Page 54 of Darkness Defined

Chapter 16

An Innocent Mistake

A

“Weshouldcelebrate,”Mattinsisted as we entered the dorm.

I laughed as I closed the door behind us. He’d been on like this since Battle Tactics had let out early.

“We survived our first practicum. We have to do something!”

I endeavored not to laugh at his comically wide eyes and pleading expression. “It wasn’t really a big deal.” But it was kind of adorable how excited he was.

“For you maybe. Come on, don’t leave me hanging. We don’t have class tomorrow and we got an entire afternoon back.” He gave me that puppy dog face I couldn’t say no to, even if I wanted.

I held up my hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. What did you have in mind?”

“Yes!” he shouted triumphantly, and punched the air. Then he disappeared and reappeared in the kitchen.

I shook my head and started relocating the texts and papers strewn across the coffee table to our bags beside the door. I’d given up pointing out whenever he shadowed in the dorm. He never believed me anyway. “You didn’t answer the question. What’re we doing?”

“You’ll see.”

“That doesn’t sound like I’m going to like whatever it is.”

“Don’t be so negative.” He returned with a glass of yellow liquid. It was too dark to be lemonade and something told me it had alcohol.

“I told you, I don’t really drink,” I said, accepting it anyway.

Matt rolled his eyes. “Would you at least try it before you decide you don’t like it? Besides, we’re celebrating. You can suck it up and drink with me for one night.,” he concluded with a wry twist of his mouth.

“I still don’t know where you get all of this stuff.” I took a sip.

“I have my ways. So, what do you think?” A grin stretched across his face like he already knew the answer.

I stared at the cold glass, already coated with condensation in surprise. “It’s actually quite good.” I glanced over at him to discover he had a matching glass and a pitcher full of the concoction. How much did he expect us to drink tonight?

“No beer for you?”

“And let you have all the good stuff? As if.”

“What’s in this, anyway?” I took another sip and smacked my lips at the sweetness. “Tastes like fruit.”

He shrugged as he set down the full pitcher. “This and that.”

I squinted at him and took another drink. “I see what you did there.”

He smirked and grabbed my wrist, pulling us both to the floor between the couch and the table. “Sit down, you’re making me nervous.”

“Why can’t we sit on the couch?” I asked, even as I leaned against the furniture in question. The deceptively strong drink coated my tongue with sweetness edged with just enough tart to make it palatable. I reached for the pitcher to top off my dwindling glass. Something told me Matt’s idea of celebrating would entail getting absolutely smashed. I leaned back and relaxed. “Why aren’t we sitting on the couch again?”

“Because I said we’re sitting on the floor.” He took a drink, and I mirrored him.

“You’re such an odd duck.”

“And you’re not?” He laughed, bumping his shoulder into mine, and I barely prevented the liquid from sloshing out of the glass. “None of that this time, got it?” Matt gave me a serious look that belied the humor dancing in his eyes. “And no snorting it up your nose, either.”

I licked off the little liquid that had escaped. “Got it. So, now what?”