molly. He just slept with her and it doesn’t sound like it was the first time. In a matter of five seconds I go from listening to teen TV show drama through a wall to hearing way more than I’d ever want to know.
I bolt from the bathroom to the stairs and shove my hand into my purse. I rush down the stairs, my eyes darting back and forth as my fingers flip through lip balms, receipts, and keys for my phone. This is going to crush Kallie. Right as I lift the phone from my bag, my whole body is jolted as I slam into something. My breath is knocked out of my chest with a loud gasp. A blur of silky blonde hair and pink screams and tumbles down the stairs. I stare in horror at the pink heap at the bottom of the stairs. It’s Molly. How could she have been coming up the stairs when—
“What the hell’s going on?” I turn and a puffy tiger-eyed Jane’s coming down the stairs behind me, twisting messy tangles of wavy dark hair into her fists, the light catching her auburn highlights. “Shit, are you okay Moll?”
Todd’s head appears over her shoulder. “Jane, wait. I’m not even finished talking to you.”
Molly jumps up, dusts herself off, and starts laughing. “Can’t feel a thing. Oh yeah!”
“I’m so sorry,” I say. “I was just coming down the stairs.”
“Doing what?” Jane asks, “Eavesdropping?” She glances over her shoulder at Todd. “I told you I heard something.” She meets my eyes with a sneer, “It’s your little friend Kallie’s BFF.”
Todd tugs at the collar of his black shirt and smooths his hands over his jeans. “Bree?” asks Todd, “What are you doing here?”
“Yeah, no kidding, what are you doing here Brittney?” Jane slurs, “Just because you’re on Prom Court doesn’t mean you’re all of a sudden invited to our parties.”
Anger and embarrassment rise in my chest and heat my face. If I could melt through the stairs and somehow end up back in my movie seat, that’d be great.
“Where the heck have you guys been? I’ve been looking aaaall over for you.” Molly laughs. “I am so not going to be able to drive us home. I shouldn’t’ve had those beer coolers.”
Todd rolls his eyes. “For fuck’s sake, seriously, Molly? You need to get out more. You’ve had a beer and half a HotShotz.”
Molly curves her goofy smile into a fake pout. “Stop yelling at me.”
Todd looks to me, “Bree, can we talk for a sec?” He pushes a sandy blond curl off his forehead sounding more like I’m the one in trouble, not him.
“What the hell would you need to talk to her for?” asks Jane.
Before I can respond to any of them, Sean appears at the bottom of the stairs, meeting my eyes with a smile held up by one corner of his mouth.
“Sean!”
“Sean.”
“SEEEEEAN!” All three of them say in unison.
“Hey, guess this is where the party’s at, huh?” says Sean.
Clearing my throat, I prepare for some kind of magical word formation to tumble out. “Ummmm …”
Clearly, dealing with cheating love triangles isn’t one of my hidden talents.
Jane shuffles past me on the stairs and throws her arm over Sean’s shoulder. “We were just wondering how Britta got here? Don’t tell me she’s with you again?”
“Again?” asks Todd. “Where’ve I been? You guys dating or something?”
Sean ducks out from under Jane’s arm and smiles, “Yeah Bree, how did you get here? First you’re sitting by me at the movies, now we’re at the same party. Something’s up.”
I know he’s kidding and sure, laughing seems logical, but just standing here has me feeling like I’m in a crowded, sweaty, everybody’s-carrying-bags-and-babies kind of elevator. I’m on the top floor, out of breath, and all the floor buttons are lit up.
My heart is ticking with furious beats that are way too close together. The ticking becomes a thud and I can’t slow it down. There’s a fist punching my throat from the inside and I can’t breathe with everyone looking at me.
My feet kick into flight mode and I’m down the last two steps, bumping Molly’s shoulder as she’s straightening her skirt. I push past Sean and Jane taking extra care not to make any more eye contact. Squeezing and turning my body through conversations and red cups, I weave my way back toward the front door.