Page 35 of Forever is the Sweetest Con
“Whatwasin that punch?” Garrett is sitting on the edge of the top bunk over Harmony, his legs dangling down, his head in his hands.
“Whatever it was, the vibes were fuckin’ tight,” Damian says from underneath his pillow.
We all make noises of agreement. Ithadbeen an exceptionally fun night, if not a little chaotic. But at least this hangover isn’t for nothing.
“C’mon, girl, let’s go get some brekkie.” Harmony has somehow managed to get up and dressed. She eyes Isa warily as she reaches out her hand to me.
“Looks like Isa’s only got eyes for you, now,” she says, as we amble to the Mess Hall.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“I thought you’d be happier about it.”
“I’m happy,” I say. “I just don’t want to cause any drama with Sue-Ellen.”
“And Kei?”
My breath catches. “What about him?”
“You two looked pretty cozy on the dance floor.”
I have a flash of a memory: Kei, holding me around my waist, our foreheads pressed together, as we sway to “All My Life,” by K-Ci and JoJo.
I wish I could tell Harmony, get her take on this Kei-shaped wrench that’s been thrown into my plans. But all I say is, “Yeah. Maybe. I don’t know.”
“What’s he doing?” Harmony points at Garrett, who is outside the Arts & Rec cabin, rifling through the garbage can. He pulls out one of the red plastic cups from last night and inspects it. “He’s a strange bird, that one,” she says, eyeing him. I look at Garrett. His brow is wrinkled and he’s muttering to himself.
“Yeah,” I say, in weak agreement.
We’re the first to arrive at the Mess Hall for breakfast. “What are you feeling? Maybe a smoothie?” Harmony asks.
My stomach roils at the thought of a bunch of fruit and yogurt fermenting in my guts. “Toast for me.”
“You poor thing,” she says, squeezing my arm. “Go sit down, I’ll make your toast.”
I sink down on the nearest bench and put my head directly on the table. Harmony arrives a few minutes later with a stack of buttered toast, and I could weep with gratitude as I shovel it into my mouth.
The other campers trickle in, and we commiserate about these gargantuan hangovers, and I start to perk up a bit. I decide to go for a swim. On my way back to the Bunkhouse, I notice Gabby, Tyler, and Garrett chatting by the Arts & Rec cabin.
As I get closer, though, I realize it’s not a casual chat they’re having. Garett and Tyler are leaning toward one another, both of their faces tight with tension. Gabby is standing between them with her hand on Tyler’s chest, like she’s either trying to calm him down or hold him back. Or both.
I debate interrupting them to check on Garrett, but then I spot Kei. He’s standing by the back door of the Mess Hall, and I can feel him following me with his eyes. I wave, and he tilts his head, almost imperceptibly, like he’s beckoning me. Am I seeing things? I hold his gaze and slow my stride. There—he just did it again, I’m sure of it. I give him a nod, and he slips in through the back door.
I survey my surroundings. Tyler and Gabby are still talking to Garrett. Harmony, Valeria, and Trina are lounging in the hammocks. Isa is kicking a soccer ball with Sue-Ellen, and Giovanni and Damian are doing push-ups at the gym. The coast is clear.
I spin on my heel and redirect to the Mess Hall. I go in through the front, heading toward the storeroom at the back. I slip in, bumping directly into Kei’s broad chest.
I look up. We’re so close. His lips are right there. I could just lift up onto my tiptoes and…
No, I can’t start thinking like this. What is wrong with me? One hot kiss and my mind is a mess.Get it together. I take a step back.
“Hi,” he says quietly, his mouth stretching into a wide smile.
“Hi.” I’m suddenly nervous. “What’s going on?”
“Look around,” he says. I peer behind him. Wire shelves, mostly empty, except for a few boxes of pasta, three cans of whole tomatoes, a can of baked beans, and two tins of tuna. A couple of large sacks of rice on the floor. A blue plastic milk crate empty except for a few papery onion skins. “What do you notice?”
“That they need to go grocery shopping?”
