Free The Clearing by Heather Davis Page B

his drunk ex, that was just great.
    Quinn stroked back his long bangs and leaned against the post. "You know, it's pretty loud, even out here. We could go somewhere else to talk, if you want."
    "Um, that's okay; this is fine."
    "Wel , I didn't mean just talk," Quinn said, his eyes twinkling.
    I frowned at him. "Um, what about Melanie?"
    "We're—we're not that serious," he said. "She doesn't know everything I do. I just figured you might like to get to know me better." Quinn scooted closer to me on the bench. "I don't know ... There's something between us. Can't you feel it?"
    I felt myself blush. I couldn't help it. I did think Quinn was cute—I had from the first time I saw him in the grocery store—but come on!
    "Amy," Quinn whispered, his beer-scented breath fanning against my cheek, "you know it would be fun."
    I sat very stil for a moment, total y creeped out. I guess I hadn't thought that Quinn was like the random-hook-up party guy he seemed to be at the moment. I'd given him way more credit than he'd deserved. I stood up and said, "I've got to go."
    "Don't run away." Quinn grinned, reaching out toward my hip.
    I shoved the beer can into his open hand. "Later."
    There was no reason to stay, so I walked back inside to thank Lori for inviting me. But no one I asked seemed to know where she was. That made me nervous. Even though I barely knew the girl, she'd seemed pretty smashed. I didn't like the thought of Lori passed out somewhere.
    I pushed my way up through the crowd on the stairs and opened the first door. The room was empty except for a pile of coats and a white cat peeking out from under the bed.
    The next door I pushed open was a bathroom, where a girl fixed her makeup at the mirror while another girl puked in the toilet.
    "Sorry." I shut the door. "Lori?" I cal ed as I went into the next room.
    But it wasn't Lori. It was a couple sitting on a bed in the dark: Jackson and Shel i. I turned to go.
    "Hey!" Jackson said. "Wait, Amy." He got up and walked to the doorway.
    "No, it's okay. I'm just looking for Lori," I said. "Sorry."
    "Is everything al right?" he asked.
    "Yeah. It's fine. Total y fine. I'm heading out."
    He put a hand on my arm. "You need a ride home or something?"
    "No, I just wanted to find Lori."
    "I saw her out on the front porch a little while ago."
    "She seemed pretty wasted before."
    "I'l keep an eye on her, I promise," he said. "I'l be right down to find her."
    I glanced past his shoulder. Shel i was lying back on the bed now, knees up and hands flopped down at her sides.
    Jackson noticed my stare. "Shel i's fine, too. I'l take her down to get some air."
    "You guys sure know how to party," I said, leaning against the doorway.
    He shrugged. "Some people get a little out of control. Don't tel me you guys didn't party in Seattle."
    "No. We partied." I let out a breath I'd been holding.
    "I promise nothing bad's gonna happen. I'l make sure of it."
    I left Jackson in the doorway and headed back down the stairs. Forcing my way through the crowd, I felt more alone than ever, even though I was surrounded by more people than I had been in weeks. Outside, I final y found Lori on the steps, blowing a lopsided smoke ring into the bluish-tinged glow of the porch light. Her eyes were half closed, but she was sitting upright. I didn't know if I could trust Jackson when he'd said he'd look out for her. I stood there thinking I should stay, but it was al too much.
    Al too familiar.
    I sucked in clean, clear air as I jogged off down the driveway, grateful for the cover of the dark night.

    ***
    The weekend passed slowly, and the rain came, dripping from the trailer's downspout into puddles outside my window. I lay in my bed, thinking of the night before and of the things I'd left behind. Getting used to Rockvil e was harder than I thought it would be. It didn't real y seem like anyone was even halfway cool. Wel , no one but Henry. I could have gone to see him, but after his weirdness about coming to the party,