Light casted out the window so bright it reminded her of the lights outside diners. Not the one she worked at, but the ones in big cities. This town wasn't big enough to warrant such a bright road side attraction.

It was Sean's growlights that he used for his plants. Last month Sean invited her and the coworkers over for an afterparty following a night out at a bar downtown. Everybody else had been so drunk, but Sean could still speak and think straight. He had been still sipping on a glass of the fancy

whiskey

he always liked to talk about. And she had been laying comfy on the couch near the growlights listening to him share the details about his plant light routine.

The light had bounced off his eyes that night in such a way where she thought he had universes inside them. When this thought had entered her mind, she had smiled, and immediately thought Sean would make fun of her for it, but he just let her have it. Not that he pretended to ignore the smile or anything, but rather acknowledged it softly. Not letting it become a thing.

She hadn't been there since that night. He had never invited her and she had never imposed it. If this were a movie she would most definitely have found her way there somehow one night. By chance. But they would be alone. No drunk coworkers. No Grover. Just them two. Enjoying a nice dinner and maybe even her having one of those fancy whiskeys.

Charlotte looked at her phone one more time to see if there had been an update to the situation since she had left the diner to drive over. Nothing new. Still the same. She never thought she'd be back here under these circumstances. Picking up her little brother after causing trouble at a party. My god, had he been drinking? she thought to herself. She thought about herself at that age. She had already been drinking. She reluctantly held back her judgement.

Her finger raised to turn on the light. She was going to look at herself in the mirror before going in, but she imagined them staring out the window. She didn't want to look vain.

The bugs were loud, singing out in the distance. Her footsteps made thud noises with each step like it was causing a big disturbance on this otherwise quiet street. The air was thick like the beginning of the school year always was. As she approached the front door she heard more rustling inside the house. She heard murmurs and then finally a gathering of bodies. Then the door opened.

"Welcome," Sean said. "He's in here."

Everybody but Grover was waiting in the living space, but close to the foyer. Sean had been the only one in the foyer to greet her, giving her space to walk in.

"Hi!" she said in her most cheerful voice. It was always like this when you were the only girl someplace. 

"This is Charlotte. Grover's sister."

Everybody made their greetings. Everyone except for Grover who was still at the other side of the living room, seated on the ground next to the bookshelf. He was pretending to read intensely but actually he was paying full attention to what was happening. He was going to force Charlotte to pry for his attention.

There was a bit of small chat, mostly facilitated by Marquis asking nosey questions. Trying to see how everybody in the living room knew each other. He found out for the most part that the room was not connected as a group. Tall boy and Chubby boy were friends in high school. The girl was Chubby's older sister. And the tall nerdy guy who lived here was a coworker of Charlotte. And of course he and Georgie were friends. What was their connection here? There must've been another reason than them tagging along with a bunch of high school kids no?

Marquis listened to Georgie make an excuse for the two of them. He told a tale with no lies, but that hid much of what actually went on before the party. Like the plan. Like the fact that they had pushed Grover into doing this thing, and in fact did it all themselves without Grover doing any of it. It had been all them. All of this coming to Marquis made him sadly realize that he was sobering up. He thought about getting another drink but that desire just made him feel more sad about the night. He just wanted to go home and sleep in his bed. 

Suddenly he felt so tired. He just listened to the words Georgie was saying. Get blurrier and blurrier. Something about how they happened to see a commotion out the Lachance party while they were driving. And how they had to go help Grover.

Roger excitedly agreed to the story, sprinkling in his support. Sean listened showing neither contempt or support. He just kept stirring his glass of 

scotch

while leaning against the wall.

"I just want to thank you two. Thank you so much for making sure those kids didn't hurt him."

"No problem." both Marquis and Georgie said at the same time.

"Don't worry about Roger here. I'll give him a ride home. Just make sure you get Grover here back." Georgie said.

After Charlotte and Grover left, it wasn't long until Georgie and Marquis took Roger with them. Sean looked at the glass Georgie had left. It was empty after all. He had finished it. Based on the way Georgie had been nursing the drink the entire time until Charlotte arrived, this was surprising.

On the drive back Marquis wished that Georgie would drop him off first. But he couldn't ask that. He didn't want to look like a party pooper in front of Roger. So he kept nodding his head to the music while staring out the passenger window.

"Thank you guys! Thank you!" Roger yelled in a whisper. 

"Keep it easy, Germany," Marquis said with a sleepy smile.

On the drive back neither spoke about their previous plans of meeting up with their friends and Senor Cactus. The music was so quiet that the air conditioner almost made it inaudible.