Brian put down the alcohol and headed over to Willow, wrapping her in a bear hug. “Damn, you look good.”
“Thanks. You… smell like you’ve had a lot to drink.”
He gave a short laugh. “Did you have fun at your friend’s house?”
“Yep. Obviously you have also been having fun.”
“We have. I was bummed you didn’t come earlier though, this was supposed to be our grad party for you.” Then, looking over his shoulder at his assembled, still-conscious friends, he said, “Willow just graduated high school, isn’t that badass?”
Candace was just drunk enough to think that was, in fact, badass, and she came over to offer Willow a hug. Still in Brian’s embrace, it turned into a claustrophobic group hug.
“Yay! That’s so exciting. Are you excited? Or did you love high school? You probably loved high school, didn’t you?”
Smiling a little as she tried to untangle herself, she said, “I love breathing—high school, not so much.”
Taking the hint, Brian let go and Candace stumbled, but caught herself. “I hated high school. It was so boring. College is a lot better. You’ll like college.”
“High school wasn’t bad,” Brian disagreed, but without much conviction. “You guys were probably doing it wrong.”
“Were you a cheerleader?” Candace asked, her gaze raking over Willow’s outfit.
“Nope.”
“Babe, I’m about to make some Hot Top—Hot Pot—dammit, Hot Pockets. Do you want one?”
“Do I want a Hot Pocket? No, thank you,” Willow said, smiling slightly. “Also, there’s a couple blocking the microwave, and they’re… pretty busy at the moment.”
He frowned momentarily before his expression cleared and he said, “Oh yeah, Eddie and what’s-her-nuts went in there, didn’t they?” Turning to Candace, he asked, “Do you want a Hot Pocket?”
“I’m so hungry, I would eat lead.”
Brian nodded and headed into the kitchen, Candace following behind him. Brian’s roomie, Cliff, came over to say hi and congratulate Willow on being a graduate.
“Are you gonna go to Disneyland?” he asked.
Frowning slightly, she said, “Um, not that I’m aware.”
“Isn’t that something you’re supposed to do?”
“I think that’s when you win the SuperBowl,” Willow suggested.
“Well still, you should do something to celebrate your freedom. Once you join the workforce, it’s all over.”
“I’ve already joined the workforce, so I guess it’s too late.”
“Aw, really? What do you do? Are you going to college with Brian?”
“I will be, yeah. I’m waiting tables right now, paying the bills, saving up.”
Pointing at her in the brazen manner drunk people do, he said, “Now that’s smart, I wish I did that.”
Brian peered around the corner and asked if anyone else wanted a Hot Pocket. A girl half-lying on one end of the couch glanced up, but made no further attempt to move. Cliff, on the other hand, realized how hungry he was and headed for the kitchen.
Willow sighed, glancing around the room. Across from the couch, a blue fold-up lawn chair was unoccupied, so she claimed it before anyone else came back in and beat her to it.
The difference between spending time with Ethan and spending time with Brian was glaring. Typically she enjoyed Brian’s lightness, but it wasn’t what she craved after a more adult evening at Ethan’s.
Pulling out her phone, she checked for new text messages, but had none. If she felt vaguely disappointed, she didn’t admit it.