up spills.
He dropped his cup on the table, grabbed a plate, and stacked it with wings.
Mrs. Smith appeared beside them.
“Can you keep an eye on Eric?” she asked. “His dad let him start drinking way too
early. We need him to eat and sober up a little.”
“We’ll watch him,” David said.
“Thanks, boys.”
“I don’t think there are enough wings in the world to sober him up,” William said.
“Probably not.”
They caught up to Eric, who’d already dropped a few wings on the floor. William
took his plate while David grabbed his arm.
“Come on,” David said. “Let’s get you fed.”
Eric sobered up after eating, but another drink brought him right back. By his
third, he’d dozed off at the table. His dad eventually helped him into the kitchen,
where a sleeping bag and pillow were waiting.
David ran into an old classmate, Lisa Carter. She invited him to dance with her. He
looked at William. William nodded, giving him permission to leave.
William sat alone, leaning his chair back against the wall. He scanned the crowd,
hoping to spot someone he knew. He nursed his third beer. The alcohol made him feel
warmer, so he took off his flannel shirt and draped it over the back of his chair.
From across the room, about six tables away, he noticed a woman watching him. She
smiled when she saw him looking. Her hair was dark, possibly black. With the
lighting, he couldn’t tell. Her pale skin made her makeup and brown eyes stand out
more. He smiled back and took another sip.