Page 78 of The Breakup Artists

“Amber is Amber. So what. But do you know how it makes me look that you’re getting all hot and bothered about kissing another guy?” Justin fumes.

“Hot and—” Ella starts, looking like she might explode. “It wasa peck.”

“Yet I didn’t hear you arguing that youdon’tlike Holden.”

For a second, Ella looks stunned.

Justin shakes his head. “You know what? Screw it. Kiss who you want. I really don’t care.” And he walks off. Derek grabs a few beers and follows.

Ella walks in the opposite direction, her expression hinged between fury and embarrassment.

“Happy now?” Leah says to Amber in disgust and walks out of the kitchen after Ella.

Amber touches her chest like she’s wounded, and she, too, exits, leaving August and me in stunned silence.

By the mystified expression on August’s face, I know he’s as floored as I am. “What the hell just happened?”

“Amber happened,” I say, annoyed that I didn’t see this coming. “We need to do damage control and we need to do it fast. Wecannothave everyone thinking Ella likes you or worse, that you return that feeling. We’re about an inch from being expelled from this group and pushing Ella farther into Justin’s arms.”

August’s brow furrows, but he doesn’t respond.

So I take control of the situation. “Look, I know it sucks, but you need to steer clear of her tonight. Maybe for longer. Don’t so much as look at her sideways if Justin is around, or this whole thing will implode. We need to right things with the friend group stat.” I give him a hard stare to make sure he understands how sensitive this all is, but he still looks lost in thought. “Are you listening? This is a code red.”

All he says is a distant, “Yeah.”

37

august

The next hour is spent mediating the fallout from Amber’s manipulative game. Me making peace with Justin over beer pong, and unfortunately drinking in the process. Tiny convincing Ella she did nothing wrong while Amber is neither apologizing nor speaking to any of us. Ella avoiding any and all eye contact with me. It’s not handled by a long shot and our plan is wounded, but at least the fighting has died down and everyone seems to have fallen back into the rhythm of the party.

I stand with Tiny in the hallway on the endless bathroom line, eyeing the ten girls in front of us and wishing I didn’t drink that beer. “I’m considering peeing in the bushes.”

“Holden McLover, if you pull your peen out at this party for any reason, I will personally kick your butt,” Tiny says.

I laugh despite this crappy night. “I’ll just go upstairs. You coming?”

She hesitates, her eyes following Leah toward the dining room, where all the snacks are. “Bathroom will have to wait.” Without looking at me she adds, “Give me a few minutes after your pee before you join me and Leah, ’kay?”

“Text me,” I say, and we move in opposite directions.

I head up the stairs and around the partiers perched on them. The music is still audible up here, but less intense, and even though there are a handful of people in the hall, it’s lower key. The first room I come to has four girls hanging out on the bed and no bathroom. And the second is locked.

I make my way to the third door, but before I can grab the knob, it opens.

“Oh,” Ella says like she’s both surprised and unsure.

“Sorry,” I apologize reflexively, for more than just startling her. “I was just looking for the bathroom.”

“All yours,” she replies, pushing the door open behind her but not stepping out of the doorway.

I immediately feel uneasy. I’m not supposed to be talking to her, especially alone, not if we want to maintain peace here. But I’m not going to push past her or make her feel like she’s done something wrong. She hasn’t. And neither have I. Ella could have easily followed Amber’s directive on that dare and gone in for a French kiss, but she didn’t because she’s not that person. Sure, I enjoy talking to her, but that’s hardly a crime.

“I’m sorry, too...” Ella says, looking unsure. “About all that drama before.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” I hate the idea of behaving as though we were guilty just because Amber declared we should be.

“Amber just... Never mind, it’s not a big deal.” She’s not really looking at me but also not walking away.