Three Years Later

by Casey McMillin

  "Well she was bawling her eyes out when she left the banquet. I caught up to her as she was running out, and she said she'd just caught Collin cheating on her in one of those private rooms they had upstairs."

  The girl in blue gasped audibly. "Poor girl. What a jerk! I thought Collin was a nice guy."

  I'd probably sit here and let them say whatever they wanted to about me, but I couldn't let them talk that way about Collin. I had to say something. My voice came out calmer than I expected when I said, "It wasn't Collin's fault. It was mine." The girls both whipped their heads around to look at me. I regarded them with as much confidence as I could drum up. I hated, hated, hated confrontation. I took a breath and continued, "I'm the girl from the room. The one you're talking about."

  The girls must have hated confrontation as much as I did because instead of lashing out, like I thought they would, they just stared at me, shocked and almost shamefaced. I used the window provided by their speechlessness to finish what I wanted to say about Collin.

  "I've known Collin for a long time. There's a lot to the story you don't know… don't need to know. But I can't let you talk like that about him. He's a good guy, and he's doing right by the girl… not that he owes either of you an explanation, but he is. Making it right, I mean. Anyway, I think that's all we need to say about it."

  "Oh, I just saw Beth, and uhh—"

  "It's really unfortunate that the girl, Beth, is having a hard time right now, but Collin and I go way back and we lost contact until tonight. But, like I said, that's our thing. I just don't want you assuming the worst about Collin. He is a good guy. He doesn't need you spreading rumors or whatever you're doing." My voice hadn't faltered at all. I was so proud of my own composure.

  The girl in silver said, "I wasn't trying to say anything about Collin… I just saw Beth, and she said—"

  "But now you know you were mistaken, right?"

  "Yeah, I mean, I didn't know anything about you or you guys knowing each other already or anything."

  "How would you? But, now you do. Neither of us wanted anyone to get hurt. It's unfortunate, like I said."

  "So are you with Collin then?" I probably would have been offended by her question had it not been so easy to read her expression. I could tell she was innocent of any harm intended. She was genuinely curious, almost excited for me. The girl was ready to turn her back on the ex she'd been so protective of and welcome me into the girlfriend club with open arms.

  I didn't know quite what to make of that, but it was better than most of the other outcomes I could think of, so I went with it.

  "Yes," I said, unable to suppress the smile that played on my face when I thought about him, "I think I am."

  "What do you mean you think?" she asked smiling.

  Maybe it was because I knew I would be encountering these girls at swim meets and functions in the future. Maybe it was just that I couldn't think of anything better to do then tell the truth. Maybe it was because in spite of the bad first impression, I actually was starting to believe they were quite nice. Whatever the reason, I told the two strangers our story. (Most of it, anyway.)

  Joel was listening to it for the second time in the last two hours, but he was still on the edge of his seat as if it were most exciting thing he'd ever heard. By the end of my tale, I had four people looking at me like they might cry.

  "I can't believe you waited so long," said the girl in blue named Tara. "I actually remember that girl Jamie. That was forever ago."

  Cassie, the girl in silver asked, "Does Collin know you're here right now?"

  "No," I said. "He'll be busy tonight, and I'm leaving tomorrow, so I probably won't see him until I get back to L.A."

  "Are you serious?" She asked. "You don't think he'll be finished with whatever he has to do and be wanting to see you? You've got to tell him you're here just in case, at least text him."

  "I don't have a way to text him. I just figured, I mean it's been this long, what's a few more days while he gets everythi—"

  "What do you mean you don’t have a way?" Cassie asked.

  "Huh? Oh, I don’t have his number. It's not like we had a lot of time to exchange contact information."

  "I thought that's what you were talking about and I'm happy to say I can help you with that. Kyle has Collin's number for sure. I'll go get his phone. You have to at least let him know where you are. What if he's looking for you?" Cassie turned to walk inside, presumably to find Kyle (who was presumably her boyfriend) and get his phone.

  I was suddenly very nervous at the possibility of making contact with him. What if he was in the middle of something? I'd have to give it more thought it before I sent him a text. I didn't want to bother him. Tonight was already complicated enough.

  Chapter 16

  Collin

  We had to walk through two casinos before finding the wing of hotel where we needed to be for Paul's party. This place was at least as nice as the Oasis.

  I had Rachel's ring on my pinky. It would only go as far as the first knuckle, but I had a tight grip on it.

  I'd never been so impatient with elevators. I felt like I wanted to get out and run up the stairs. Someone at the top of this elevator, on the thirtieth floor, may have Joel's number. Or better yet, Joel Perrin himself may be up there. He could definitely get in touch with Rachel.

  I had an entourage of guys with me who were almost as excited as I was to find Rachel.

  "So, what are you going to do when you see her? Have you thought about it?" Josh asked. "Are you gonna just get on one knee right there?"

  "I have no idea. That still seems so far away."

  "Dude, she could be at this party." Believe it or not, I hadn't considered that possibility until Bryce mentioned it. I was already about to climb out of my skin waiting for this elevator to make it to the top, but him saying that made me even shiftier. The damn box finally made it to the top floor, and we stepped out into the hallway.

  There were two big guys positioned outside Paul's door who looked like the secret service or something. I wondered if this party was really that big of a deal, but thought it more likely that Paul Smith was maybe just a little extravagant. We walked up to them, feeling a bit awkward like we should offer a password or something.

  "You swimmers?" one of them asked, still straight faced. I cleared my throat before I said.

  "Yeah, all of us."

  "Figured. Who's your coach?"

  "Who? Me?" I asked, incredulous.

  "All of you. If you're swimmers, then tell me who your coach is."

  "We swim at California Aquatics with Kevin Nagel," Josh said, indicating himself, Ethan and me. He motioned to Chris and Bryce. "They're from Arizona. Vance Harris, right?" Josh looked at them for confirmation.

  All of the sudden, the tough guy exterior crumbled into a smile and their stance relaxed. "We're just messing with you," one of them said, laughing. "We were heading down to pick up some more booze for Mr. Smith and we saw you get off the elevator. Sorry," He added, laughing. "We couldn't resist. You guys are all so nice, you'll go along with anything."

  I didn't even stick around to hear the end of what he was saying. As soon as I heard him say messing with you, I reached out and opened the door to go inside. The rest of his words had hit my back and only half-registered. I could have punched them for their troubles, but that would just wasted more time. I had no time or patience for jokes right now.

  The suite was huge, and there were way more people here than I expected. The place must have had sound proof everything, because the hallway was dead silent, and when we opened the door the music hit us like a crashing wave.

  It was a song by T.I. called Dead and Gone. I recognized it right away because Ethan always had that stuff going at the apartment. I walked through the crowd as the chorus played I've been travelin' on this road too long, just tryin to find my way back home, the old me's dead and gone, dead and gone. I wore a half smile at the way the lyrics hit me. I knew I'd have Rachel. I could tell by the l
ook in her eye that I'd have her, that we'd be together, and knowing that made me feel somehow like I was going home.

  I decided it would be better to ask around rather than trying to find Joel in this crowd. I led the way to the first group of people I recognized. Kyle Manning was standing with a group of swimmers that had flown in from the east coast. I knew all of them, but Kyle was on the edge closest to me, so I chose to ask him.

  "Hey, you haven't seen Joel Perrin have you?"

  "No, but I've just been in here." He indicated the room we were standing in. "There's a balcony, and rooms all back there." He pointed to the far side of the suite. I could see the hallway he was talking about. The place was huge. I couldn't believe it was just one guy's room.

  "Okay, thanks." Then I asked the question to the group at large just in case. "Have any of you seen Joel Perrin?" A couple of guys said how they had seen him earlier in the night, at the banquet, but they hadn't seen him here.

  As I was walking away, Kyle said. "Hey dude I forgot. Cassie came and took my cell a while ago. I thought she said she was calling you." He looked at me like even he couldn't quite believe what was coming out of his mouth. I gave him a shrug in return. I had no idea what he was talking about.

  "I didn't get a call," I said, though it came out almost like a question.

  I was walking through the crowd again when Josh spoke up from behind me. "Maybe if we split up we can cover the place faster."

  I stopped in my tracks causing the guys walking behind me to pull up short. "Great. Just ask anybody you recognize if they've seen Joel. If you do find him, call my phone and tell me where you are."

  "And what if we find the girl? Is there a reward for that?" Ethan asked, bobbing his head to the booming rap music that was playing.

  "I can't think about that," I said, truthfully. I didn't even want to let myself imagine the possibility. She could be half way to Los Angeles by now.

  Bryce and I took off down the hallway while Ethan, Josh and Chris stayed to look in the main room and the balcony. The first group to be done with their mission would head up to the roof-top.

  On our way down the hall, Bryce and I passed an open room with a couple having sex on a couch. Under normal circumstances, I may have given them a second look, just out of curiosity, but tonight I only glanced at them long enough to make sure the guy wasn't Joel. My body was already at the maximum limit of sexual awareness after kissing Rachel tonight. I certainly didn't need to watch (nor did I really want to watch) the show.

  We searched the crowded rooms for ten minutes or so before deciding to head toward the main room again.

  "He's probably outside since it's so nice out." Bryce just about had to yell over the music.

  "Somebody must have his number. Have you seen Paul Smith?"

  "No, can you think of anyone else that might have Joel's number?" Bryce asked.

  "Seth Sparks, but he's not around either." I said.

  "We'll find her," Bryce said.

  Josh met us in the hallway wearing an oversized grin. That thing was covering his face.

  "What?" I said, hopeful. "Did you find him?"

  "Who? Joel?" Josh tried to tamp down his smile, but it was a lost cause.

  "Stop it, Josh. Tell me." He just turned and walked back toward the main room in the direction Bryce and I had been going in the first place.

  "Josh! Where are we going?" He ignored me and I realized as we continued walking that the crowd noise began to die. The music was still thumping, but the atmosphere had changed. A wall of windows was on my right. I didn't take the time to look out, because the further we walked, the more peculiar the crowd of people to my left got. Before I knew it, I felt like everybody was looking at me. They were looking at me. Josh turned around.

  "What's going on?" I asked, but then he shifted slightly, and I saw what the smile was all about. Joel Perrin was in the mass of people (who were all still staring at me like they were expecting me to juggle for them or something).

  My eyes lit up when I saw Joel. I started to close the six-foot gap that separated me from him when Josh, realizing what my intent was, put a hand on my shoulder to stop me.

  "It's better than that." He spoke the words close to my ear, so not everyone heard. I heard them, though. And I heard the intent behind them. Josh was telling me something.

  I pulled back enough to look him in the eye. He smiled, and then he took me by the shoulders and spun me. I was now looking onto the huge balcony I'd ignored just seconds ago. I could see the lights of the Las Vegas strip. I made out the back side of a female form silhouetted by the lights. It was a girl in a black dress. She was the only person out there.

  I looked at Josh. He gave me an almost imperceptible nod. My heart threatened to beat right out of my chest. The door. Where was the bloody door? There must have been thirty people who knew what was going on, because the nearby crowd waited in silent anticipation as they watched me open the door.

  The door closed behind me. The music that was playing in the house was being pumped onto the balcony. It wasn't as loud as inside, but there was noise, which I was thankful for, because I was reasonably sure my heart was pounding loud enough for her to hear.

  Nobody else was out here. Everyone had completely evacuated the balcony. I wondered who planned this, and how they'd managed to pull it off. I wondered if Rachel knew I was the one behind her.

  She was standing with her back to me, looking out over the strip. "I heard the door," she said in an impatient tone. "Gretchen, I heard the door, I heard all the noise. I know something's going on. Can I assume you're not going to be asking me questions? Can I open my eyes?"

  What in the world did she think was going on? From the looks of things, several people on both sides of this had conspired to get us out here alone. I didn't say a word. I crossed the balcony to stand a few inches behind her, not daring to touch her. She breathed a long sigh.

  "What's going on?" She asked. "I'm trying to be a sport, but come on! I can tell you're right behind me. You better not be planning to scare me. You know how I feel about heights."

  I stepped forward just far enough for us to share the same space. I got close enough to feel her body heat even though I wasn't touching her. I ever so gently began to wrap my arms around her, trying not to startle her.

  "What is this?" She asked. "You're freaking me out." She took a deep breath in through her nose, and whatever she smelled made her flinch. Even though I was barely touching her, I could feel her tense up underneath me. "You smell like—" Her head whipped around and her eyes instantly found mine. "Collin."

  Chapter 17

  Rachel

  Gretchen was just returning from the ladies room with Tara and Cassie on her heels. The girls were all smiles.

  Kyle's cell phone was sitting on the table in front of me. I told the girls I'd think about texting Collin while they were in the ladies room.

  "You didn't text him, did you?" Gretchen said, looking down at the cell phone. I wondered why she looked so concerned, almost like she hoped I hadn't. I was confused by her sudden change of heart.

  "No, why?" I asked.

  "No reason. Just curious." She said, smiling brightly. She reached over and grabbed the phone from the table to hand it to Cassie. I had already programed his number into my phone while they were gone, so the possibility of her taking the phone away didn't bother me.

  Gretchen gave Joel a meaningful look and said, "Joel, have you ever played that game where you stare out over the strip and try to remember as much as you can and then someone asks you a bunch of questions to see what you remember?"

  Gretchen was a fan of games. She'd make a game out of anything. We all played along because most of the time her suggestions were fun.

  "No," Joel said, a tad confused. Apparently, he wasn't accustomed to Gretchen's shenanigans.

  "You know," she said, grinning at him. "You've been to Vegas. This is something people play all the time in Vegas."

  "Oh yeah!" Joel spoke like he w
as just remembering. "The one where you stare at something and try to remember."

  "Exactly," she said. "I want Rachel to play. Okay Rachel, all you do is look over the balcony at the strip. You have one minute to notice everything you can… the signs, the colors. Try to take it all in. Then, after one minute you'll close your eyes and keep them closed while I ask you questions. Got it?"

  The three girls were smiling like they thought it was the best idea they'd ever heard. I'd have to be a spoilsport not to play.

  "Okay, I'll do it."

  Gretchen had me to my feet and to the edge of the balcony within a matter of seconds. "You just try to remember every little detail," she said. While I was taking in the sights and sounds of the strip, Gretchen was scurrying around, whispering to other groups of people on the patio. "I'm getting questions," she called out at one point.

  After what seemed to be more like three minutes, Gretchen came back over to me. She was breathless from all the bustling about. "Now close your eyes, and don't even think about opening them. Just give me a second to get these questions together."

  I knew something was going on, I would have been a fool not to. Gretchen and the two girls must have planned something while they were in the ladies room. How am I going to react if this is some sort of practical joke, I thought, please God tell me I'm not about to get wet or dirty or anything. I'd really hate to be forced to kill Gretchen.

  I heard a ton of sketchiness behind me. I heard chairs screeching, I heard whispering, and worst of all I heard a bunch of nothing, which was alarming considering there were at least twenty people on the balcony.

  I laughed at myself when, even though I knew something was fishy, I was still having thoughts like the top of the pyramid was glowing, and the guy is tipping his brown hat on the wagon wheel's neon sign. I was making mental notes about what I'd seen, as if I were still playing the game.

  I really started to get worried when I realized there was absolutely no sound at all (besides the rap music that was playing). The balcony had been full of chatter just a moment before, and now it was dead silent. Within thirty seconds, all noise, even the sketchy little noises of movement, had stopped completely.