by Kasie West
From beside me Trina said, “What does this button do?” When she pushed whatever button she was referring to, the small screen in the center of the dash lowered, revealing a storage space behind it. She giggled. “This is so cool.” She closed it again, then started pushing other buttons. The air blasted, as did the radio, and a voice came online asking if I’d like to connect a Bluetooth device.
“You’re going to make me crash,” I said, distracted by all the … distractions. I checked my side mirrors to make sure I was still centered in my lane on the freeway.
“Sorry, sorry.” She clicked everything off one by one. “Tell me you want this car. This is the coolest car I’ve ever been in.”
“This car is probably triple what I want to spend.”
She tilted her head sideways and studied a sticker on the outside of the passenger window. “Seventy thousand? That’s not bad for a car like this.”
She was so casual about it that I tried not to let my sticker shock make me stutter. “That’s a little too much.”
“Why? You have it. What, you’re going to get a more reasonable car for half that price, and why? Because it’s more reasonable? You can afford this. To you, this is reasonable. And I can tell you love it.”
Live a little, Seth’s voice said in my head. How had he become my voice of irresponsibility? He was responsible and I’m sure a $70,000 car wasn’t what he meant when he’d said that. But Trina was right, I did love it. And she was right, reasonable was relative. Reasonable for me was different now. Plus, Mr. Saunders told me I had three days after purchase to change my mind.
These were the internal thoughts that had me signing paperwork and buying a car I hadn’t intended to buy. But as Trina’s dad handed me the keys, an excited flutter jumped around in my chest and I didn’t regret it. I had money now. Why was I still thinking like I didn’t? It was time to change my mind-set.
“You need a new look to go along with your hot new car,” Trina said. “We should go shopping this week.”
“Yes! Can we? Will you go with me?” My excitement at this idea surprised even me.
“Of course.”
I nodded. I knew nothing about fashion and having a style queen guide me through a shopping day would be a good life skill. It was time to ditch my baggy jeans and ratty cardigans. And who better to help me than Trina Saunders?
“Oh!” I said, as I stood by my car in the parking lot of the dealership, absentmindedly petting it. “I forgot to tell you about the party this Friday. I’m going to text you the address. People need to be there at eight o’clock sharp or they won’t be able to take part.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s on a yacht.”
“A yacht?” Trina’s eyebrows rose almost to her hairline. “As in a big ship in the ocean?”
Why was everyone feeling the need to define what a yacht was? Was it that shocking? And was that a good thing or a bad thing? “Yes, a yacht. Is that … cool?”
“That is unreal, Maddie.” She gave a bounce and hugged me. “I’ll get to spreading the news.”
“Thanks.”
“So, shopping trip on Wednesday after school?”
“Sounds good.” I wondered for a fleeting second if I should invite Blaire and Elise. Blaire would hate it and Elise couldn’t afford it. And we didn’t have to do everything together.
My dad walked once around my car when he got home. I could tell he was trying to hide a pleased smile, trying to be a responsible parent by pretending to be disappointed. “This wasn’t exactly the car I thought you’d pick,” he began.
“But … ” I said, waiting for his smile to break loose.
“It’s just, you should be careful with your money. Have you talked to a financial advisor yet?”
“No, I will, but a few big purchases won’t kill me, right?”
“No, of course not. Can I give it a try?” That last sentence he said so quiet that I wasn’t sure I had heard him right.
“What?”
“Is it okay if … ”
Then it hit me what he was asking and I laughed. “You want to drive it?”
“Yes.”
“Of course.” I handed him the keys. Now he couldn’t control his smile and seeing that giddiness in him made me swell with happiness. I hopped in the passenger seat and watched him start the car with an excited yelp. I could get used to this. Maybe I already had.
Monday morning started weird. My mom came into the bathroom where I was brushing my teeth and held out her cell phone to me. “It’s your Uncle Barry.”
“I have an Uncle Barry?” I asked around my toothbrush.
“It’s really my uncle, your great-uncle.”
I spit my mouthful of toothpaste into the sink. “What does he want?”
“To say hi and congratulate you.”
“Oh.” I rinsed my mouth, then took the phone from her and pushed it against my thigh. “Wait. Do we like Uncle Barry?”
My mom laughed. “Yes, he’s nice.”
“Okay.” I put the phone up to my ear. “Hello?”
“Hello, my great-niece.”
“Hi, Uncle Barry. How are you?”
“I’m amazing. I just wanted to say congratulations on your big win.”
“Thank you … How did you find out?”
“From the family newsletter.”
“Right.” I had no idea we had a family newsletter. “Of course.”
My mom held up her finger as if to say she’d be right back and left me alone in the bathroom on the phone with her uncle that I’d never met before.
“Has your mom told you that I’m a real estate investor?”
I didn’t know you existed before two minutes ago, was what I was tempted to say. “Um … no.”
“Well, I am, and I can talk to you about that some if you’d like, but what I really wanted to tell you is that it’s important for you to diversify your investing. Sure, put some in the market, but also make sure you have some real estate and other investments, too.”
Had my mom called her uncle after I’d bought the car? She was probably concerned that I hadn’t seen a financial advisor yet, just like my dad. “Oh yeah, that’s probably important,” I replied, putting down my toothbrush.
“It is important. I think you should start off small for now. I have a property I’m looking at that I’d love to go in on with another investor. I’d like you to be that investor.”
“Me?”
“Yes, my dear. You could be a real estate mogul at eighteen years of age.”
“How much would I invest?” I asked cautiously.
“We’d each put in five hundred grand. The property is very undervalued right now. It’s the perfect time to buy. I’d like to fix it up, then turn around and sell it. You could make a twenty percent return on your investment in a couple months.” Uncle Barry sounded proud.
“Why don’t you just buy the whole thing yourself?”
“That’s the thing. I have some money tied up in other properties right now.”
Where was my mom?
“Can I send you over some paperwork to look at?” Uncle Barry was asking.
“Sure.” Paperwork was harmless.
“Great.”
We said our good-byes and I set the phone on the counter. I’d have to find out more about real estate stuff. But if my great-uncle Barry already knew the business, why not invest with him? It would probably make my parents feel better, too.
Pulling up to the school in my new car was more embarrassing than I’d anticipated. Lots of people drove expensive fancy cars at my school, but apparently not quite as expensive and not quite as fancy as mine. Seconds after parking, I had a crowd around me. Half the kids were talking about my car, half were asking about the yacht party. I was trying my best to answer both sets of questions when Trina infiltrated the group, grabbed me by the elbow, and led me away. She took the keys out of my hand and pushed the button, causing my car to let off two short beeps. Then she turned to the others and s
aid, “We’ll see you all Friday, no more questions.”
“Thanks,” I said, a little winded as we left the crowd behind.
“No problem.” She looked me up and down. My hair was pulled up in its standard messy bun and my glasses were slipping down my nose. “But seriously,” she said. “You need a look to match the car. We’re still on for Wednesday, right?”
“Yes.”
“Cool.”
“Do you know someone named Leo?” I asked.
“Leo? Leo who?”
“I don’t know his last name.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know a Leo.”
“I thought you knew everyone.” I probably had that backward. Everyone knew her, not the other way around.
She lowered her brows at me, then asked, “Why did you want me to know Leo?”
“He has a band. I was hoping to book him on the yacht.”
“Excellent idea,” she said.
I thought so, plus it would help him out. One of the things he said he needed to get his band out there was a good gig. I thought this was a good gig.
Trina dropped me off by the lockers with my friends. I waved as she walked away. Blaire looked after her. “What was that about?”
“She just saved me from the masses.”
“What masses?” Elise asked.
“I got a new car. They wanted to see it.”
“You got a new car?” Blaire asked. “Tell me it’s bigger than your last one.”
“It’s bigger, but it seats fewer people.”
Blaire sighed.
“Did you want me to get a minivan?” I asked.
“That would’ve been the most practical,” she said with a smile.
“I didn’t exactly go for practicality here.”
“Really?” Elise said. “I can’t wait to see it.”
“For sure. I’ll show you later.”
It took me all day to track down Leo. Apparently when you’ve only met a guy once, didn’t remember exactly what he looked like, and didn’t know his last name, it’s not that easy. But after asking what felt like five million people, he was finally pointed out to me after school on my way to the parking lot. He was sitting on a bench by a group of other guys who at the moment were throwing some sort of food at his open mouth.
I stood to the side, waiting until he noticed me.
“Oh, hey,” he said. “I hear you’ve been asking for me.”
“You heard I was asking for you but didn’t think to come find me?” I asked.
An M&M hit him on the side of the head and he scowled at his friend. “No, I didn’t,” he said back to me.
“Well, I was hoping you and your band would play at my party this weekend.”
“That’s short notice.”
“Do you have another gig?”
“No.”
I was trying to be nice, but if he didn’t want to, I could just use the sound system in the yacht. I’d talked to the lady who owned the yacht and she’d said it had one. “Do you want to or not?” I asked.
“How much does it pay?”
I had thought he’d just want the exposure, but he was right, I was asking him to do a job, I needed to pay him. “I don’t know … how much do you normally make when you play?”
“A thousand dollars.”
“Really? That much?”
“Yep,” he said.
“Okay. Then that’s what I’ll pay you.”
He high-fived the guy sitting next to him. “Cool.”
“So you can do it?”
“Yes. We’ll be there. Eight o’clock, right?”
“That’s what time we’re leaving. Be there at seven thirty so we can get all your equipment on board.”
“Sounds good, boss,” he said.
I wondered if this was a mistake.
“Hey,” he added before I turned to go. “Can we get half the money up front?”
“No,” I said. “You show up, you’ll get the money.”
He gave me a salute and I walked away. I headed for the parking lot. Elise and Blaire were already at my car when I arrived. Elise was slowly walking around the car, her hand trailing lovingly over the shiny paint.
“How did you know this was mine?” I asked.
“Really?” Blaire asked. “How didn’t we know?”
“Is it too much?”
“It just doesn’t seem like you,” Blaire said.
“Well, it is.”
“That’s good then. It’s pretty cool,” Blaire said.
“Thanks.”
Elise said a quiet, “Wow,” after she completed her lap around my car. “I want to drive this later.”
I smiled. “Yeah. Okay.”
“Maybe I’d be a great racecar driver. Do they have that major in college?”
“Probably not,” I said.
“My friend is totally awesome and rich!” Elise yelled to the parking lot.
A couple people lingering in the lot answered with appreciative whoops.
I looked down, embarrassed, and hissed, “Don’t do things like that.”
Elise just shrugged.
Blaire hitched her backpack higher on her shoulder. “See you both tomorrow.” And then she left.
“She’s just jealous.” Elise pretended to whisper but really said it loud enough for Blaire to hear as she walked away.
“Not jealous,” Blaire called back. “Cars just don’t do it for me.”
“What does it for you?” Elise asked her retreating form.
“Beating Maddie on tests.”
I laughed and so did Elise.
“I don’t think she was kidding,” Elise said after a minute.
“I know she wasn’t.”
Elise hugged me. “See you tomorrow, Batman.”
I had two deliveries waiting for me when I got home. One was my acceptance letter to Azusa Pacific University. It was my fourth acceptance letter now, and it was still just as exciting as the first. I thoroughly read each and every page, then set it in my desk drawer with the others. The other delivery was my cocoon chair I’d ordered from IKEA. I smiled and went to look for a box cutter to free it from the packaging. After I’d pulled the parts out of the box and put them together, I knew I’d only be able to hang it with help.
I went to Beau’s room and knocked. There was no answer.
I let myself in but he wasn’t in his bed. His bed was made. Several boxes were on the floor filled with his things. It surprised me to see those boxes. He had mentioned moving out but I didn’t think it would be so soon.
I sent him a text: What’s with the boxes? Are you running away from home? Because these couldn’t possibly mean you’re moving out already!
My phone buzzed as I hit Send. How could he have responded that quick? But it wasn’t Beau. It was Seth. I read his text as I left Beau’s room.
Guess who now has his phone back?
I couldn’t help but smile.
Um … your brother?
No.
Your best friend? What was his name again? Corey? Kevin? Something that starts with a hard C sound.
I went to my room and plopped down on my bed next to a pile of clean clothes. I began to fold laundry in between texts.
He answered back: My best friend’s name is Mac. With a hard M.
Really? Who’s Corey then?
I have never mentioned a Corey. Or a Kevin.
Really? You once told me a story about a guy who broke a skateboard in half with his head.
Oh yeah! Look at you and your amazing memory. That was Kevin. Kevin is not my best friend, though.
The guy can break a skateboard in half with his head! Why have you not secured him straight into friend spot number one?
Maddie! You are a horrible guesser! It was me! I have my phone back.
I laughed and shot off another text: Oh, right, that’s what we were talking about … Congrats! But sorry, I’m already through my texts-from-Seth withdrawal. I don’t want to have a relapse.
I pi
cked up a T-shirt to fold and noticed the stitching was coming out of the sleeve. And my blue blouse had a bleach spot on the front. I added them both to my pajama pile, glad I was going shopping with Trina soon. I could use new clothes.
My phone buzzed with Seth’s response.
I feared all my friends might be over their withdrawals. I’m obsolete now.
How is it? Coming back into the real world after serving time? Was it a shock to your senses?
I sent the text and picked up another T-shirt to fold. Then the smile that had been plastered on my face since I had read his first text slipped off, replaced with a numb tingling. Seth was back online now. He was going to find out about me winning the lottery. Everything would be different between us. I knew I was being selfish, but I just wanted another week or two with a friend who didn’t know about my lottery win. Someone who didn’t always mention my money. I’d tell him eventually, but I just wanted a little longer.
I threw the T-shirt into the pile and went back to my computer. Facebook was up on my screen and I scrolled through it to see when the last time someone had mentioned me and the lottery online had been. There was lots of talk about the party happening this weekend, but unless someone already knew, it wouldn’t have been obvious that I was throwing it. I had to scroll several pages back to find the lottery mentioned by a friend Seth and I didn’t share. Maybe he wouldn’t see it. My phone buzzed with Seth’s reply. It’s like riding a bike, Maddie. A social media bike.
I bit my lip, waiting for his next text to come through. The one that would say, By the way, congratulations.
My phone buzzed again.
No running. Just moving. I found a place. It’s awesome. I’m going to send you pictures. I’m here now.
“What?” I said out loud, confused. Then I realized the new text was from my brother, answering my question about the boxes in his room. Photos of the inside of an empty apartment began popping up on my phone.
Where is this? I texted back.
Beau shot me the address.
It’s in the Heights? Are you crazy?
The Heights was an upscale gated community up on a bluff that overlooked the valley. Rent in a community like that had to be super expensive.