Kevin lived near campus, so he offered Jo a ride home. After a quick text to let Lonnie know he was leaving, Jo accepted. They headed downstairs, both of them sheathed in sweat—the press of bodies against his was overly oppressive, and Jo kept pulling back from everyone around him. The only person he wanted touching him was Kevin, and Jo kept his fingers curled into the waistband of Kevin’s jeans to stay close in the crowd.
Outside, the night was much cooler, and Jo could breathe easily at last. The farther away from the townhouse they walked, the quieter the evening grew. The shouts and music and laughter drifted into the background like so much white noise, falling behind them with each step, until it was indistinguishable from the traffic on the interstate in the distance. In the shado
