Science 10

“You guys are a thirsty bunch,” Scott says.

You freeze, holding the refrigerator open. Scott’s eyes are on the rows of cans and bottles inside. “Oh.” You hand him a beer and stand back. He’s remarking on the number of beverages in there. When you first moved in with no AC, it had made sense to stock the fridge with cold drinks. But alcohol only makes it easier to succumb, and weed seltzer’s even worse. Everyone’s drinking Snapple and Coke Zero instead. Although you suspect that some of them are sneaking some real drinks at night; it’s the best explanation for some of the nocturnal visits you have gotten.

You get ready to speak, but the one called Apple blitzes into the kitchen, waving her gizmo, which crackles noisily. “Oh my,” she says, and she has an accent. English or Irish or something. She blows out as fast as she came in, curls bouncing.

“I have something!” Meri bellows from upstairs.

“Narrator voice: she didn’t have something,” Scott says, clinking beers with you.

You shrug. “Her sister’s dating my sister, so we have to let her do her thing.”

“You’re a better person than I am.”

The two of you drink in silence, and it feels amazing. You love your family, but you’re even more sick of them than you would be if these were normal circumstances. You miss Graham and Ash, but Scott will do. It’s really nice to hang out with another guy for a change. Your social life is cold and dead with things in this state, and you’re still behind on your work on the house.

“Maybe it really is haunted,” Scott says quietly.

“Huh?”

“I think there’s a gremlin or something over there?”

“What? Oh, for… come on.” You put your beer down and go to the door. Sure enough, Delta lurks in the foyer. She was peeking into the kitchen like this is a 90s Disney movie.

Footsteps thump around upstairs and Meri’s dumbass club members jabber excitedly.

She glares at you. “He saw me, didn’t he?”

“I couldn’t believe it, either. You’re so stealthy.”

“Shut up. When were you gonna tell me he was back in town?”

You balk. “You didn’t know?”

She stomps on your foot, then peers around the doorframe again. “He’s so different.”

You know what she means. Scott was always intense, but now it’s downright bizarre.

“Oh my god.” You feel so stupid for not noticing it sooner. Delta has a thing for Scott. Now that you have opened the door to that in your mind, it makes sense. You suddenly recall little moments, especially one at the public pool. Yeah. You’ve got it. “Just go talk to him?”

“What? Shut up. Did he say anything about me?”

“Why don’t you just come in here and hang out with us?”

There’s a thud from upstairs, and you both look at the ceiling. She grabs your sleeve and gives you a murderous look.

“What?” Baffled, you search her face. “Oh, come on!”

“Shut up,” she snarls, giving your sleeve a hard jerk. You’re having some trouble wrapping your head around this. Is your little sister really down this bad for Scott? That thought has consequences.

“Fuck,” you mutter, grabbing her shoulder and squeezing. She winces, but doesn’t complain; she’s doing the same thing to your arm. You start to give her a push at the same time that she tries to drag you.

There’s one basement entrance in the kitchen, and another at the rear of the house. You and Delta stumble through the short hallway leading off the foyer and fumble your way through that door. You manage to get it shut before you shove her against the wall, her hand grabbing your package at the same time that you slip yours into her joggers.

The groping is absurd, but stimulating. You grab her whole mound while she fights against your zipper. Things get hot and wet between her legs in seconds.

“Hey,” she pants, nuzzling your neck. Teeth nip. She had better not give you a hickey.

“What?” you mutter, entering her with your finger. She gasps and hugs you.

“You think any of them are cute?”

“What?”

“Those nerds? Would you fuck any of them?”

This is coming out of nowhere. But Delta just taking one look at Scott and going into heat is unexpected too. You have to remember that other people get to be sexual beings as well. They all have their own things going on.

“Tell me,” she says. This pushiness when she’s turned on, you already knew about. You’d better answer her. You have not slept with any of those nerds and have no idea what to say.