Page 33 of 16 Forever

“I see.”

“Do you?”

“You want us to... do band practice at your place?” I ask. “And we can be loud as hell?”

“No. I mean, yes, that too. Good idea. But the reason we are parked here at this moment in time is because I just decided there will be a party. We need a party.”

“Oh no, Shane. Do we?”

“WE DO. So we are going to stock up on some supplies. In bulk. And we are going to forget about swinging-from-a-tree-branch boy andliveour freaking lives.”

“The October party got so nuts, though.”

Shana gives me a deadpan stare. “Like you know anything about that party. You were making out with tree-branch boy the whole time.”

The grin appears on my face before I can wipe it away. Carter and I snuck into Shana’s younger brother’s room and pretty much spent the whole party in there, messing around beneath Adem’sStranger Thingsposter. Damn you, make-out memories.

“Sorry I brought that up,” Shana says. “But actually, here’s something else I have for you: Marigold wants to set you up with this guy she knows.”

“Marigold?”

She’s a weird girl who graduated last year. Shana’s stayed in touch with her much more than I have.

“Why are we trusting Marigold’s judgment? Have you seen the people she dates?”

“I have.” Shana laughs. “But she’s much better at matchmaking for other people than she is for herself. She was the one who introduced me to Bella!”

“You and Bella lasted two months.”

“Yeah, but that first month was—” Shana nods a few times and smiles. “And that’s whatyouneed, Mags. Doesn’t have to be a long-term fit. Just someone who’s hot enough and interesting enough to sweep you off your feet for a minute. Take your mind off... other folks.”

“I’ll think about it.” I step out of the car as a way to end the conversation.

“He’s apparently super attractive and has his shit together,” Shana says, also out of the car and following me toward the Costco entrance. “Marigold met him at school.”

“Fine,” I say with a sigh. “What’d you say his name was again?”

“I didn’t. It’s Chord.”

“Great. I will consider the possibility of being set up with Chord. He sounds like a real catch.” I’m only saying this to be nice. I can’t imagine being with anyone right now.

“Yay! Marigold says he’s free to come to the party Saturday.”

“What? I thought youjustdecided to have the party now.”

Shana shrugs and smiles. We cross the threshold of Costco and she makes a beeline toward the frozen appetizer aisle. I should’ve been on to her instantly. But I know she’s looking out for me. And she’s probably right. This is what I need.

Ice-cold,I think as I watch Shana awkwardly grab a box of 128 mozzarella sticks out of the freezer.Ice-cold.

Carter

“Yo, dude, you are the frickingman,” this long-haired sophomore Everett says as I hand him the three boxes of vape juice he requested.

“They didn’t have Strawberry Peach Banana Bash, so I just got you the Raspberry Dragon Melon. Hope that’s all right.”

“Oh yeah, absolutely,” Everett says. “I love dragons.”

I look around the school parking lot to make sure that standing behind my car is properly concealing us from any administrative authority figures hanging around after school. “Though, I feel like it’s also my responsibility to inform you that vaping is actually quite destructive for your health. But, ya know, it’s your call.”