“I kind of can’t believe I’m spending my twenty-first doing the same shit we’ve been doing for years. This fucking club. Yawn. Don’t tell these guys I said that.”

“I won’t.”

“I should be jumping out of an airplane or something.”

“I did that once.”

“You did? What was it like?”

“It was amazing,” said Trevor. He’d gone with his youth group for graduation. “Like flying.”

“See? Exactly.” He leaned back and shook his head. “I guess I gotta start taking shit in hand.”

Trevor and Ben watched the crowd from the booth. More people joined them, but no one else introduced themselves to Trevor. Claudia came back from the bathroom and poured herself a drink, drank it quickly, poured another, and then stood up abruptly, knocking into a newcomer. She fell forward, hitting the table with her hip, toppling what was left of the cranberry juice into the ice bucket, and the ice bucket onto the floor.

“Castro’s drunk already,” said the guy she’d bumped into, laughing.

Claudia sat for a moment on the floor, her feet angled awkwardly beside her. Ben remained on the sofa. Trevor reached forward. “You okay?”

She took his hand and stood up, grabbed the railing, then let go and disappeared down into the dance floor.

Adrienne and the nameless girl from the car laughed and rolled their eyes.

“Nice going, Chad,” said Ben.

Chad sat down beside Trevor, leaning in toward what was left of the liquor tray.

“That girl needs to slow down,” he said, pouring a drink. “For real. Is there anybody at this party who hasn’t fucked her?”

“Whoa,” said Trevor.

“Who are you?” asked Chad.

“This is Trevor,” said Ben. “He’s with Claudia.”

Chad stopped pouring and looked at Trevor. “You better use protection, dude. For real.”

Nameless giggled.

“I thought you guys were her friends,” said Trevor, and maybe his tone was a little accusatory. But come on. Her ex was just going to let this guy talk like that?

“That’s the problem,” muttered Ben, motioning to the waitress to take care of Claudia’s spill.

“What’s the problem, Ben?” asked Chad, his voice rising.

“That you guys are friends. Just friends.”

“Fuck you.”

“Fuck you,” said Ben. “Seriously, why are you here? It’s not his fault you can’t close a deal you’ve been working on for five years. Did you think it was gonna happen tonight?”

“I wouldn’t touch that shit with a pole, man. She fucked a guy in our dorm the first week at school. Did her whole, I’m-so-into-you-thing, then dropped him cold. Gave him crabs. I’m serious. He was pissed.”

Trevor stood up, maybe a little too close to Chad.

“Whoa,” said Chad, looking up. “I’m just trying to give you the heads-up, buddy.”

“I’m not your buddy,” said Trevor.

TREVOR