Power

by Jillian Dodd

  “I’m supposed to go to the wedding with Jennifer.”

  “Have you had the talk yet?”

  “No. I was going to last night, but after the Parker Hudson interview, she was so damn happy I couldn’t. Speaking of that, did you and Vanessa have anything to do with his sudden change of heart?”

  I pull up a photo and show him my phone.

  “Holy shit,” he says, as he turns the phone sideways and starts blowing it up. “Shouldn’t have done that.” He laughs and covers his eyes. “Where did you get this?”

  “I have good friends.”

  “Sander?”

  “He is one such good friend.”

  “I can’t believe you used to date him.”

  “Are you kidding me? He was the perfect boyfriend; he loved to shop, knew designer labels better than I did, and never, ever looked at other women.”

  “Fuck. You probably did love that. So it all makes sense now.” He kisses my cheek and looks at the photo again. “I’m sure glad we’re on the same side, sugar.”

  Dawson’s beach house - Malibu

  DAWSON

  I twirl Harlow around on the beach then drop her into the sand as Ava skips through the water.

  “What would you think about going over to the Santa Monica pier tonight? They have a Ferris wheel and music and lots of fun places to have dinner.”

  “Is Vanessa coming with us?” Harlow asks as we walk back toward the house.

  “No. I thought you’d want to be alone with Daddy. Just the three of us.”

  “We think it would be more fun if she came with us,” Ava agrees. The girls stand next to each other, arm in arm, smiling up at me.

  “Well, since it’s a rarity that you both agree on something, I guess I should give her a call.” As I grab my phone off the stairs, I catch them high-fiving each other behind my back.

  “What was that all about?” I ask, crossing my arms in front of me and giving them my sternest look.

  “Um, nothing,” Ava says, unconvincingly.

  “Girls, don’t lie to me.”

  “Uncle Cam promised us money if we could get you to spend time with her,” Harlow admits.

  “How much?”

  “Twenty dollars,” Ava says softly.

  “Each!” Harlow exclaims, only to be punched in the arm by her sister.

  “You can never keep a secret,” Ava says to her.

  “Tell you what,” I say, stepping between them. “I’ll give you each twenty dollars right now if you’ll sit down and talk to me honestly about Vanessa. Do you really want her to come with us?”

  Ava grabs my hand and pulls me down on the step next to her. “It’s okay with us if you have a girlfriend.”

  “Yeah, you’re not getting any younger, Daddy,” Harlow says, plopping down on my lap.

  “And she’s really pretty,” Ava adds.

  “And nice,” Harlow says. “She rubbed my face while that silly Knox told us a bedtime story. And Grandma says you are getting old. And someday we will go off to college and you will be alone. We don’t want you to be lonely, Daddy.”

  “I was married to your mom for a long time. And I didn’t know how you would feel about me dating someone.”

  “It’s okay, Daddy,” Harlow says. “Mommy is in heaven. God is her boyfriend now.”

  “I think she’d date Jesus. He’s younger.” Ava says.

  “Yes, Jesus,” Harlow agrees. “Mama and Jesus. But Mama would make him shave his beard.”

  I laugh loudly envisioning Whitney ordering Jesus around.

  “You two are silly,” I say, tickling them.

  “Daddy,” Ava says seriously, “it’s been two years since Mama died. Uncle Cam says if you don’t use it—it will fall off and die. I’m pretty sure he was talking about your heart. Everyone needs someone to love.”

  “And me and my friend saw this movie where a dolphin was separated from her boyfriend and she wouldn’t swim anymore,” Harlow says dramatically. “And it was so sad. Her poor little heart just withered up and died! We don’t want your heart to die or fall off!”

  “Well, I certainly don’t want that either.”

  “Then call her!”

  I hit Vanessa’s number but it goes to her voicemail. “Hey, it’s me. The girls are I are going to the Santa Monica pier tonight and they wanted to know if you could join us. I know it’s last minute. Sorry. So call us if you get the message. If not tonight, maybe we could do something tomorrow night. Um, if you’re free.”

  “Hi, Miss Vanessa!” the girls both yell into the phone. “Call us!”

  I hang up the phone feeling worried.

  And afraid that Vanessa won’t be calling me. Ever again.

  FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10TH

  Eastbrooke Academy - Connecticut

  RILEY

  We drop off our bags at the hotel and go straight to Eastbrooke.

  “I’m surprised we even got a room,” Dallas says as we pass through the gates.

  “Tyler can work miracles and somehow managed to find us a suite. But for all I know, we may be sleeping together in one bed,” I tease.

  “Like old times,” Dallas says, grinning.

  Of course, Tyler would never allow that. I know it’s a large multi-bedroom suite, one for each of us, with a large living space to hang out in.

  Keatyn glances at her watch. “It’s getting late. We’re going to have to hurry, so we don’t miss the start of the game!”

  Once we get out of the car, Dallas says, “Keatyn and I will get us checked in. Do you want to come or would you like to be alone?”

  “Why don’t you two go,” I say. “I think I’d like to be alone. Just for a few minutes.”

  “Are you okay?” Keatyn asks.

  “Yeah, go. I’ll be fine.”

  I must be a glutton for punishment because I’m not drawn to all the happy places, I'm drawn toward the spot.

  The spot where it happened.

  We had graduated, thrown our caps into the air, and posed for a million photos.

  I pick her up, twirl her around, and kiss her.

  When I set her down, she's crying.

  All the girls have been super emotional today about leaving Eastbrooke and their friends, so I say, “Don't cry, Kitty. Just think, next week we'll be on the beach in California getting married.”

  She grabs my face tightly in her hands and kisses me. “I love you, Riley. I always will. No matter what happens. Please, don’t ever forget that.”

  “I love you too, the soon-to-be Mrs. Johnson.”

  She holds her stomach like she might get sick.

  “Are you okay?”

  She just stares at me, tears flooding her eyes and mascara dripping down her face.

  “I’m not going to California, Riley. I'm going to Princeton.”

  “What?!” I smile and flip her hair. “You're messing with me, aren't you?”

  “No, Riley, I'm not. I have to go. My parents are waiting for me.” She grabs my face and studies it like she’s never going to see it again. “Goodbye, Riley.”

  She turns her back on me and walks away.

  My feet stay planted in this spot for what feels like an eternity, waiting for her to turn around.

  For her to run back to me and jump into my arms and tell me she’s just messing with me.

  That it was some kind of silly graduation prank.

  But she doesn’t. She walks directly to her parents’ car, gets in the backseat, and shuts the door as they pull away.

  Not once does she look back.

  I stand in stunned silence, trying to process the reality of it.

  The finality of it.

  Keatyn bounds toward me and wraps her arm around my neck. “Where's Ariela? You two ready to party? Can you believe next week you'll be getting married? My little Riley fell in lurve at Eastbrooke and now he's getting married.”

  “Ariela left,” I say, barely able to string the words together. Barely able to comprehend the thought.

  “W
here'd she go?”

  “Princeton.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “She’s not going to California.”

  Keatyn's demeanor changes and she grabs my hand. “What happened?”

  “I don't know. She said she’s going to Princeton. Told me goodbye. Then she got in her car and left.”

  “Oh, Riley,” Keatyn says, tears filling her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  I nod, still in shock, not letting go of her hand as she drags me across campus to her car.

  “Call her, please,” I beg.

  She does.

  “Voicemail.” Then she grabs my phone and tries. “She's not answering.”

  “Her dad told me I'd never amount to anything. I laughed and said watch me. I think he got the last laugh.”

  I look around. Visions of her are everywhere.

  She was my world.

  Sometimes I wish I could be young again. Do it all over. Fall in love for the first time. Feel the exhilaration. Count down the minutes of class just so I could kiss her again. Touch her face. See her smile. Feel the pride I felt whenever I walked through the halls with my arm wrapped around her.

  I look down toward Hawthorne House where my dorm room was. I remember sneaking out and meeting her at the lacrosse field, some nights just holding hands and staring at the stars.

  That’s what I miss most about her.

  Just holding her hand, not having to say a word, but knowing she felt the same way I did.

  Or at least I thought she did.

  “This is the spot, isn't it?” Keatyn asks, bringing me back to the present.

  “Yeah.”

  “Are you okay, Riley? Was this a bad idea?”

  I wrap my arm around her in a hug, partly because I appreciate what she’s trying to do and partly because I just need a hug.

  “Part of me feels like that eighteen year old. The feelings are still raw. But now I have ten years of maturity. We were young. There were signs. She'd kiss me and start crying. She said she was stressed about finals. I should have known something was wrong.”

  “I was thinking the same thing too,” she says. “I remember that she was barely eating, but just blamed it on stress. Katie and I were a little worried she might be pregnant or anorexic, but we never would have guessed what she had planned.” She shakes a red and gold pompom in front of my face. “You ready to go cheer Eastbrooke to victory?”

  I falter.

  Keatyn smacks her forehead. “I’m sorry. Shit. I remember what she did for you before the Homecoming game. With the pompoms.”

  “Ariela and I talked about that—the uh, the night we—”

  “The TLF night?” Dallas asks, joining us.

  “TLF?”

  “True love’s fuck,” Dallas says.

  “Okay, I've had enough memory lane. Let's go have fun,” I say, but it's a front. Everywhere I turn—everywhere I look— I see memories of her. Memories of us.

  And I'm torn between remembering them fondly and wishing I could get a quick case of amnesia to banish them away forever.

  Once we’re seated, a familiar face plops down on the bleacher next to me. “Gracie, what are you doing here?”

  “I’m thinking of enrolling,” she says.

  Keatyn is surprised to see her. “Does Mom know you're here?”

  “Of course she does.” She turns to me. “Oh, look, Baylor is wearing your old number, Riley. He's only a sophomore, but he's the starting quarterback. We’ve been texting since I visited a few weeks ago.”

  “Is that why you're really here, Gracie? For a boy?” Dallas asks her.

  “Do you or do you not always say Eastbrooke was where you had some of the best times of your lives?”

  “We do,” Keatyn admits.

  “That's why I'm considering it. End of story.”

  “And it has nothing to do with whatever is going on with you and Brady?” Keatyn asks.

  “Of course not. Brady and I were friends. Now, we're not. It’s as simple as that.”

  “But—” Keatyn starts to say.

  “Speaking of butts,” Gracie interrupts. “Check out number twelve’s.”

  I laugh. For the first time since we arrived, I laugh. Gracie cracks me up. I've never met anyone who can so smoothly manipulate a conversation.

  Actually, I take that back. I have. Gracie is a mini Keats.

  “You sure you want to go to high school, Gracie?” I ask her. “A script came across my desk yesterday that made me immediately think of you.”

  “I already told you, Riley. No cheesy romances for me.”

  “This one isn't cheesy. It could be the next Titanic. A critically acclaimed box office hit. It’s a big sweeping love story—sort of a Romeo and Juliet type of thing. Period piece. Young princess whose father wants her to marry the prince of their neighboring country to bring them peace—but she is in love with a young soldier.”

  “Sounds cool,” she says, noncommittally as she stands up to cheer. “I think I want to be a cheerleader. Go Cougars!”

  “What? No!” Keatyn screeches. “You have to be on the dance team!”

  “I thought you didn't think I should go to Eastbrooke?”

  “If you decide to come here, you have to be on the dance team, Gracie. And you need to know they have a lot of rules here. I know you complain you don’t get to do as much as your sisters, but Mom and Tommy are pretty liberal.”

  Dallas and I laugh out loud. “You’re one to talk, Keats. You always believed rules were for other people.”

  And in that moment, I stop seeing just me and Ariela and start remembering everything else.

  The friendships.

  The laughter.

  The pickup lines Dallas used.

  Screwing around in the football locker room.

  Dallas trying to guess the color of girls panties.

  How our goal in life was to get laid.

  The parties at The Cave.

  The nights we spent chilling at our secret party place, Stockton’s.

  The ceremony when the seven of us—me, Ariela, Maggie, Logan, Keatyn, Aiden, and Dallas—became Eastbrooke prefects.

  When I threw a perfect deep pass to Aiden in the last few seconds of a rivalry game to seal our victory.

  A little girl behind us taps Gracie on the shoulder and asks for her autograph. Gracie signs her program, takes a picture with her, and returns her attention to the game.

  “I don't know much about football, but I can appreciate their uniforms,” she says as the quarterback throws the ball down the field to a wide-open teammate for the score.

  Dallas nudges me and nods toward a cheerleader, who’s cheering more than the others. She’s also wearing the quarterback’s number on her cheek.

  “Gracie, why is that guy texting you if he has a girlfriend?” Dallas asks.

  “He doesn't have a girlfriend,” she says.

  I point to the cheerleader. “I think maybe he does.”

  Gracie narrows her eyes as Keatyn says, “Speaking of texting, I just texted Mom and she had no idea you were here.”

  Gracie shrugs. “I told her I was going to a football game.”

  “Yes, you just failed to mention that the football game was in Connecticut. How did you get here anyway?”

  “Hitchhiked.”

  Keatyn gives her the eye.

  “Fine. I hitched a ride on The Summer Boys jet. I'm considering dating Jared. Or Dylan, depending.”

  “Gracie, those boys are like twenty years old!”

  “No, they’re not. Jared is nineteen, and Dylan just turned seventeen.”

  “You're fourteen!”

  “I’ll be fifteen in a month. So, basically, I already am. And that’s another reason why you should want me to come here, so I’ll date boys my own age. Although, the band is fun to party with and I never get carded when I'm with—” She slaps her hand over her mouth.

  I whisper to Keatyn, “You know if you have a girl she’s going to be just like Gracie. Just like you
.”

  “No, she won’t. She’ll be smart and responsible like Aiden.”

  I raise my eyebrow at her. Aiden was not adverse to partying and hooking up before he fell for Keatyn.

  She shakes her head. “One step at a time. Mom and Tommy have had it so easy with the triplets. They never get in trouble.”

  “That’s not true,” Gracie says. “The cleaning lady found cocaine in Ivery’s room.”

  “What?!”

  “Mom didn’t want to tell you once she found out you’re pregnant.”

  “Shhh,” Keatyn says.

  “It’s not like everyone can’t tell anyway. All they have to do is look at your stomach.”

  Keatyn touches her stomach, which still looks flat to me.

  “You know we don’t want people to know yet, Gracie.”

  Gracie rolls her eyes and gives Keatyn a little hug. “You know I’m just teasing.”

  “Where were you planning on staying tonight?”

  “It’s Homecoming. Party all night, right? And I have a date for the dance.”

  “You do?!” Keatyn asks.

  “Yep,” she smiles and nods at the field.

  “The quarterback? He asked you?” I say.

  “Do you think I would have come all this way to surprise him if he hadn’t?”

  Dallas and I share a worried glance.

  This feels like the beginning of a major conflict scene in one of our teen movies.

  “You’re surprising him?” Dallas asks, on the same train of thought as I am.

  She bounces in her seat. “I told him I didn’t think I could make it but that I’d try. He’ll be so surprised!”

  “I bet he will be,” Dallas says, nudging me.

  “Riley, I think I need a hotdog,” Keatyn says, suddenly grabbing my arm. “Come get one with me.”

  I buy us both hot dogs and hand one to her. “I have a feeling the quarterback is going to have two dates.”

  “That’s what I was thinking,” she says. “Shit. Gracie is always such a good girl. Spunky and opinionated, but I didn’t think she’d ever flat out disobey Mom and Tommy.”

  “Sounds like she didn’t exactly disobey tonight.” I grin.

  “And hanging out with a band!”

  “Twisted Dreams,” I cough, reminding her that she hung out with a band when she was a teen too.