Second String (In Too Deep #3)

by McMillin, Casey

  She was talking about Ecstasy like she thought it'd be a big draw, but I had to stay clean.

  Me: "I can't do it anyway."

  Marissa: "You should still come. You can reap the benefits of the rest of us being able to do it. You know how friendly we get. ;) Oh, and Leona's coming."

  Leona Marsh was another girl we'd gone to high school with. Recently, she'd had some success in high fashion modeling. She was a little younger than me, and I hadn't seen her in a few years, but my mom showed me a photo of her in a magazine the other day. It didn't even look like the same girl I remembered from high school. The thought of a bunch of hot girls (including a model) getting all touchy-feely was pretty enticing, but I still didn't agree right away.

  Me: "I'll let you know something by tomorrow."

  Marissa didn't text back, at least not with words. The next text that came through was a shot she'd taken of herself at arms length. She was topless. I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one at the diner was able to see the photo.

  The next text I tapped out was to Emily.

  Me: "Don't mean to rush you, but wondering if you thought you'd be able to come to the New Year's thing."

  Emily: "Hey! Think I might try to make it."

  Me: "Let me know by tomorrow if you can."

  Emily: "Why? You making other plans?"

  Me: "Just trying to figure out what I'm doing."

  Emily: "Go ahead and do your other thing. I don’t want you to wait for me. Still not sure what I'd do with Sal."

  Me: "I'd rather see you if there's a chance you can make it."

  Emily: "Go ahead and make other plans. It's a 50-50 shot for me right now, and I have to work the next day anyway. I'll just plan on hanging here."

  Me: "You sure? I'd like to see you if you think it's a possibility."

  Emily: "No worries. I was on the fence, and it makes the decision to stay a lot easier knowing you have other plans in the works."

  Me: "Well if you were on the fence, than I'd rather you just decide to come here."

  Emily: "Haha, No, it's all good. I was kind of stressing about Sal and work and everything."

  Me: "I wasn’t trying to be funny, but I'm gathering you're sort of relieved you're not coming."

  Emily: "I just knew it'd be tough to pull off. Make your other plans. We'll see each other soon."

  Me: "Hope so."

  Emily: ";)"

  I had no idea what was I supposed to take from a winky face in that context? I was so frustrated by the whole exchange that I immediately texted Marissa to let her know she could count me in for whatever craziness was about to go down on her dad's yacht. Marissa sent me another tempting photo, assuring me I wouldn't be disappointed. This one was of her and Leona. I didn't respond. I put my phone in my pocket and paid the check.

  Chapter 7

  Emily

  Starting the night after Christmas, I had three nights straight of home games. The girls on the squad were a close-knit family, and I was establishing relationships with many of them. They were all smart and sweet, and best of all, we shared a common love of dance. The camaraderie I felt at work, along with how freaking exciting the basketball games were, made for some of the most fun experiences of my life. I was truly thankful for the opportunity to be a part of something so cool.

  Had I still been in Vegas right now, I probably would have noticed the void left by my parents' absence during a time of year most people spend with their families. But I wasn't in Vegas. I was in L.A. with some of the nicest people I'd ever met at a world-class sporting event. Being sad or ungrateful in a situation like that was just not an option. I did talk to my parents on Christmas Day, but only for a few minutes. It was awkward as always, which made me glad that going home wasn't really an option this year.

  Following the three game series at home, we had a few days off. The dance studio where I worked took a two-week hiatus for Christmas and New Year's, so for this little window, I only had one job. I was totally off work for three whole days in a row, and I found myself going stir crazy. By the middle of the second day, I decided to break down and call one of my new friends. I hadn't planned on contacting any of them so soon after Christmas, but I wanted to get out and do something and I figured one of them might want to as well. Besides, it was about time to call Rachel and Collin and let them know I wasn't going to ride with them to the New Year's thing.

  I sent a text to Rachel asking if she had any interest on going for a run. She agreed, partly because she had the day off and Collin was swimming, and partly because I promised that it wouldn't be much of a workout since Sal was pretty much a worthless running partner. She met us at Griffith Park and we set off on an easy trail. We'd been talking for several minutes before I remembered to tell her I wasn't planning on going to San Diego with them the following night.

  "What? We want you to come with us!" Rachel said. "I totally thought you were coming! What made you change your mind?"

  I was a little taken aback by how affected she was by the news. I thought I'd just been bumming a ride. I didn't know they actually wanted me to go.

  "Well, I was on the fence anyway. I don't know what I would do with Sal, and you know, with work the next day and everything."

  "I thought you were going to try to see Ethan," Rachel said. I laughed. Boy, did this girl cut to the chase.

  "I already talked to Ethan. I told him I wasn't going to make it. But it doesn't really matter because I think he's going somewhere else."

  "Oh, so it's like that," Rachel said. She knew Ethan was a rolling stone.

  "No, it's all good," I said. "I'm totally up for friends or whatever with Ethan. I have too much of my own stuff going on to add more drama to the mix."

  Rachel was sensitive enough to see that I didn't really want to get in to what my own stuff meant. I was relieved to note that Collin must still be keeping my secret. "Well, if he's not going to be there, and you're just friends anyway, it doesn't really matter if you go with us or not. I think you'd have fun regardless of whether or not Ethan shows up… And I promise we'll have you home for work. Collin has to be back in the pool the next day."

  I considered the prospect of having nothing to do on New Year's Eve. I liked Collin and Rachel a lot and thought I would have a good time if I went with them.

  "Even if I wanted to go, I still don't know what I'd do with Sal," I said.

  "Oh, God. I forgot you said that. Duh. Bring Sal. He's totally welcome. Collin will let him sleep in his old bedroom. Nobody will bother him up there."

  "Are you sure?" I asked. I was starting to get excited at the possibility of having somewhere fun to go tomorrow night.

  "Of course I'm sure. Collin's gonna be stoked when he hears Sal's coming. He's been asking me to think about getting a dog since he fell in love with Sal the other day."

  She stopped walking long enough to bend down and pet him. He was panting with his mouth wide open and his tongue hanging out. I poured some of my bottled water into the soft, portable water bowl I carried on walks. Sal wasn't like the high-energy dogs some of my friends had, and he was a real wimp when it came to exercise. He bent and lapped up the water greedily before looking up at me with that panting smile of his. That cracked Rachel up. "He is pretty cool," she said. "I'll have to tell Collin I'm at least partially on board. Yes I will, you big tub of love," she added in a cooing tone. "Huh, good boy?" She gave him one last rub behind the ears before we took off on the trail again.

  "Did Gretchen talk to you?" Rachel asked out of nowhere.

  "Not since Christmas. Why? What's up?"

  "Maybe I shouldn't say anything, but I'm sure she wouldn't care. It's not a big deal. She just mentioned talking to you about renting their guesthouse from them."

  I laughed. "I know where they live. In fact, I've been on their exact street before. There's no way I could afford the rent over there, and I'm not trying to share a place with three other people either. It's sweet of her to offer, though," I said, trying not to seem like a tot
al hick. I forgot Rachel and Collin made good money too. I had to remind myself that people who had money usually didn't talk about how much rent they could or couldn't afford. "I like my place," I said, smiling. "It's close to work."

  "I should just let you and Gretchen talk about it," Rachel said. "I'm not sure what they had in mind, but I think she's planning on calling you soon."

  "Are they going to the party? I asked.

  "Gretchen and Joel? No. Gretchen's not drinking right now… I mean… not that we're just going there to get wasted or anything, but, no. They're not coming. That's why I'm so glad you are. I'll know a few of Collin's people, but I'll be glad to have a friend there."

  We finished our little excursion two hours to the minute from when we set off on the trail. We said our goodbyes and promised to be in touch in the morning before we headed south.

  I spent the rest of the evening picking out the perfect outfit for the trip. I wanted to be comfortable, but I felt good when I put effort into my appearance. I gave some careful consideration to my clothes and accessories for the next night, even doing a little modeling for Sal, who barely lifted his head when I called his name to check me out. We weren't leaving until after lunch, so I knew I had plenty of time to play with my wardrobe choices in the morning.

  ****

  Collin and Rachel picked me up on the street in front of my apartment building. I had a small piece of luggage and the end of Sal's leash in one hand and a Starbucks cup in the other.

  "You look so cute," Rachel said as she opened the back door of Collin's truck.

  "Thanks, so do you, I'm sure," I said. I hadn't looked at her yet, but Rachel always looked cute. I had to coax Sal to jump into the truck before I could climb in behind him. I wasn't about to lift his lazy butt into the backseat with my good clothes on. I was just closing the door when I heard the sound of a car horn. Collin told me to hold on as he eased back into traffic. I settled my cup into a holder and got situated in my seat as we pulled off.

  I'd spent enough time with Collin and Rachel during the last few weeks to safely say I enjoyed their company. During the drive, we talked about lots of things including dogs, dancing, and swimming… but mostly dogs. Sal knew he was the center of the conversation and he luxuriated in that knowledge the whole trip. What a ham.

  Collin's parents planned this party last-minute when they decided to skip Christmas and go on a cruise. Mrs. Blake said the whole thing had been such a good experience that she was officially making it a yearly tradition. She made sure her children knew they were welcome, but informed them that she and Mr. Blake would be doing a Christmas cruise every year, with or without them.

  You would never have known that this party was thrown together in less than a week, though. It was in full swing by eight o'clock that evening, and I was amazed at how many people turned up. They lived in a beautiful home with a huge outdoor entertainment space. Collin was the oldest of three. His brother Carson was twenty, and his sister Meredith, eighteen. They must have invited all of their friends, because the party had a much younger vibe than I anticipated—not that I thought we'd be playing pinochle all night or anything. The whole set up was really nice. The spread of finger foods and the full bar were tended by professionals, and I was impressed at the level of party planning for a last-minute thing.

  Everyone I'd been introduced to was friendly. They were all interested to learn more about what it's like to be a Laker Girl, and I was happy to talk about my job since I liked it so much. I'd been separated from Collin and Rachel for a while, but I was having fun. I checked on Sal, who was sawing logs on a rug in Collin's old room.

  It was about nine o'clock when the girl I was standing next to tried to introduce me to someone I remembered from Vegas. Josh used to be Collin's roommate, and was now Ethan's. I recognized him immediately. Not only because I remembered him from Vegas, but also because Ethan and I had just talked about him when we saw each other at Christmas. Also, I sort of expected to see him here since he lives in San Diego. It took Josh a little longer to register who I was. (At least I assumed that's what the stunned expression was all about.)

  "Emily, what are you doing here?" Josh said it as if he was almost disappointed in me.

  "It's nice to see you too, Josh," I said, laughing.

  "Does Ethan know you're here?" he asked. "Please tell me you told him you were coming."

  I laughed it off and turned to the girl who'd been about to introduce us. "I'm friends with his roommate," I explained.

  "I know Ethan," she said. "Where is he?" She looked at Josh for the answer.

  "Not here," Josh said. He looked at me. "I don't think he knew you were coming."

  "He didn't," I said. "I didn't want to tell him I changed my mind because I knew he'd already made other plans."

  Josh smiled as he pulled his phone from his pocket. "You know I have to tell him you're here, right?"

  "No, don't do that!" I protested, reaching out for his phone. He easily dodged my efforts. "Seriously, he's got other stuff going on. Don't bother him."

  "I think he's on a boat somewhere. It's likely he won't answer my text. But he'd be pissed at me if he found out I saw you here and I didn't let him know."

  Josh sent a text to Ethan. He stared at his screen for a few seconds to see if he'd get an immediate response. When nothing instant came, he returned his phone to his pocket.

  We talked for a few more minutes before Collin walked up to join the conversation. Josh informed him that Ethan had no idea I'd be here. Collin put a hand to his forehead knowing that he'd be in trouble for not keeping Ethan in the loop. "I was wondering where he was," Collin said. "You're telling me he had no idea you were coming?"

  I shrugged impishly.

  "Does he know you're here now?" Collin asked.

  "I text him," Josh said, "but he's out on a boat. I don't know if he has service."

  Josh and Collin saw someone they knew from college, and crossed the room to talk to him. They asked if I wanted to come along, but I used the opportunity to run upstairs to check on Sal again. I liked having the chance to take a deep breath and not have to watch my posture for a few seconds. Sal rolled over, so I knelt next to him, and gave him belly rub. He seemed content to hang out there even with the noise downstairs. I told him the party was only a few more hours, and I'd be coming to bed. He yawned, oblivious.

  When I went back downstairs, I ended up hooking up with Collin's little sister Meredith. We were close in age, and she was a sweet, outgoing girl. She introduced me to nearly everyone we passed, stopping to talk to groups of people for a few minutes before moving on. She literally knew everyone at the party and they were all happy to make small talk with us.

  It was around 10:30 when we ran into Josh again. The first thing out of his mouth when he caught sight of me walking up with Meredith was, "I haven't heard from him."

  "Who?" Meredith asked. Even though it was obvious he'd directed the comment to me.

  "Ethan," Josh said.

  "Erickson?" Meredith asked.

  Josh looked at her with over exaggerated patience. You could tell from the exchange that they behaved like siblings. "Yeah Erickson. What other Ethans do you know?"

  "Shut up Josh. I know plenty of guys named Ethan."

  "Name one."

  "Ethan Allen."

  Josh laughed.

  Meredith looked at me and asked, "Why do you want to talk to Ethan?"

  "I don't," I said.

  Josh looked at me with surprise, almost injured for his friend.

  "I know where he is," Meredith said. "He's on Marissa's yacht with Leona Marsh and a bunch of other rich kids. Jemma Nelson instagrammed a bunch of photos. Ethan was in several of them."

  "How's she on instagram if there's no service?" Josh asked.

  "Oh, they have service. I've been texting Jemma and another girl too. They both said Marissa's freaking crazy, but I've never partied with her. Why'd you think they don't get service? Oh, Ethan? Did you try to reach him? I doubt he's a
nswering texts. I think everyone's pretty wasted. You should see the photos she posted on instagram."

  I knew that asking Meredith to see the photos was risky business. It was a safe bet that I'd see something I didn't want to see. I decided not to ask.

  "I can't believe he wouldn't respond," Josh said.

  "He's probably too faced to care about his phone," Meredith said.

  "Speaking of being faced," I said, "I'm going to get a glass of champagne."

  "I thought you weren't drinking," Meredith said, her head whipping around to look at me. I'd said I wasn't having anything several times already, so she had the right to be a little surprised.

  "I just decided to have one," I said. "Why? Will your parents care?"

  "No they won't care. They won't even notice. Plus, you look old enough," Meredith said. "Let's go out by the pool," she added, pulling on my arm. "You can get a drink out there, and the music's louder."

  We'd been talking to a group of people by the pool for a few minutes, and I'd nearly finished my drink when I heard someone say, "Erickson!" I turned toward the person who said it, and followed his gaze to the far side of the pool. Ethan had just come out of the house, and was scanning the patio. I saw his gaze move across faces in the crowd, smiling when he saw someone he recognized, but continuing pass over the different groups of people.

  I got nervous when I realized he'd soon be coming to the group I was standing with. I was by about five other people including Meredith, who'd apparently also heard the guy call Ethan's name. She looked up and caught sight of Ethan just like I did. The others in our group were totally unaware of all this. Meredith elbowed me and said, "Hey, Ethan's here," as if I hadn't been acutely aware of that fact.

  Ethan's gaze continued to scan the pool area at a painfully slow pace. Meredith and I were both looking at him when his eyes passed over our group. His eyes met mine, and he instantly froze. His shoulders relaxed, and he gave me a relieved smile before beginning to walk in my direction. "Oh snap," Meredith said, elbowing me again. I think she said something like "He's coming this way," but I really couldn't hear her anymore with the sound of my pounding heart so loud in my ears.