The Do-Over(32)
Author: Suzanne Park
“I . . . I need to leave,” I whispered.
Mia took one look at my face and knew I wasn’t joking. She asked PJ, “Can you get us out of here? Lily doesn’t do well with crowds. Or enclosed areas. Or party people.”
A few heat lamps were turned on, and the air on the covered patio became warm and ripe with sweat and beer stench. I swiveled my head to find a faster way to escape. Going through the house would be bad in terms of the number of bodies per square foot. Squeezing down the side of the house again was tricky, because it involved intoxicated climbing and, of course, flashing people. But of my two options, the flashing way out was the better one.
From behind, PJ grabbed my shoulders and steered me toward a nondescript section of the fence. “Push.”
I pushed.
It opened.
A magic passage.
Within a matter of seconds, we were on the other side of the barrier, on an adjacent lot. Floodlights around the property all flicked on at once. A small dog barked at the window of a charming two-story Craftsman. When I waved at the pup and shouted, “Hi, puppy!” it quieted down and wagged its tail.
PJ laughed. “That dog hates everyone. I’m impressed.”
Ethan groaned as he ran his hands along the fence. “Shit! Can we get back in? I left my chips and drink.”
“It’s hard to see the hidden opening, just keep pushing and pulling. This property we’re on used to be a sorority, and this secret entry between the two houses is well known among the Greek community.”
While Ethan continued to feel up the wood slats to rescue his beer and snacks, I said to PJ, “Thank you for the quick exit. It was too much for me.”
PJ nodded. “No problem. Thanks for showing up tonight. Grace had an orchestra performance, so she couldn’t make it.”
“Awww, look!” Beth pointed at the window. The dog was no longer there. In its place was an eerily familiar judgy cat. Furry face with a black masquerade-like mask. Piercing eyes.
“Hey, Lily.”
I gasped as Jake walked down the driveway. “What are you doing here?” I demanded.
He pointed at the house. “That’s where I live. And that’s the guard cat, Bandit, who is a much happier kitty now after her oral surgery. And technically, you’re trespassing, so I think the more important question is, why are you here? And why are you and your Charlie’s Angels entourage dressed like you’re going to burgle me?”
“Holy shit! Jake Cho.” Mia threw her drunken arms around him. “Lily told me you were her TA, but seeing you in 3D makes it way more real for me.” She jumped back. “Damn, you filled out. You been hitting the gym?”
Jake chuckled. “Mia, wow. I have been, actually, thanks for noticing. They have a great rock-climbing wall at the school fitness center now. I didn’t know you were back at Carlthorpe too. Are you back on campus for Lily’s book project?”
“What book project?” Mia asked, ignoring my telepathic pleas to keep quiet. “I’m just here for fun. She’s the one who didn’t graduate, not me.”
Searing heat flushed my cheeks and neck, sobering me right up. Shit.
Jake’s brows knitted together. “I see. So this means you’re the chaperone? Are you the only graduate in this group?”
Mia shot me an apologetic look, realizing she’d disclosed too much. “Oh fuck. Sorry, Lily.”
Ethan jumped into the conversation, if that was even what it was. It was more like a Lily roast. He looked over at the cup of beer in PJ’s hand. “Heya, TA! Just for the record, I’m Gen Z but drinking age. So is PJ. We’re twenty-one. Not like Lily and her friend.” He held his hands up. “No offense to anyone here.”
Beth chimed in, “Hey now, I’m young, I’m twenty-two.” Her eyes darted back and forth between Mia and me, then she glanced over at Jake. “No offense.”
Jake smirked. “No offense taken. Don’t let my hair make you think I’m way older than everyone by fifty years. I’m the same age as Lily and Mia.”
Beth’s cheeks turned bright pink as she took a final sip from her red Solo cup. “Thank goodness you’re not my TA, I’d be embarrassed by this entire encounter. Imagine seeing your teacher at a frat party.” She shot a look at me. Oops. Sorry, Roomie.
I sat flatly, “Well, now that we’ve all acknowledged the ancient elephant in the room, and it’s true that I still don’t have my college degree, this would probably be a good time to get going. Sorry about barging onto your property, Jake . . . er . . . Jacob.” I grabbed Mia and Beth by their elbows and tried to steer them in the direction of the street.
Beth wriggled out of my grip. “For the love of Taylor Swift. No more talking down on yourself like that, Roomie. No, ma’am!”
Mia nodded. “For once, I actually agree with Beth about something. But that ma’am thing stings a little.”
We looked over at PJ and Ethan, who had abruptly left to figure out how to open the hidden door on the gate.
“You know we can just walk around the front now that we’re on Jake’s property, right?” Mia noted.
PJ nodded. “Yeah, but the drinks are just on the other side of this fence. If we go through the front, it’s like you died in a video game, you lost a life, and have to start all over again. The final level is just”—he rammed his shoulders against the fence—“over. Here!” The door finally budged a few inches, which was all they needed for reentry. “Who wants to go back?”
Beth raised her hand. “Me!”
Mia looked at me. “Should I stay with you?”
I shook my head. “You go with them. Honestly, it’s okay. I can get home.”
“Okay, I’ll report back any fun findings. And I promise not to bring anyone back to your room.” Mia grinned and joined Beth just before they disappeared to the other side of the fence.
This left me alone with Jake, along with his voyeur dog and cat, both of whom were staring intently at us from the window.
The floodlights surrounding us clicked and the entire yard fell into darkness.
“I—I should get going.” I positioned my feet toward the closest streetlamp, the only light source other than party fairy lights lining the top of the neighboring fence. “See you later.” I shuffled my feet toward the road, moving carefully so I wouldn’t trip or fall in the dark.