Immortal City

answer my text earlier today. And Kyle’s on his way.”

Maddy thought she spotted Simon across the room.

She was also kind of happy that Kyle wasn’t here yet. He had been acting strange lately — didn’t he know she was Gwen’s best friend?

A girl Maddy thought was named Becky danced sloppily next to a coffee table. A couple guys at the TV were playing Xbox. No one seemed interested in watching the Commissioning, which was a relief. She received a few loaded glances as they crossed the living room, but most people were too busy talking or enjoying the contents of their cups. They made their way into the kitchen.

Ethan had somehow managed to secure a keg. It was parked in the middle of the kitchen floor in a large Rubber-maid tub filled with ice. A guy wearing a backwards baseball cap was pouring cups of beer from the tap.

“Keg stands in ten minutes!” he announced loudly.

It was a long way from the sparkling trays of gourmet drinks, Angels in designer outfits, and strange tables made out of fake animals that Maddy had been mingling among just the night before. She pushed that scene from her mind, pigs and all.

“What can I get you?” Ethan asked.

Maddy looked down at the keg. She might be New Maddy, but going to her first real high school party and drinking for the first time all in one night seemed like a little much. Besides, she needed to be sharp if she was going to do what she came to do.

“Do you have any soda?” she asked.

“Yeah, totally.”

Ethan fished around in the fridge and came up with a Diet Coke. “Hope you don’t mind diet,” he said as he handed it to her. Maddy took the can from him, and their fingers touched. Instead of pulling away, she let her hand linger on his for a bit longer than necessary. She thought she had seen something like that on TV once.

Ethan looked down at her hand, then moved up to her gaze. His eyes were deep, searching. Nervous but hopeful.

“Boo!” a voice yelled right behind Maddy’s ear, and she jumped, insanely startled. Ragged laughter followed.

“Bet you thought I was the serial killer, didn’t you? Don’t worry, he’s just takin’ out Angels,” a slurred voice said, with a burp and another laugh.

Maddy turned around. A lean, muscular boy with a buzz cut had stumbled over, bringing the smell of alcohol wafting along with him. It was Jordan Richardson from chemistry. Simon had followed him in.

“Wait, aren’t you Maddy Montgomery?” Jordan asked.

“Yeah, man, that’s Maddy; I know her, dude!” Simon turned to her. “You’re, like, famous or something now, right?” He was talking louder than necessary and knocked over a stack of cups on the counter as he steadied himself. A few people were starting to look over, and Maddy felt the prying eyes of the party begin to shift in her direction.

“How about a tour of the house?” Ethan said loudly, deflecting Simon and the other guy.

“That’d be great,” Maddy said gratefully. They walked through the kitchen door and into an adjoining dining room, where a few guys were playing a game with cups of beer and a Ping-Pong ball. Then they crossed through another doorway and into a second living room, this one with white couches and a flickering electric fireplace.

“Thanks,” Maddy said when they were finally alone.

“No problem.” Ethan smiled. “They’re just a little drunk, that’s all.”

“But you’re not drinking?” Maddy said, realizing it as much as asking. Ethan shook his head.

“No. I mean, I want everyone to have a good time, but that’s not really my thing.”

Maddy looked around the room. The glass coffee table was spotless, and the couches looked like they were sat on very carefully. The house was furnished with nice things, no question, but it lacked the cozy home feel of the shabbier place she shared with Kevin.

“It’s a beautiful house,” Maddy said as she gazed up at the vaulted wood-beam ceiling.

“Thanks. Still feels kind of new to me. I keep waiting for my mom to decide how she wants to decorate, but. .”

He trailed off and sat on the couch. Maddy took a seat next to him.

“So, your mom’s out of town?”

Ethan nodded, looking downcast for a moment.

“Yeah, she’s out of town a lot for business. Her job keeps her pretty busy.”

“What kind of work does she do?”

“Marketing,” he replied. Maddy thought of Uncle Kevin. Despite being old-fashioned and set in his ways, he was always there for her. Other people sometimes weren’t as lucky.

“So,” Ethan said, changing the subject, “college apps driving you crazy yet?”

“Oh, crazy is an understatement,” Maddy admitted with a sip of her soda. “I’m way behind.”

“I know, me too,” Ethan said. “Have you gotten that essay prompt yet, ‘Please describe what you consider to be the most difficult moment in your life’?”

“Yes!” Maddy exclaimed. “God, I hate that one.”

Ethan shook his head. “I wanted to respond, ‘Trying to figure out what to write for this essay.’” Ethan laughed, and Maddy joined in. She was feeling much more at ease.

“Wow, I had no idea you cared about college, Ethan,”

Maddy said.

“You assumed I wasn’t smart?” Ethan looked mock-insulted.

Maddy blanched and backpedaled. “I’ve never seen you in the school library is all.” Ethan’s eyes flashed, mischievous.

“Well, can you keep a secret?”

He pulled out his key chain and jingled it.

“I kind of wanted to study on my own hours, and besides, I prefer being in there by myself without Mr. Rankin to pester me.”

Maddy’s mouth fell open.

“You have keys to the school?”

“Sure. Mrs. Neilson left them lying on her desk one day, so I. . borrowed them.”

“You stole them,” Maddy said in disbelief. Ethan shrugged, and Maddy was surprised to find herself smiling.

“I copied them. I gave them back, promise. If you ever need to use them, just let me know.”

Of course it was wrong to steal the keys. . but it was also resourceful. And bold. There was something about it she liked. It felt like a New Maddy thing to do.

“Careful what you say,” she said at last. “I might actually take you up on that.”

Maddy watched Ethan as he laughed. A part of her had always found him attractive, but maybe not as attractive as she was finding him now. Her eyes searched his full lips, his high cheekbones, his hazel eyes. A silent moment passed between them. Almost intuitively, he reached over and took her hand. His felt rough and calloused, but also warm.

As much as she tried to block it, the memory came.

The memory of Jacks’s touch in the back office of the diner, and the electricity that had passed between them. She pushed the thought desperately away as Ethan turned toward her. They were face-to-face on the couch now. His eyes were doing that thing again. Asking a question. A question she thought she knew the answer to.

“Actually, can I use your bathroom?” Maddy blurted suddenly. “I just need to. . I’ll be back in a second.”

“Yeah, of course,” Ethan said, looking a little surprised. He pointed. “Go down the hall and make two rights.”

Maddy got up, set her soda on the glass table, and nearly ran. After a couple wrong turns she found the bathroom. It smelled pleasantly of coconut. Maddy stood there, breathing hard, looking at her reflection in the