information on loved ones. Every time a new person steps up, a nurse at the desk politely answers their questions and points them in a direction; their heads nodding sympathetically. She watches as one man gestures wildly with his arms; his ripped clothing evidence he'd been caught in the storm himself.
"What made you run for the house?" she asks West after a quiet period of people watching.
"Sorry?"
"The house? You knew there was a basement…how?"
"How sheltered have you been, Little Miss Cheerleader?" Although he says it playfully, she can’t help feeling as if he is making fun of her at the same time.
"The parties?"
"Of course. Everyone's partied at the Grier house at least once. At least, we did before the police caught wind of it and the place got boarded up." West leans back and puts his coffee cup on the floor next to his chair before leaning his elbows on his knees. "You never came to any of the parties there?"
She shrugs nonchalantly. "I don't party. Not like that, anyhow."
The parties at Grier house were known for the excessive sex, drugs and alcohol being served up. Back when she was a freshman, she remembered hearing about a junior who got knocked up at one of those parties. Apparently they were raves for high schoolers.
"You don't have to get stoned or wasted at a party, Buffy. More people than you think used to come. We'd have a good time, hang, dance...some people would smoke weed or drink, but it was cool to just chill, too."
"Illegally, in an abandoned house?" she points out and rolls her eyes dramatically. "Do you know the crap I'd get in if I were caught doing that?"
"Oh, Miss Goody Two Shoes… that's why you make sure mommy and daddy don't find out. You know, your boyfriend actually showed up at one or two."
"What?"
"Just sayin'." He shrugs.
"You're full of it. Stuart never parties without me."
"Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, but like I said, a lot of people used to show. Ask Parker or Ya-ya."
Jules sits up suddenly and nearly pukes from the sudden movement, and West pops up from his seat.
"Whoa...you're looking a little green, Buff. Sit back and relax. You okay?"
"Are you freaking kidding me? You don't hang with our crowd anymore, and here you are telling me you've been partying with some of my best friends. You called Tanya 'Ya-ya'. Where have you been for the past four years?" She is irrationally mad all of a sudden to think she's been left out of something by the people she thought she knew. Stuart going to parties and not telling her certainly sets off a red light, and Jeff…well, she recalls how close he and West were back when they played ball together, but Tanya? Tanya loves a good party, and they've gone to a few together. Jules isn’t a goody-two shoes, regardless of what West might think. But for Tanya to go to Grier parties and never tell her?
"First, I was there the day Tanya was given the name Ya-ya, so I damn well have the right to call her that. Second, you're right. I don't hang with 'your' crowd anymore, but I never left, Jules. I've been here all this time." Picking up his cup, he stands and runs his hand through his hair in frustration. "I'll be back."
She stops him with a question.
"If you didn't leave, then why did you stop being friends with us?"
Her question stops him, his shoulders stiffen and he rolls his head from side to side. He turns and opens his mouth to speak, right as a group of people come rushing into the triage area, and Jules hears her father's anxious voice.
"I was told my daughter is here — Jules Blacklin?"
"Daddy!" she calls out at the same time West says, "Mr. Blacklin? She's right here."
"Jules!" Her father rushes to her side and practically knocks West over in his haste. "Oh, my baby girl. Thank the Lord you're alive."
Katie's parents pop around the curtain too, with relief and worry etched on their faces. Her mom wipes at tears as she squeezes Jules’ leg under the covers.
"Honey, where's Katie? Is she all
"What made you run for the house?" she asks West after a quiet period of people watching.
"Sorry?"
"The house? You knew there was a basement…how?"
"How sheltered have you been, Little Miss Cheerleader?" Although he says it playfully, she can’t help feeling as if he is making fun of her at the same time.
"The parties?"
"Of course. Everyone's partied at the Grier house at least once. At least, we did before the police caught wind of it and the place got boarded up." West leans back and puts his coffee cup on the floor next to his chair before leaning his elbows on his knees. "You never came to any of the parties there?"
She shrugs nonchalantly. "I don't party. Not like that, anyhow."
The parties at Grier house were known for the excessive sex, drugs and alcohol being served up. Back when she was a freshman, she remembered hearing about a junior who got knocked up at one of those parties. Apparently they were raves for high schoolers.
"You don't have to get stoned or wasted at a party, Buffy. More people than you think used to come. We'd have a good time, hang, dance...some people would smoke weed or drink, but it was cool to just chill, too."
"Illegally, in an abandoned house?" she points out and rolls her eyes dramatically. "Do you know the crap I'd get in if I were caught doing that?"
"Oh, Miss Goody Two Shoes… that's why you make sure mommy and daddy don't find out. You know, your boyfriend actually showed up at one or two."
"What?"
"Just sayin'." He shrugs.
"You're full of it. Stuart never parties without me."
"Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, but like I said, a lot of people used to show. Ask Parker or Ya-ya."
Jules sits up suddenly and nearly pukes from the sudden movement, and West pops up from his seat.
"Whoa...you're looking a little green, Buff. Sit back and relax. You okay?"
"Are you freaking kidding me? You don't hang with our crowd anymore, and here you are telling me you've been partying with some of my best friends. You called Tanya 'Ya-ya'. Where have you been for the past four years?" She is irrationally mad all of a sudden to think she's been left out of something by the people she thought she knew. Stuart going to parties and not telling her certainly sets off a red light, and Jeff…well, she recalls how close he and West were back when they played ball together, but Tanya? Tanya loves a good party, and they've gone to a few together. Jules isn’t a goody-two shoes, regardless of what West might think. But for Tanya to go to Grier parties and never tell her?
"First, I was there the day Tanya was given the name Ya-ya, so I damn well have the right to call her that. Second, you're right. I don't hang with 'your' crowd anymore, but I never left, Jules. I've been here all this time." Picking up his cup, he stands and runs his hand through his hair in frustration. "I'll be back."
She stops him with a question.
"If you didn't leave, then why did you stop being friends with us?"
Her question stops him, his shoulders stiffen and he rolls his head from side to side. He turns and opens his mouth to speak, right as a group of people come rushing into the triage area, and Jules hears her father's anxious voice.
"I was told my daughter is here — Jules Blacklin?"
"Daddy!" she calls out at the same time West says, "Mr. Blacklin? She's right here."
"Jules!" Her father rushes to her side and practically knocks West over in his haste. "Oh, my baby girl. Thank the Lord you're alive."
Katie's parents pop around the curtain too, with relief and worry etched on their faces. Her mom wipes at tears as she squeezes Jules’ leg under the covers.
"Honey, where's Katie? Is she all
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