He did so silently, careful to limp as little as possible. His knee did feel better—a few more days of ice and ibuprofen, and he’d be good as new. Physically. He still hadn’t solved any of his other looming issues.
When he went back into the kitchen for paper napkins, Mom blindsided him with, “I had lunch at Dixie’s today. Lucìa says you and Gavin have been spending a lot of time together this week.”
Jace pulled a wad of napkins out of the wood holder near the stove, careful to keep his expression neutral, even though his insides were shaking apart. “Yeah, we have. He has a Wii and he’s good at Resident Evil.”
“I’m surprised, is all. I thought you’d be hanging out with your old friends while you’re all home.”
He’d barely spoken to any of his old friends all semester, and he had very little to say to any of them now. Only he couldn’t tell his mother that without making her worry and ask questions he wasn’t about to answer. “I guess we’re growing apart,” he finally said. “It happens. Part of growing up, right?”
“Sometimes. Just be careful.”
“Resident Evil is a game, Mom. It won’t hurt me.”
She rolled her eyes at his joke. “I meant with Gavin.”
Irritation prickled across his skin. “Why? Because he’s gay?”
“No, honey, because he’s older than you, and some of his friends are…questionable.”
Rachel’s warning about Casper came back like a slap. “Gavin’s cool. Can we drop it?”
“For now.”
He finished setting the table then answered the doorbell when it rang. Rey and Samuel were standing on the porch with a six-pack of some microbrew—trying something new with Keith had become something of a tradition when Samuel came over for dinner. He let them in and hung their coats in the hall closet.
“How’s the knee?” Rey asked as he led them down the hall to the living room.
“Sore, but better. No biggie.”
Mom came out of the kitchen and welcomed them both with hugs. Jace hung back like a piece of furniture while they chatted about him, his knee and how nice Rey was for taking care of him. Jace resisted rolling his eyes several times. Rey gave him several sympathetic looks. Samuel looked generally perturbed. While Rey had a quiet energy about him, Samuel was built like a linebacker and crowded the room with his sheer presence.
Dad came home a few minutes later, and the knee conversation repeated itself. A buzzer went off in the kitchen and Mom declared dinner was ready. Jace took his usual seat at the dining table, while Rey and Samuel sat opposite him. Dad cut the roast. Mom kept conversation going. Jace covered half his plate with salad so he could get away with only one slice of beef and a few carrots.
He tried to chime in when he was included, but Jace felt distanced from the meal, like he was watching the whole thing happen on television. He nibbled on lettuce and cucumbers and cut up his pot roast into small pieces that he hid under the half-eaten salad. He was so intent on his plate that he didn’t realize he’d been asked a direction question until someone said his name really loud.
“Huh?” His head snapped up, and he blinked around the table.
“I asked if your grades had arrived yet,” Dad said.
“Oh, um, I don’t think so.”
“I didn’t see anything in the mail,” Mom said. “Rachel’s haven’t arrived, either. I’m sure they’ll come in a few days.”
“Probably.”
She was staring at his plate, her expression a little too schooled, a little too calm. Had she been watching him pretend to eat? He speared a small piece of beef, shoved it into his mouth, and forced himself to chew. Swallow. It settled in his stomach like a dull lump. He did the same with a carrot, until she stopped staring.
“Have you picked your classes for next semester?” Rey asked.
Jace stared at him until the question made sense. Cold dread washed over him at the idea of going back—not after the peace he’d found at home. With Gavin. “Yeah, I did. It’s more general education credits. Boring stuff.”
“Have you declared a major?”
“No.” His stomach sloshed, unhappy with the food he’d put in there. Furious at having all of the room’s attention on him.
Rey tilted his head curiously. “I guess the interesting classes will come soon enough then.”
“I guess so.” His gorge rose—oh no. “May I be excused?”
Jace didn’t wait for an answer. He bolted from his chair, down the hall, and took the stairs two at a time. He almost didn’t make it into the upstairs bathroom before he threw up everything he’d managed to force down at the table. Sweat broke out on his forehead and back, and his eyes watered from the violence of his body turning inside out.