“Why are you drinking it if you don’t like it?”
“I’m thirsty.” He puts it down and leans back in the chair. “I’m glad we’re staying in today. It’s definitely less stressful than being out in the world with them.”
“Yes, because people suck.”
“They do.”
I’m wearing my hair clipped up in a knot on top of my head. I unclip it now and shake it free. For no good reason.
“You have nice hair,” David says.
I shrug, pleased by the compliment but also a little surprised by it. “You said I was ridiculous for highlighting it.”
“You are. But it’s still nice hair. With or without highlights.”
“Thank you.”
A slightly awkward silence follows.
His fault for complimenting me.
It’s gotten kind of dark in the kitchen. I should turn on a light. But I don’t move. I just sit there, playing with my hair, darting glances at David Fields, who, in one of life’s weirder twists, is right now sitting alone with me in my kitchen.
He says abruptly, “Oh, so Ethan told my dad that he has a girlfriend.”
“What did your father say?”
He makes his voice gruff and dismissive. “?‘You’d better get a job, then—?if she’s anything like the women I’ve known, she’ll spend all your money and expect you to thank her for the privilege.’”
“Nice misogyny.”
“Well, to be fair to him, it’s not so much that he’s sexist as it is that he hates everyone. Also? He’s sexist.”
I laugh.
But he’s not smiling. “Meanwhile Ethan’s standing there, waiting for my father to see how exciting this is for him, how proud he is to be able to say he has a girlfriend—?but Dad just says that one unpleasant thing and walks away.” His fingers trace the writing on the can in front of him. Then he shifts and glances up. “You have to wait a long time if you want to hear my father say something nice. Like, forever.”
“I’m sorry. Ethan deserves to be appreciated. He’s so sweet.”
“I’ve never seen him do or say a mean thing. I mean, I’ve seen him be anxious and loud and demanding and annoying . . . but not mean. Never mean.”
“Ivy’s the same way. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone.”
“And yet they’re supposed to act more like us. That’s what we keep telling them.”
“Because it’s dangerous to be too nice. Selfish people get ahead.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Pretty dark thing for Chloe Mitchell to say.”
“It’s true.”
“So why aren’t you selfish?”
“Who says I’m not?”
“You told me your college plans depend on Ivy. Not a lot of kids our age worry about their siblings.”
I shrug. “Most people aren’t in my situation. You’re the only other person I know like me.”
“Yeah, I’m basically the male version of you.” He cocks his head at me. “And a look of horror crosses her face. Don’t worry, Mitchell. I was joking.”
“I didn’t look horrified,” I protest.
“You were terrified at the thought,” he says. “Admit it.”
“It was a look of intrigue—?I was intrigued by the possi-bility.”
“In a horrified sort of way.”
“Maybe,” I say, and we grin at each other and then the door from the kitchen to the garage bursts open, and Mom and Ron and James and Sarah all come flooding into the room, and we stare at them open-mouthed, and they stare at us open-mouthed, and then Sarah bursts out laughing.
“You should see your expression!” she says, coming toward us, curly hair bobbing on her shoulders. “You look like you’re about to faint.”
“They were parking out front just as we were pulling into the garage,” Mom says. “What’s this about Ivy having a date here? You didn’t say anything to me about that.”
“Sounds like someone didn’t want the parents around,” Ron says, setting a bag on the counter.
I glare at Sarah, who’s clearly been shooting off her mouth. Next to her, James is watching David with narrowed eyes.
I turn back to Mom. “I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, for Ivy’s sake.”
“Mm-hmmm,” Ron says, like he doesn’t believe me.
“Where are they?” Mom asks.
“In the family room. Watching TV.”
Ron says to Mom, “We should probably check on them. Not sure how long they should be left alone. For a lot of reasons.”
“I would like to meet Ethan,” she says. She holds her hand out to David. “You must be his brother.”
“Yeah.” Still sitting, he shakes her hand. James would have jumped to his feet the second Mom walked in the room. It’s the polite thing to do, and it bugs me that David doesn’t do it. Not because I think that kind of thing matters, but because other people do, and now that we’re spending a lot of time together, it would be helpful if he would stop alienating everyone he meets.
Mom doesn’t seem to mind, though. She smiles warmly and says, “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m going to the family room,” Ron says, and heads off. Mom excuses herself and follows.
“So,” James says. “What’s up, guys?”
“Not much. We’re just hanging out while Ivy and Ethan do their thing.” I go over and stand next to him. I feel wary, like he might be angry, but he doesn’t look angry. And that makes me wonder why I’m worried he might be. He knows what the story is with me and David, why we’ve ended up spending so much time together. He understands the situation. So why am I on edge?
“How’s the date going?” Sarah asks, dropping down into the seat next to David. “Are your siblings totally in love?”
David’s face has taken on the bland, distant expression he wears at school like a fencing mask. I hadn’t realized it was gone until it reappeared.
“This is disgusting,” he says, and for a second I think he’s talking about Sarah’s question but then I realize he’s tapping on the soda can.
Although I wouldn’t rule out a double meaning.
“So don’t drink it,” I say.
“I wasn’t planning to.” His tone is adversarial. We were friends a minute ago. We’re not now.