GB96 s2 - Adulthood Part 7

You’re relieved to find no sign of that goddamn blonde co-ed, and you find yourself packed in nicely beside Stef on a loveseat that you’re sharing with Mary and her new boyfriend, whose name you don’t know. Everyone calls him Jameson, like the whiskey. He’s cute in a preppy way, and seems to treat Mary well. Stef has her arm around you, and you’re sipping Busch from red cups as some high school kids that should not be at this party attempt beer pong.

It's nice.

“Help,” Ellen says, startling you both by sticking her head in between you from behind the couch. You almost spill your beer.

“What?” you ask, heart racing.

“What do I do? She’s all tense,” Ellen reports worriedly.

“Who, Nadia?” So she found her? Good for her. You shake your head and come to your senses. “Don’t make a move, dumbass. Get to know her first.”

“I’m not!” Ellen protests. “We were just talking. I’m not trying anything,” she adds, giving you a look. “But she just… it’s like she doesn’t want to be here.”

“She goes to every party,” Stef assures Ellen.

“Wait,” you say, snapping your fingers. “You know who I didn’t see here? Teddy.”

“Oh, fuck me.” Stef snorts. “You’re right.”

“Huh?” Ellen is lost.

“Teddy is the dealer for all the rich kids,” you explain. “Nadia doesn’t want to be here without weed.” You frown and turn, peering toward the kitchen. “Dory’s here. She’ll have an emergency blunt or something in her car. Go buy it from her. You can be Nadia’s hero.”

“I,” Ellen begins, then her face falls. “I don’t have any money.”

Right. It’s Ellen. You and Stef exchange a look, wearing identical smiles. Stef reaches into the pocket of her flannel shirt and you get your purse. You contribute equally and hand the cash to an Ellen who is almost in tears.

“Go get it, then come find us,” Stef tells her.

“Why?” Ellen asks, puzzled as she stuffs the bills in the pocket of her shorts.

“We want to smoke too,” you tell her indignantly.

“Oh,” she replies, turning pink. “Right.”

She vanishes into the kitchen and you and Stef chuckle.

“Are you doing **** deals over there?” Mary asks, leaning over to look past her date. Her big hoop earrings catch the light. There’s glitter in her lip gloss. You barely even notice stuff like that anymore. Mary has nothing on Stef. The way that Stef has her arm around you right now is the epitome of your happiness.

“Just a small one,” Stef replies. “And it’s not us.”

“You’re accessories,” Mary notes playfully.

“Go away, nerd.”

Ellen returns, visibly out of breath. “I got it,” she reports proudly. You and Stef exchange another look, trying to contain yourselves. You can’t laugh at Ellen. She needs all of her confidence if she’s going to ask Nadia on a date.

“OK,” Stef says. “You go get her. We’ll find a spot.”

“Spot?”

“This is Nadia. She’s going to smoke that in front of everybody,” you tell Ellen quietly. You reluctantly stand up. Ellen goes to get Nadia and you and Stef head upstairs. You’ll probably have to hotbox a closet or something. The master bedroom door is closed and the sounds from in there are… that’s Demi Walsch! You wonder who she’s in there with. Stef covers her mouth, then pauses in front of another door. She checks with her ear, then opens it and turns on the light.

The bedroom inside has only a twin bed. The walls are covered in posters of comic books and athletes.

“Melissa’s kid sister’s room,” Stef guesses. She shrugs at you. “This’ll do.” You nod and go to the landing, beckoning to Ellen and Nadia. Nadia wears an adorable yellow dress and has her hair up in a big, blue clip. She looks eager.

A minute later you’re securely locked in the bedroom, holding your lungs full of… whatever Dory sold to Ellen. All four of you are perched on the bed, which has soccer balls on the bedspread. Stef wheezes and exhales, passing it back to you.

“What is that?” she demands, coughing.

“This works,” Nadia says, taking it from you for another massive hit.

“That’s not normal weed,” you say, clearing your throat. “That’s like weapons-grade kush or some shit.”

“Dude, you can’t tell the difference between kush and other shit,” Stef says.

“You don’t know,” you fire back.

“Thank you,” Nadia says to Ellen, who just blushes. They’re sitting extremely close together out of necessity on the tiny bed. Ellen is freaking out and Nadia seems comfortable with it. She doesn’t seem to notice Ellen’s discomfort. “God. These fucking bikers. They’re always out in the morning. Making more noise than god, man. When am I supposed to sleep?”

So that’s why she’s so tense.

“Don’t you live on the other side of town?” you ask her, making a point of not looking at Stef.

“They take the highway out. Where are they going? I don’t know. Doesn’t matter.” Nadia shakes her head and puffs. “Thank you,” she repeats to Ellen, sounding extremely heartfelt. Then she frowns. “Why didn’t we ever hang out in school?”

Ellen doesn’t pick up on it, but you and Stef do. Under normal circumstances, Nadia is not someone who gets too… spicy on very short notice. But a few beers, some extraordinarily dank weed, and an act of kindness from someone who is not a horny jock trying to get into her pants seems to have put Nadia in a certain state of mind. It’s not a sure thing, but…

Stef’s looking at you.

“Do we need to set the mood?” she whispers.

To help Ellen along? The way that Stef phrased it makes it sound casual and easy. Making out in front of Nadia, though? You aren’t sure.

Make out with Stef?

Or stay out of it?