“I’m not chewing someone’s head off,” I said.
She grinned with all the nasty jokes that flooded her mind. And mine.
I cringed and blushed again.
“I just wanted some coffee,” I said in defeat.
“Get some coffee,” she said. “And tell Mommy all the things you did last night…”
“Now that’s weird and kind of gross,” I said. “I’ll go buy some coffee.”
I hurried out of the kitchen and left the house.
I was in the same hoodie and shorts as last night.
I licked my lips and remembered Noah… Easton… Xavier…
My face burned and burned.
I saw the bright yellow car pull into the driveway and I let out a sigh of relief.
I ran down the steps and to Gia’s car.
I jumped into the passenger seat.
Gia looked at me and pulled her sunglasses down.
“Whoa, you look like-”
“Just drive,” I said. “I need coffee. And I need to think.”
“Okay,” Gia said. “Any requests on where to go?”
I looked at her. “Anywhere but here.”
“Wait. Turn here.”
I almost forgot about the place.
There was this tiny side road that was next to impossible to find. The human memory was an amazing thing. I hadn’t thought about that side road in a long time. The last time I had been there was…
“What is it?” Gia asked.
I shook my head. “I just suddenly remembered this road. Like it had slipped my mind, you know?”
“Yeah. That happens to everyone. You can’t remember everything all the time. That’s normal.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Hey, do you remember the summer that baseball team crashed at the beach houses? Not around where we live though, but on a different part of the beach. They weren’t from around here. Some other place. An academy or private place or something like that. Not sure if you would remember it.”
“Why? Because I’m not cool enough?”
“Gia…”
“I’m joking,” she said. “Relax. I don’t remember any baseball teams over any summer. Sorry. My summers have always been busy though. Lots of running to do.”
“I met a guy that summer.”
“Nice.”
“He was awesome.”
“You fell in love, didn’t you?”
“You know what? I kind of did. But it was a summer love thing. Not real love. I loved the whole idea of him and summer together. There was freedom. There was fun.”
“There was fucking,” Gia said in a deep voice.
I laughed. “Your point?”
“Damn, Winter,” Gia said. “Good for you.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I said. “But whatever. I’m just… it’s funny to me that all of that slipped out of my mind until just now. His name was Timmy. I told him the day I met him that made him sound like a little boy. So I called him Tex. Because he was born in Texas. Wow, all of this is hitting me at once.”
“Uh, Winter,” Gia said. “Not to cut you off, but this road is getting bumpy. And coming to an end…”
“Shit,” I said. “Stop right now.”
Gia hit the brakes.
I flew forward.
I had a flashback of the accident and let out a whimpering scream.
I threw open the door and jumped out of the car.
My hand clutched for my chest as Gia screamed my name.
She got out of the car and ran around to me.
When I saw her, I put my hand out.
“I’m fine,” I said. I took a breath. “Just… a little panic attack. Sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have stopped like that. It’s just…”
She looked down the road and, yeah, there was no more road.
If she kept going she would have ended up going off a cliff and into the ocean.
Oops.
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you to stop,” I said.
“No problem. Nothing like a good thrill in the morning. Right?”
“Right,” I said. “My point is… I don’t even know now. The last time I was up here was when Tex left. It was the end of summer. Evie and Darcy were okay with it all. They had their fun. I think I got myself too involved. Emotionally and all that. I was kind of heartbroken when he left. So I came up here and sat alone for a while.”
“Did you cry over him?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry. I hate crying over guys. My mother always tells me there’s plenty of dick attached to dicks so don’t waste any tears…”
“Our mothers are too much alike.”
“Yes, they are,” Gia said.
“I was just amazed how that memory hit me.”
“I told you, that’s normal.”
I nodded. “Come on, let me show you this view.”
I walked Gia to the edge of the cliff and she gasped.
“I hate heights,” she said.
“Just take a breath and look at the view. It’s worth it.”
We stood together as she clutched at my arm.
“I know why we’re here,” Gia said.
“You do?”
“Yeah. You had that secret meeting last night. You never called. Texted. Nothing.”
“Shit. I’m sorry. It was…”
“Good or bad?” Gia asked.
“Both,” I said.
“How so?”
I looked at Gia. “Uh… they want to date me. And I kind of kissed all three.”
Gia’s jaw slowly dropped.
“It’s okay though. I know what I’m doing.”
But, really, did I?
We sat in Gia’s car because her fear of heights was too much for her to stand and enjoy the view. She apologized but I really wasn’t worried about it. It was nice to just feel hidden for a second. Which was ironic because everything I had been doing was hiding. You know? Hiding from the truth. Living in a lie. That whole thing.
“So they want you to go with them to this ball thing?” Gia asked. “Super, super-rich people.”
“They’re afraid,” I said. “I have them where I want them, Gia. They’re actually afraid. And they’re worried about me. Something else is going on too. I’m not sure what but I can feel it. They’re hiding more than just what they did to me.”
“Is that really your business?” Gia asked.
“No. But if it helps me hurt them, then I want to know. I just… I need something good on Easton.”
“Easton?’ Gia asked. “His family is a mess. That car you blew up?”
“His uncle’s,” I said.
“Yeah. The entire family is nothing but addicts. I thought you knew that.”
“What?”
“Oh, yeah. It runs deep. They’ve been in rehab so many times… it’s crazy stuff. Easton and his parents do not get along at all. His parents can’t stay away from alcohol and pills. His father cheats all the time. His mother does too. It’s wild. Easton is probably the easiest one to break. But.... he’s dangerous. Maybe more than the others.”