The old lady who owned the building let me stay there after Dad was arrested as long as I paid the rent. She told me that the moment I stopped paying, was the moment I was out of there. I wasn’t on the lease. I was seventeen. Technically I should’ve been a ward of the state, but I was laying low. Besides, after I turned eighteen I would’ve been kicked out of any foster care, or group home they put me in. I knew the system. I was in it twice growing up when my parents got locked up. I’d never met any of my other family, and figured that they didn’t even know that I existed. It was probably better that way.
With only ten days left in the month, I had to figure out my next step to paying the rent. No one would hire me because of my Dad, and besides that, working was a drag. High school was meant to be about partying and having a good time. It was about sneaking around, and causing trouble. It was about long legged blondes, and sexual highs that you didn’t want to come down from.
I sighed just thinking about it.
The streetlight shone through the living room window, as I lay down on the couch. I was worn out. Kicking off my shoes, I relaxed to the sound of static. Tomorrow was a new day, a new adventure, and I went to bed without thinking any more about the rent. Instead, I thought about the smooth curves of Jenny’s hips. They were a guilty pleasure.
Every dirty guys’ dreams were about a good girl, right?
Jenny
I lay awake half that night listening to Lola snore in the bed next to me. She claims she doesn’t, but I swear I’m going to record her one of these days. She wasn’t the reason I was still awake though. My mom had me all sorts of messed up. After Draven left she wanted to talk.
Not me, her.
She said some things that got me thinking. Certain things struck a real cord with me. When she looked at Draven, she saw a kid who was alone and suffering. When I looked at him, all I saw was an arrogant asshole, someone who needed a swift reality check.
Mom really got me thinking about him in a different way. She had me feeling a bit guilty about jumping to such quick conclusions when it came to him. I couldn’t help it. He struck a nerve with me, and I knew that the moment he opened his mouth I’d want to strangle him, regardless of the pity or shame I felt from Mom’s convincing words. When she told me to try and be his friend, I promised her I would. But it wasn’t going to be easy. I’d spent my entire life trying to avoid him, and now, she wanted me to dance with the devil himself.
When the sun started coming up, I decided to get up out of bed and get ready. Lola was going to be so angry with me for waking her up early, but I wanted coffee, and I wanted it from Maxwell’s.
“Get up sleeping beauty.”
She groaned. “WHY? Why are you so chipper?” Another groan escaped her lips. “What time is it?”
“Very freaking early, and I need coffee.”
She mumbled something under her breath, probably cursing me, but I couldn’t understand her morning gibberish. Didn’t care either. After her little stunts this week, I felt the need to annoy the crap out of her. “Chop, chop.” I clapped.
The house was quiet when I padded down the stairs. I told Lo to be in the kitchen in ten minutes or I was leaving her, and she knew I wasn’t kidding. When it came to Maxwell’s coffee, there was no joking. It was like pure gold.
“Hey Dad,” I smiled as I made my way towards the kitchen table.
“Morning! You’re up awfully early.” He said before taking a sip of his coffee. The steam added a layer of fog to his thick bifocals.
Pulling the chair away from the table, I took a seat next to him. “I didn’t get much sleep last night, so we’re headed out early to get coffee.”
“Your Mom told me about the tutoring session.”
“Yeah, well…” I clearly hesitated.
He smirked. “I’ve got to admit that I think it’s a bit of a lost cause. But, I know how your mother is. She sees good in everybody, and she really thinks this is a good idea.”
In other words, mom knew best.
I released a long-winded breath from my chest. “She’s usually right, you know?”
“Boy do I know,” Dad replied, and we shared a laugh. He had one of those full-belly laughs, and I loved hearing it.
“I’m here, I’m here. Sound the alarms.” Lo said as she made her grand entrance into the kitchen.
“You girls have a good day.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I leaned in and kissed his stubbly cheek. “See you tonight.”
***
Maxwell’s was only about a five-minute drive from my house. The small parking lot only had a few vehicles in it when we pulled up. None of them belonged to Draven. Thank goodness for that. Despite the conversation with Mom, I still needed all the coffee before seeing him. Especially after the way our study session ended.
The two of us ordered the biggest latte’s on the menu, and chose a table way in the back. There was one small table with two seats that sat in the back corner of the café that I loved. The lights didn’t quite reach it, so there was a soft shadow and could make you easily avoidable. It was perfect.
We sipped our piping-hot drinks in silence for several minutes. Lo was like me, we needed to drink at least a half a cup before we made coherent sentences.
When she started to speak, I stopped her. “It’s too early to talk about you know who. Let’s talk about something completely different.”
“Fine,” she yawned, still half asleep. “What are we doing this weekend?” She asked.
The two of us always found something to do. Granted it wasn’t the crazy high school shenanigans that most of our class was into, but we always had fun.
“I don’t know. Maybe we can see a movie?” I suggested.
“Or maybe we can go to Avani’s party?”
“Avani Green?” I gave her a surprised look. Avani Green was in Border’s High Homecoming Court, and was voted most likely to become famous in our list of absurd yearbook superlatives.
She loudly sipped her latte. “It was just an idea.”
“You really want to?” I asked as I wrapped my long hair into a bun.
“I don’t know. I just heard at school that everyone was invited from our class, and that most people were going. I realize we’d probably be completely out of place, but we have each other. If it totally sucks, then we can just leave.” She drew idly on the table and looked up at me from beneath her lashes.
The idea was strange. However, when I thought back to my years in high school I realized that I’d never done anything like it. I was about to graduate and I’d never been to a high school party. Sheesh. I couldn’t even believe my own thoughts, and I was even more surprised about my next words.
“Let’s do it.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Seriously?”
“Why not.” I shrugged. “But we should have a safe word if either of us wants to get out of there.”
“I love that idea. How about… -Banana Hammock?”
I coughed as I got strangled on my coffee. “Of all the words, that’s the best you could do?”
“It’s catchy, and no one would be yelling out Banana Hammock.”
“True.” I laughed. The girl was my bestie for a reason. “Come on. Let’s get a coffee to go and then we’ll head on to school.”
While we were standing in line I heard a recognizable deep laugh. I didn’t have to turn around to know it was Draven. He obviously loved this place as much as I did, but I never saw him order anything. He and his friends mostly loitered. They sat at the same table every time they were there. Usually we didn’t cross paths, but lately we’d been running into each other a lot more. If and when I saw him there, I would scramble to leave. It was hard to do that now, knowing that the two of us were officially study-partners. Of course, with the promise I’d made to Mom it didn’t make it any easier.
Lo and I grabbed our drinks from the counter and turned to leave. When my eyes locked on Draven’s I didn’t squirm.
I smiled.
A little.
> Okay, barely. It was more of a tight-lipped, I’m not frowning smile.
His face didn’t budge, so I held up a hand sending a gruesomely awkward wave, and he looked away. There wasn’t one shred of acknowledgement.
Thanks Mom.
I looked liked an obsessed idiot, and true to his normal fashion… He was an ass.
Draven
By the end of the school day, I was ready to blow off some steam. If it weren’t for the constant voice in my head, I would say screw school altogether and I’d never go back. But that voice. That voice was my father’s voice, and it was constantly reminding me what a worthless disgrace I was. That constant nagging is what fueled me to finish, to prove him wrong, as bad as I didn’t want to. It also meant that I could get out this town soon, and never look back. I should’ve run the moment he got locked up.
Pushing open the heavy door, I made my way outside. In a hurry to get the weekend started. I saw Jenny standing by the picnic tables with an aggravated look on her face. Luckily, she didn’t see me.
I hadn’t talked to her.
I hadn’t told her that I wasn’t coming to tutoring.
It was Friday. The weekend was here, and if she expected me to give up my weekends for schoolwork, she needed a reality check. I had a life, believe or not.
I took a wide right turn at the edge of the parking lot, and headed straight for my car. Sure, I could’ve stopped to tell her, but where would the fun be in that. Maybe it was wrong of me, but I found pleasure in her anger. It was fun fighting with her. She had spunk, and I liked that she didn’t back down from me like most did.
My buddy Jett was already at my car waiting when I got there. Shocking, since I nearly sprinted out of my last period. “You skip?” I asked.
“Just last period.” He smirked. “There was a substitute, so I went to the restroom.”
I laughed. “The shit and run.”
“Yep,” he cackled. “I went to the bathroom and never came back. Works every time.”
He was right. It always worked. We were a substitute’s worst nightmare. I shook my head at him as we climbed inside my car. Jett slid me a ten-dollar bill for gas. It was an every Friday thing. Wherever the old clunker took us over the weekend was on him, and I always accepted. Money wasn’t easy to come by these days.
“What are we doing this weekend?” I figured we’d find something to get into. We always did.
“I say we crash tonight’s party,” Jett replied. “It’s at Avani’s house.”
The smell of his lit cigarette filled the car, and sparked my insides. I reached over and pulled it from his hands, pressing it to my lips. The first drag after a long day of school was amazing. It made me breathe a little easier, as odd as that sounded.
“A party huh?” I started the car. “Why not.”
A party meant easy girls, plenty of booze, and if I was lucky free food and a decent place to crash for the night.
As I began pulling out of the parking spot, I was quickly cut off. A silver Chevy truck stopped right in front of me. The driver’s side window rolled down and Tyler waved at me before peeling out.
If it weren’t my only means of transportation, I would run him down and smash up his pretty little truck. He didn’t pay for it anyway. His Daddy’s money was always handy when he needed it.
“He’s a douchebag!” Jett yelled out.
I snapped out of my visual car wreck to agree. “His time is coming,” I swore. “He’s messing with the wrong guy.” I’d find that right time and place to get a little revenge, and he’d wish he never stirred shit up with me.
“We should stop my house before we go anywhere else.” Jest suggested. “There’s some left over the lasagna in the refrigerator.”
My mouth watered just thinking about it. “Hell yeah,” I agreed. I was starving.
Jett knew about my situation at home, and I figured that was why he offered me a meal every chance he could. Though we never really discussed it, I was thankful to have a friend like him.
Jenny
“I can’t believe that I let you talk me into this. What the hell was I thinking?”
“Stop being so moody,” Lo ranted back. “You can’t still be upset that he didn’t tell you that he wasn’t coming to tutoring today.”
“He left me standing there like an idiot.” My face growled back at me in the mirror as I brushed my unruly hair. It was no use trying to get it to do anything. My straight blonde hair was bland and boring.
I knew it was silly being upset the he’d ditched me, but I couldn’t help it. I was doing the guy a favor. The least he could do was show up, or at least have the courtesy to tell me that he wasn’t coming.
But no.
Draven only ever thought about himself. I don’t know why I expected that to change.
Lo stared at me through the reflection of the mirror as she applied her mascara. She was gorgeous with her wavy auburn locks, and her sparkly green eyes.
“It’s Draven we’re talking about, and it’s Friday. You should’ve known that he wouldn’t want to study on the weekend.”
I glared at her over my shoulder. “I know.” I hated that she was right, but she usually was. She had the instinct of a lion, and freaking lashes for days.
“Come on,” she squeezed my shoulder, having me stand up from my vanity chair. “Are you sure that’s what you want to wear?”
My reflection in the mirror was exactly as it should’ve been. I looked no different than I did any other day. My favorite light colored jeans with the hole in the knee, and my hoodie that said NYU in big gold letters. New York University was going to be home soon, and I couldn’t wait. My plan was all mapped out. First NYU, and then Columbia for grad school. Nothing was going to stand in my way.
Nothing and no one…
“I’m comfortable.” I shrugged. “Now let’s go before I change my mind.”
Despite my better judgment, I still decided to go. Trusting your instincts was one thing, but doing the complete opposite… Well, that was probably a stupid decision.
Before I could convince myself otherwise, we got into Lo’s car and headed towards Exit Street. Good thing she was driving. I was feeling anxious, and even a little nervous. I was seventeen years old, and had never been to a high school party before. The expectations of it were non-existent since I had nothing to compare it to, other than a movie.
Would there be drinking? Fighting? Would Draven be there? A list of questions ran on and on in my mind. There were people at my school that I didn’t like, and ones who made high school seem so cliché. I never belonged. The few friends I did have were like me, and wanted nothing more than to be left alone. So the fact that Lo wanted to go to this stupid thing surprised me.
“Whoa,” Lo’s voice was shocking. “There are a lot of people here. I didn’t even think there were that many people in this town.”
“Great,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Hey,” she reached for and grabbed my hand. “Just think. With this many people, we are sure to go unnoticed.”
A small smile played on my lips. “True.”
“And who knows,” she said, waggling her brows suggestively. “Maybe we’ll actually have some fun.”
I tucked my hands deep in the front pocket of my hoodie as we made our way through the array of cars parked around the house. The main door was open as we walked up the front steps and followed the line of people inside.
The music grew louder the farther we walked in. People were everywhere, even some that I didn’t recognize.
Lo stayed glued to my side as we shuffled through the crowd, and scoped out the place. It was by far the nicest place in town, and much bigger than I expected. The tall, vaulted ceilings made me feel a lot less trapped than I imagined I would.
Following Lo’s lead, we walked through the living room and into adjoining kitchen. Several people circled the island that was covered from one end to the other with drinks. Some I recognized, but most I didn’t. I glanced over at Lo
, who was noticing the same thing that I was. A couple stood against the pantry in a full on make-out-session. They were one button away from conceiving a child. The two of us had the same idea as we made our way out the kitchen doors to the backyard. It was a quick escape.
“Well that was hot,” Lo proclaimed.
I nudged her shoulder, and she smiled at me.
There had to be at least three bedrooms in that house that would’ve made a better lovemaking spot then in front of the food. Thank goodness the bread didn’t have eyes.
“This is crazy. There has to be close to two hundred people here.” My eyes did a quick scan through the crowds of people.
“Right! And I’m pretty sure I only recognized like three people.” Lo replied. “There,” she said pointing to an open picnic table in the backyard.
The place was lit up like the Vegas strip. Avani had hanging lanterns and torches and fire pits. There wasn’t an inch of the backyard that wasn’t occupied. Her parents probably hosted great parties there.
We both took a seat at the picnic table facing outward towards the crowd. It was the perfect spot for people watching, which Lo and I loved to do.
“I really can’t believe we’re here,” I whispered in her direction. “When I told my Mom where we were going I swear she looked excited.”
Lo snorted. “So did mine.”
“Do they think we’re hermits or something? It’s not like we live under a rock.”
“My Mom said that a little socializing would do me some good.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Oh geez,” I shook my head. “We do have friends, and even if we didn’t, what would it matter? We’re going to be out of this place soon enough, and we’ll have plenty of time for socializing then. I swear, when you’ve spent your entire life surrounded by the same people, you don’t exactly want to hang out with them.”
Into dark water Page 3