That was my beer, Wren objected.
A little louder there, jailbait. I dont think every cop on the street heard you. He was smiling.
Cath wasnt. Youre drunk, she said. Youre going home.
No. Cath. Im not. Im drunk, and Im staying out. Thats the whole fucking point of being out. She swayed, and Courtney giggled and put her arm around her. Wren looked at her roommate and started giggling, too.
Everythings the whole fucking point with you, Cath said quietly. The sleet was hitting her cheeks like gravel. Wren had tiny pieces of ice in her hair. Im not leaving you alone like this, Cath said.
Im not alone, Wren replied.
Its okay, Cath. Courtneys smile couldnt be more patronizing. Or more coated in pink lipstick. Im here, Han Solos here She smiled up flirtily at Jandro. the night is young.
The night is young! Wren sang, laying her head against Courtneys arm.
I cant just Cath shook her head.
Its fucking freezing out here. Courtney hugged Wren again. Come on.
Not Muggsys, Jandro said, starting to walk away. He glanced back at Cath, and for a second she thought he was going to say something, but he kept on walking. Wren and Courtney followed him. Courtney clomped. Wren
didnt look back.
Cath watched them walk up the block and disappear under another broken neon sign. She wiped the ice off her cheeks.
Hey, she heard someone say after a cold, wet minute. Levi. Still standing behind her.
Lets go, Cath said, looking down at the sidewalk. On top of everything else that was going wrong right this minute, Levi must think she was an idiot. Caths pajama pants were soaked, and the wind was blowing right through them. She shivered.
Levi walked past her, taking her hood and pulling it up over her head on his way. She followed him to his truck. Now that she realized how cold she was, her teeth were starting to chatter.
Ive got it, she said when Levi tried to help her in. She waited for him to walk away before heaving herself up onto the seat. Levi slid behind the wheel and started the truck, cranking up the heat and the windshield wipers, and holding his hands up to the vents. Seat belt, he said after a minute.
Oh, sorry Cath dug for the seat belt.
She buckled up. The truck still didnt move.
You did the right thing, you know.
Levi.
No, Cath said. I dont know.
You had to go check on her. Nine-one-one is nine-one-one.
And then I left hercompletely wastedwith a stranger and a moron.
That guy didnt seem like a stranger, Levi said.
Cath almost laughed. Because he hadnt argued with the moron part. Im her sister. Im supposed to look out for her.
Not against her will.
What if she passes out?
Does that happen a lot?
Cath looked over at him. His hair was wet, and you could see the tracks where hed pushed his fingers through it.
I dont want to talk about this anymore, she said.
Okay Are you hungry?
No. She looked down at her lap.
The truck still didnt move.
Because Im hungry, he said.
Arent you supposed to meet up with Reagan?
Yep. Later.
Cath rubbed her face again. The ice in her hair was melting and dripping into her eyes. Im wearing pajamas.
Levi put the truck into reverse. I know just the place.
* * *
The pajama pants werent a problem.
Levi took her to a twenty-four-hour truck stop near the edge of town. (Nothing in Lincoln was too far from the edge of town.) The place felt like it hadnt been redecorated ever, like maybe it had been built sixty years ago out of materials that were already worn and cracking. The waitress started pouring them coffee without even asking if they wanted any.
Perfect, Levi said, smiling at the waitress and shuffling out of his coat. She set the cream on the table and brushed his shoulder fondly.
Do you come here a lot? Cath asked, when the waitress left.
More than I go other places, I guess. If you order the corned beef hash, you dont have to eat for days. Cream?
Cath didnt usually order coffee, but she nodded anyway, and he topped off her cup. She pulled her saucer back and stared down at it. She heard Levi exhale.
I know how you feel right now, he said. I have two little sisters.
You dont know how I feel. Cath dumped in three packs of sugar. Shes not just my sister.
Do people really do that to you guys all the time?
Do what? Cath looked up at him, and he looked away.
The twin thing.
Oh. That. She stirred her coffee, clacking the spoon too hard against her cup. Not all the time. Only if were around drunks or, like, walking down the street.
He made a face. People are depraved.
The waitress came back, and Levi lit up for her. Predictably. He ordered corned beef hash. Cath stuck with coffee.
Shell grow out of it, he said when the waitress walked away from their booth. Reagans right. Its a freshman thing.
Im a freshman. Im not out getting wasted.
Levi laughed. Right. Because youre too busy throwing dance parties. What was the emergency anyway?
Cath watched him laugh and felt the sticky black pit yawn open in her stomach. Professor Piper. Simon. Baz. Neat, red F.