Underneath Everything Read Online Free PDF Page A

cup.
    “ExactlywhatIwasthinking,”Isay,glancingbackatJolene.
    IpressmycheekagainstKris’s:“Let’sgo!”
    Welinkarmsanddivebackintothethickmixofpeople.ThistimeI’mnotstrugglingtokeepup.
    KrisandIslipthroughadoorthatlooksmorelikeacrackinthewallandstopatthetopofthestairs totakeinthecool,stalebasementair.Anythingisbetterthanthestinkofthepackedparty.It’sonlyaftera minuteorso,whenwefinallyshakethescentofsweatandbeerandbreath,thatwecatchawhiffofit.It’s faint,butit’sdefinitelythere.Theearthy,sweet,smokyreekofweed.
    “Smellslikethemancaveisinworkingorder,”Krissays.
    “Indeeditdoes.”
    “Well,you’retheaddict.Takethelead.”
    “Please,”Isay,steppinginfrontofher,“noone’s addicted topot.”Krisisconstantlygivingmeshit formy“potaddiction,”which,roughlytranslatedintoreality,meansI’vetrieditafewtimes—enoughto knowIlikeitbetterthanbeer.
    BeinghighmakesmesuperawareofwhereIendandeverythingelsebegins—whatseparatesthings.
    Drawnlines.Softskin.It’slikebeinginsideoneofmymaps.Everythingiscontainedinitsrightfulplace.
    Safe.
    Being drunk messes with my edges. The one time I drank a fifth of clear liquor at a party freshman year,Isatonarattycouchinsomesenior’sbasementtryingtostopspinning.Ipicturedthemapabovemy bed,whichusuallyhelps,butthebordersmorphedandthelotsbledtogether,peptopinkmixingwithpuke green.IfeltlikeImightspillallovereverybody.Ortheymightspillalloverme.UntilJolenecurledup nexttomeandspunstoriesthatmadeeverythingsparkly.
    Iforcemyfeetdownthefloatingstairs—anotheroneofBella’smom’scustomdesigns—andintothe lightofthelong,openbasement.It’snotemptydownhere,butit’sobviousthatonlyafewpeopleknow howtofindthevanishingdoor.Ikeepmyeyesstraightaheadandstridequicklyacrossthecreamcarpet.
    Twolittlegirlswhodecidedtolive.
    “Wow.You’rereallyjonesing,”Krissayswhenshecatchesup.
    “Stopbeingallcondescending,MissPack-a-Day,”Isay.Kriship-checksme.“Anyway,it’snotlike I’mactuallygoingtosmokewiththesepeople.Ijustwanttositdown,andthemancaveisprobablyour bestshot.”
    “Youcanadmityou’retryingtofindHudson,youknow.”
    “Okay.I’mtryingtofindHudson.”Butishetryingtofindme?Orishestillangry?Eitherway,ifhe’s here,he’llbeinthecave.Hudsonlikestucked-awayplaces.
    The closer we get, the louder my heart hammers in my chest. But this time, instead of taking deep breaths, reciting street names, or running layouts in my head to lower the volume, I let it crash. (Bang.
    Smash.)
    We’realmostthroughtheexerciseroom,onlyafewstepsawayfromthecave,whenBellabustsout throughthedoorway,smokestreamingbehindher.Weslamintoeachother.Ispillwhat’sleftofmybeer on her chest, and it immediately drips down into the deep V of her tank top. But it doesn’t phase her.
    Nothingdoes.
    “Sothat’sthekindofpartyit’sgoingtobe?”Bellaasks,lookingdownherowncleavage.“Okaythen!
    Guessyouguys do havesomecatchinguptodo.”Shewinks,swipesafingerdownherchest,thentouches her finger to her tongue. “You guys are drinking from the keg? You should ditch that crap and get somethingfrominthere.”Shemotionsbehindher.“Youknowwhere,right?Justdon’tspendtoolongwith theriffraff.They’relikezombies,youknow?Theybiteyouonceandyou’retoast.Andyouguysarenot allowedtobetoast!Iwantbothofyouupstairsforlatenight.I’vegottoworkthepartyforalittle—you knowhowitis.” Notreally. “Butyoubetterstayforafterhours,okay?Youpromised!”Sheblowsusa kissandshufflesofftowardthestairs.
    “Latenight?”Iask.
    “Afterhours?”Krisreplies.
    “Doubtful,”wesaytogether.Afewhoursfromnow,whenthishousehasbeenproperlytrashedbythe entire senior class, and Bella and Jolene are having their postparty recap in the kitchen and clinking glassestohowpopularandfabuloustheybothare,we’llbelonggone.AndnotjustbecauseKrishasto makecurfew.
    ComingtoBella’spartyisonething.Stickingaroundtorehasholdmemoriesisanother.Idon’tneed