Wes carefully stood up and wiggled out of his shirt while staring at me. Even in a half-drunken state he was able to completely mesmerize me. “Have fun, Samantha darling.”
I reluctantly peeled my eyes away from him and followed Charlotte to the garage where we got into a souped-up golf cart. It was sparkling red with matching tire rims.
“This is the best way to get around the island,” Charlotte said. “Our parents gave Wes and me golf carts for our twelfth birthday. He stayed in trouble so much that they sold his a couple years later and upgraded mine.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“Every kind,” she said, before starting the engine and cranking the radio.
Lyle’s Island was quaint, but full of shops, and everything was expensive. Charlotte had referred to it as a small town for rich people. After getting a thirty-five dollar bill for the wedge salad I’d ordered for lunch, I had to agree with her.
“I think you’ll like it here. Summer is so fun and people are nicer than you’d expect them to be. I mean, there are assholes. Sometimes, I’m one of them, which you know. I was about as game for having dinner with the neighbors as you were the other night.”
“I’m sorry if I was rude.”
“Hell, I was the rude one. Wes wasn’t lying when he said that I have a hard time making friends with girls.”
“Well, it could be your approach. Four minutes after we met, you made fun of my dress and called me a bitch. That may be your problem.”
She laughed. “You’re the first girl to ever say it back to me. But I have always heard that redheads don’t take any shit. I guess that’s true.”
I had always heard that redheads are mean and liked what she’d heard much better. If she kept it up, I wasn’t just going to get used to Charlotte, I was going to like her.
“Austin Swagler is throwing a party tonight. You should come,” she said after stopping the golf cart to let me out at my front door. “Austin’s parties are the best. He only lives one street over, so we can get shitfaced and walk home.”
“I already told you—”
“You don’t drink. I was listening, but there’s more than one way to get shitfaced.”
“I won’t be doing that.”
“But you’ll go?”
“You’re not going to pour pig’s blood on me, are you?”
Charlotte laughed so hard that she almost fell out of the golf cart. “What in the hell made you ask that?”
“I don’t know…”
“You’ve seen way too many horror movies, Samantha darling. We grew tired of the private school hazing games in the ninth grade. No one will do anything mean to you.”
I nodded and exited the golf cart still unsure if I should accept the invite.
“C’mon, let that gorgeous auburn hair down and have some fun. I’ll meet you out front at nine.”
“Wait… I don’t have to dress up or anything, do I?”
“Wear whatever you want. I’m certainly going to.” Charlotte put a mischievous smile on her plump lips and covered her eyes with the rose-tinted sunglasses she’d bought in town before driving away.
7
I decided to go to the party, and was almost to Charlotte’s porch when she popped through the front door like a jack in a box.
Mrs. Cohen waved. “You girls have fun. Be safe.”
“She’d be a great mom. I feel bad that she can’t have kids,” Charlotte said. “My tactless mother told me that Babs is barren because she was ravenously promiscuous when she was my age. I think she just said that to keep me from screwing around because I’m fairly certain that Robert is the sterile one. At least they get to babysit us for the summer.”
“Babysit?” Charlotte and Wes were definitely old enough to stay at home alone.
“During Christmas break, we burned down our pool house.” Charlotte grinned, then laughed. “Mommy dearest was so mad. Watching a woman full of wrinkle filler try to be emotional is pure entertainment. She was furious, but could only look surprised.”
“How’d you burn down your pool house?”
“With matches,” Charlotte answered gleefully, shocking me.
“The fire was intentional?”
“You should see your face! I’m kidding. We’re not arsonists, Sam darling. Anyway, I don’t mind Babs and Robert. They don’t treat us like criminals and actually care more about us than the things in the house, and they do it without hovering.” Charlotte pointed to an enormous Tudor in front of us. “That’s Austin’s place. He’s gorgeous in this unconventional way and I would so love to have him lay on top of me for half an hour. Not that he hasn’t alluded to it, but he’s also tried to bone every girl on the island. Their mothers, too.”
“Gross.”
“You haven’t seen him,” she growled.
We entered the house from the back, into a walkout basement. There were roughly thirty people inside and the air smelled like a department store fragrance counter. The oversized main room had a full kitchen and dining area along with four long sofas placed opposite of one another, creating a wide rectangle around a small table settled in the center.
“Who’s this, Harlot?” a girl asked, looking at me.
“What?” I asked sharply.
Charlotte laughed. “She was calling me Harlot, not you. It’s my nickname. Short for Charlotte,” she said, then addressed the girl. “Meg, this is our new neighbor, Samantha darling.”
Meg giggled. “That’s so cute. Or, well, darling.”
I didn’t bother telling her that my last name wasn’t actually darling. She was too drunk to waste the words.
“There’s Swagler.” Charlotte pointed to a guy standing on the small table near the sofas. She was right, he was unconventionally attractive. He wore loafers, white shorts and a light blue short sleeved shirt with the top three buttons undone. He should have appeared completely sleazy, but something about him counteracted it.
“Get ready, people. The game starts in five,” Austin announced.
“What game?” I asked Charlotte.
“It’s like Truth or Dare on crack. Austin’s in control and you have to do whatever he says or you can never play again. I’d watch a round before jumping in. It can get pretty intense.”
After Austin stepped down from the table, Charlotte called him over and introduced us. His hazel eyes raked over me. “Darling implies that you’re bad, dirty even. Are you a bad girl, Sam?”
“Down boy.” Charlotte placed her hand on Austin’s chest and lightly pushed him away from me.
“Are you playing the game, bad girl, Sam? Since it’s your first time, I’ll be gentle. I mean, a girl likes to be kissed before getting stuck, right?”
I groaned. He was a total sleaze, but Charlotte still appeared enamored. “Not tonight.”
“Your loss,” Austin chirped at me, then climbed back atop the table and called for the game to start. “First up, Max Mastrony!”
“Dammit, Swagler! First? I haven’t even had a proper drink yet,” Max complained.
Austin shrugged. “Somebody’s got to be first and I’d like to kick this party off right, so Max, Maxy, Max Mastrony, you are going to treat us to a strip tease on this very tabletop, and you’re going to do it to Willie Nelson’s ‘Roll Me Up.’”
Laughter and applause erupted as Max took Austin’s place on the table. “I can’t believe you, man,” he said as the song began to play from speakers in the ceiling. It was a live version, so I could hardly hear the lyrics, but Max was hilarious. Without rhythm, and awkwardly as hell, he stripped down to his boxers, throwing his clothes into the amused crowd. When the song ended, everyone cheered. With closed fists, Max held his arms above his head and cawed as if he’d just reached the top of Everest or something, then high-fived everyone in his path as he returned to his seat in his underwear.
“Alright, my next victim is Brian Callaway,” Austin announced. “For you, Brian, I’m going to revert to the cards.” Austin pulled a purple velvet bag from his po
cket and dug into it.
Charlotte leaned close to me. “Those are dirty deeds cards. Hopefully nudity doesn’t offend you.”
“Nudity?” I repeated dully.
After glancing at the card, Austin stuck his fist into his mouth and bit down. “You lucky bastard,” he moaned before dramatically reading the card aloud. “Brian, for one minute, you must suck the nipples of the person to your right.”
The room erupted again. The guy to his left patted Brian on the back as the girl to his right whipped off her tank top and revealed her breasts before straddling his lap and giggling.
“Start the clock,” Brian called, his wide eyes focused on the massive mounds before him.
The surrounding guys made comments about the girl, whose name I’d gathered was Ava, and what they’d love to do to her while watching Brian lick all over her chest.
When Austin called time, Ava hopped up, announced that she wasn’t done with him, and pulled Brian out of sight.
“Hot damn! I need a drink to cool down after that one.” Austin swirled the ice in the tumbler he held before turning it up and swallowing the liquid inside. “Okay…” He curved in a half circle, scanning the group until his hazel eyes set on Charlotte. He pointed to her. “You’re it, and you’re also getting a card.”
The room quieted as Austin’s hand rummaged through the velvet bag. He pulled out a card and sighed after reading it. “Between seeing Ava’s tits, and this, I’m going to have to go jerk off,” Austin sighed. “You, Harlot, must kiss the person I choose. With tongue.”
“Girl on girl!” Some guy shouted.
“Exactly, my friend,” Austin confirmed.
“Isn’t it always girl-on-girl?” Charlotte moaned, quickly getting to her feet. “Surely, even you can be more creative than that, Austin.”
Austin watched Charlotte for a moment, and then grinned widely. “Challenge accepted, Harlot. How about a little ex-on-ex action?”
“How about I kill you, Austin?” A girl’s voice broke through the crowd.
“You know the rules, Becca. If you sign up, you must play. If you refuse, you can never play again, and you’ll have to get your lame, whiny ass out of my house,” Austin scolded the girl, who turned to the boy beside her and angrily spoke to him.
“Well…” Austin said, staring at Charlotte. “Are you in, or are you out forever?”
Charlotte crossed the room and wrapped her arms around the neck of the guy Becca had been talking to.
“Daniel, if you kiss her, we’re done,” Becca growled.
“It’s just a game, Becca,” Daniel bit back seconds before putting his tongue into Charlotte’s mouth.
“Bitch!” Becca screamed, then pushed Charlotte away from Daniel.
Charlotte laughed, then ran her pinky around her mouth, adjusting her lipstick.
The sound of a whistle blowing cut through the noise in the room, quieting everyone down. “That’s it, you’re outta here.” Austin pointed to Becca. “And take your boyfriend with you.”
“But I did what you asked,” Daniel protested.
“Your girlfriend is a party pooper, dude. She’d never allow you to come here without her, and we all know it, so you may as well go.”
“Fuck you, Austin. And your juvenile game,” Becca said before grabbing Daniel and storming out the door.
“And now… for a break.” Austin exited his pedestal and approached me. “Are you enjoying the game, Samantha darling?”
“Not as much as you are.”
“You should play next time.”
I didn’t have control over enough junk in my life. The last thing I needed was a stranger ordering me around.
“You mind if I use your bathroom?”
Austin grinned, surprised that I was blowing him off, I guess. “Go upstairs. I’m sure the ones down here are occupied after the show Brian and Ava put on.”
I felt Austin watching me as I walked away and made sure not to turn around. I didn’t want him to think I was interested.
When I reached the top of the stairs, I nearly fell back down them. The room was dark, but I could make out Brian’s silhouette. He had Ava bent over the back of the couch, plowing into her as she repeatedly begged him not to stop. The desperate growl was making her voice hoarse while it made me wonder what Brian was doing that was driving her so crazy.
“I certainly didn’t take you for the voyeuristic type,” Wes whispered, startling a shiver out of me.
I turned around, planning to curse him, but after making eye contact, I couldn’t say a word.
Not one.
Wes pushed my hair away from my face, his probing eyes steady on mine. “Like what you see?”
Definitely.
“No,” I barked when I realized that he was talking about Brian and Ava humping behind us. “I have to pee. Austin told me to use an upstairs bathroom.”
“Then why are you standing here?”
“Because of them.” I motioned to Brian and Ava.
“If they wanted privacy, Samantha darling, they wouldn’t be fucking in the middle of the living room.”
Wes placed his hand on the small of my back and nudged me forward. He led me down the hallway to a bathroom and opened the door for me. I slipped by him and went inside.
“You’re not going to invite me in?” he asked, giving me a delicious smile, tempting me for a moment.
I had little experience with boys, but knew why he’d asked. Instead of playing into his hands, I shut the door in his face. When I came out, Wes was gone, but Brian and Ava were still going at it.
Downstairs, the game had resumed, but I was done with it. I said bye to Charlotte and walked home.
8
I was outside lying in the grass thinking about Wes and why I felt so dopey when he touched me. Or looked at me. Or was within a two-mile radius of me, and was trying to figure out how to make it stop when someone blocked my sun.
“You shouldn’t sleep out here, you’ll burn,” Ellen said.
I cracked an eye open. “I wasn’t sleeping.”
“Dr. Ming’s on the phone for you.”
I held out my hand, hoping Ellen would help me to my feet, but she didn’t.
“Not in my job description, kid. You laid down there, get yourself back up.”
I growled and rolled onto my side, got to my knees, then to my feet. By then, Ellen was gone. I walked inside and picked up the kitchen phone. “Hi, Dr. Ming,” I said, less than enthused.
“Hello, Sam. You sound cheerful as always.”
I smiled. I liked Dr. Ming because she could be just as sarcastic as me. In a weird way, she reminded me of a cartoon character. She kept her black hair in a ponytail and wore purple rimmed eyeglasses. Her features were perfectly petite, and her complexion was like porcelain.
“How are you feeling?”
As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was feeling good and hated living in Betty’s house and the people in her neighborhood less than I’d expected.
I told Dr. Ming that I felt better, and she and I briefly talked about what I’d been doing since leaving Boothe, and then she asked if I had written in my journal.
“Nothing has inspired me to write anything yet,” I answered, knowing she could tell that I was rolling my eyes.
“I hope you get inspired soon. It’s important to keep writing.”
“So you’ve said.” A hundred times.
Although writing about my feelings was less stressful than talking about them, I’d still hated being required to do so.
“I apologize for the short notice, but your new group will meet on Thursdays, beginning tomorrow.”
“Well, I apologize for the lapse in your memory. You know that I despise group therapy—all therapy really, and since I’ve told you there is no way in hell that I would ever join another group, you obviously have me confused with someone else.”
Dr. Ming exhaled. “I’m aware of your feelings, Sam, but it’s out of my hands.”
“What does that me
an?”
“Your father thought it would be best to wait until after you’d left The Boothe Center to tell you about the court order, but it seems he hasn’t shared that information with you yet.”
“He shares very little with me, as you should know,” I said. We’d talked about it, and although she’d tried hard, was unable to convince me to invite him for a therapy session. “Wait—did you say court order?” I asked slowly.
“Yes. You’ll have to complete six more sessions by August to satisfy it.”
“How did this happen? Where did the order come from?”
“You’ll have to speak to your father about that.”
“It was nice talking to you, Dr. Ming, but I have to go,” I said, my voice calm. I hung up the phone and stormed through the house. Breathing invisible fire, I shouted for Ellen.
“What is it?” she asked, running into the room.
“Where’s my dad? I need him to come home.”
“At the club. I’ll call them.”
“Not Betty. Just my dad.”
I paced the floor, my fists in knots until the front door finally opened. Dad and Betty walked in, both appearing somber.
“Dr. Ming called to say that I’ve not met my court ordered therapy requirement, which is odd, since I’ve never been to court.”
“Let’s sit down,” Betty said.
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
“This matter concerns us all.”
“I am not your concern.”
“Betty’s the reason you got off so easily,” Dad said.
“Got off for what?”
“The chaos you caused at school.”
“I let a few chickens out of their cages. I’d hardly call that chaos.”
“You let twenty-four chickens loose, ran into the street causing a three car pileup in which people were injured, and then, you bit a teacher.”
“Mr. Ferguson was trying to restrain me. I didn’t even bite him hard and no one was hurt in the crash.”
“After talking to lawyers, the drivers involved decided that they were injured. Betty negotiated a settlement with them to keep me from being sued. She also hired an attorney to resolve the charges the school pressed against you.”
Samantha darling Page 3