Текст книги "From What I Remember"

Автор книги: Valerie Thomas

Соавторы: Stacy Kramer
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Текущая страница: 22 (всего у книги 23 страниц)

ot it,” I say as I kick the ball toward the makeshift goal.

Dad expertly blocks my shot and sends the ball sailing back to Jake. We’re actually playing soccer together. It’s pretty mindbendingly weird. Granted, it was my idea and I practically had to drag Dad into the backyard to get him to do it, but once we were here, he was into it. Maybe that’s what I should have been doing all along, forcing Dad, kicking and screaming, to pay attention to us. I’ve been letting him set the pace all these years when what he really needed was for someone else to shove him out of his own way. It’s hard to ignore the similarities between us.

Dad’s wearing the yellow soccer jersey from Manuel. He stared at it for about ten minutes when I first pulled it out of my backpack, and then he disappeared into the bathroom for a while. When he came back out, he was wearing the jersey.

I told Dad and Mom all about the stolen computer, Ensenada, and Manuel. I left out some of the grittier details, but I did mention Max here and there. I played it down because I don’t need the third degree. Dad didn’t want to talk much about the accident. So I let it rest. For now.

The mere fact that he and Jake made it through a long evening together (okay, Jake did run away, but at least Dad found him), in which they went out to dinner, without Mom, is a huge relief. Dad probably isn’t ever going to be this warm and fuzzy guy, but today is already better than yesterday, and maybe tomorrow will be better than today. At least I know why Dad is damaged, and I don’t feel the same antipathy toward him.

Jake stops the ball with his foot, picks it up, and throws it to Dad.

“You can’t touch the ball with your hands,” Dad says. “Only your feet touch the ball in soccer.” I can hear the annoyance creeping into his voice. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

“I know that. I play soccer in school,” Jake says. “I just like catch better. I’m tired of playing soccer.”

“Okay,” Dad says. “Then let’s play catch.”

“Catch is a game for two people,” Jake says.

“Three can play catch,” Dad insists. I’m not sure he’ll ever come to terms with the particulars that make Jake Jake. Catch will never be a three-person game to Jake. His rules are hard and fast. He’s grown a lot in the last few years, but Asperger’s has its limits. And Dad has his limits. Hopefully, in the Venn diagram of their lives, they can find a little more overlap.

“It’s okay. I’m going inside to get dressed. You two play catch,” I say.

I head into my room to change. Will and Juan are coming over for our John Woo movie marathon. For once, we’re going to hang at my house instead of Cloudbank, Will’s McMansion of ridiculous proportions, and I’m psyched about it. It’s nice to be back home.

The Mexican wedding dress is lying in a heap at the foot of my bed. I pick it up and finger the frayed hem, smooth out the wrinkles. It’s a lovely dress. I was going to toss it in the trash because I didn’t want any reminders of my night with Max. But now, looking at it—the delicate embroidery, the hand-dyed color, the beautiful cut—I want to keep it. Or maybe I’ll have it chopped into a mini and wear it with platform sandals in New York City.

I throw on my familiar uniform of jeans and a T-shirt and check myself in the mirror. My hair is back in a tight ponytail. My face is scrubbed clean of Lily’s makeup. It’s all so familiar. This is the reflection that has stared back at me for as long as I can remember. But is this the me I want to show the world? I can do better. What’s the harm in putting a little effort into it? Tonight may only be Will and Juan, but, hell, I just graduated high school, rocked out my valedictorian speech, and I’m off to New York City in two months. Life is just getting started, and I’m dressing like I’m retired. I pull my hair out of the ponytail and muss it up. I grab a stretchy black minidress off a hanger, one of the many gifts from Will that have been going to waste in my closet. I throw off the jeans and T-shirt, and shimmy into the dress. It’s formfitting in all the right places. I probably should have listened to Will a long time ago. I add a belt, flip-flops, and a little gloss. Better. Much better. I spin around in front of the mirror. I can look hot if I try. Why have I been trying so hard not to?

My phone buzzes with an incoming text. It’s Charlie inviting me to his party. I don’t bother to respond. I can’t imagine feeling very welcome there with everyone toasting Max and Lily, the prince and princess of the ball. Thanks, but no thanks.

No texts from Max. But what did I expect? A note proclaiming his undying love? He and Lily are most likely having sex right now.

There’s a knock on my door and Mom pokes her head in.

“Can I come in?” she asks.

“Sure.”

Mom takes in my outfit. “You look so pretty. You should go to a party. You don’t need to hang out here tonight.”

“I thought I was grounded.”

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s really necessary anymore.”

She sits down on the bed and puts her hands on my cheeks, like she used to do when I was little. “Kylie, I’m sorry I’ve put so much pressure on you.” She’s gearing up for a big talk, the kind of talk we never have. Normally, I’d love it, but I’m kind of talked out today. I just want to kick back and turn off. “It wasn’t fair to rely on you to take care of your brother every day. I should have figured something out so you had more freedom.” She’s determined to have the talk.

“Don’t beat yourself up, Mom. Seriously. I like hanging out with Jake.”

“I feel like you should have been hanging out with friends more, and I didn’t make that enough of a priority.”

“Maybe that’s my fault as much as yours. I kind of used all the stuff I had to do at home as an excuse to hide away. I mean, I probably should have pushed back a little, right? Maybe said no every now and then, like a normal teenager. But I didn’t. Because it was safer to be here than dealing with everyone at school.”

“I hope you won’t do that at NYU.”

“I hope so too.”

Mom smiles. “You can be just like your dad sometimes.”

“I know.” I say this like I’m not thrilled with the similarities, and Mom picks right up on that.

“That’s not such a bad thing, you know. He loves you and your brother very much. He’s just been hurt by life and he’s still picking up the pieces. But he’ll get there. And, you know, we’re going to be okay next year. I don’t want you worrying about us. We’re going to miss you a whole lot, but you just need to focus on making the most of NYU and New York City.” Mom puts her arms around me and pulls me close. “You make us so proud, Kyles. You always have. And I know you always will.”

Tears pool in my eyes. I wrap my arms around Mom and squeeze her tightly. I can’t remember the last time we held each other like this. It’s nice to be with her when she’s not distracted or in a rush or worrying about Jake. Those moments have been few and far between over the years.

The doorbell rings, and thank God for that, because another second here with Mom and I would have turned into a blubbering idiot.

“I’ll get it,” I say, releasing Mom. “It’s Will.” I rush out of the room, wiping away the tears with the back of my hand.

I fling open the door to find Max standing there. Oh my God. My heart flips around in my chest like a fish out of water. I struggle to breathe.

Max smiles, his cheeks dimple, and I fall in love all over again. Man, what is wrong with me? I’m such a sucker. How will I ever make it in the big city?

“What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk.”

“Let’s go outside,” I say.

I step outside and close the door so we are alone.

Max doesn’t say anything for a few moments. He’s nervous and fidgety as his hands try to find a place to rest comfortably. They finally slip inside his front pockets. It’s jarring to see Max like this.

“You look…really nice,” he finally says.

“Thanks.”

“Listen, Kylie, if you don’t want me here, I get it, I just…”

“Who says I don’t want you here?”

Max takes a deep breath; I can see him steeling himself.

“I can’t stop thinking about you. I know you might not feel the same way. But I had to tell you that. I wanted to say something after the ceremony. I looked for you—”

“You did?”

“Yeah. Did you look for me?”

I can see the fear in Max’s eyes, and it surprises me. The fact that I have this power, any power, really, over Max is shocking. “I went to find you as soon as it was over, but you were with Lily and everyone. I couldn’t even penetrate the circle.”

“Lily and I were breaking up. Actually, she broke up with me. She kind of got there first. I think she knew, after seeing us together, that it was over.”

This jolts me. Maybe I read everything wrong. “You were going to break up with her?”

“I told you last night. There was no way I could stay with her after being with you. It didn’t feel right anymore.”

“Yeah, but this morning you seemed—”

“This morning I was half out of my mind. I was just doing damage control. I thought Lily would go berserk, so I tried to appease her. I screwed up.”

I had convinced myself that I didn’t care about Max, but as soon as I hear that he and Lily are really over, the walls come tumbling down. Maybe next time I shouldn’t build those walls so quickly.

“In the parking lot, I ran after your car like a maniac.”

“You did?”

“You didn’t hear me?”

“No.” I’m not sure what to say. It feels like this isn’t really happening. Girls like me don’t get the guy.

“Will told me to leave you alone,” Max says. “Said you were pretty adamant.”

“Well, that’s true. Then again, I’m adamant about everything.”

“Yeah, so I’ve gathered.”

“Honestly, I didn’t think you cared,” I say. “Or I had convinced myself that you didn’t.”

“I care. A lot. I kind of thought you didn’t.”

We both smile at the classic misunderstanding. It’s all so cliché-ridden, it’s embarrassing. I wish our story could have some more original twists and turns. Maybe one of us will turn into a vampire or something.

“We were both wrong,” Max says. He lets out a deep breath, and his body seems to relax from the strain. He looks more like the cool, confident Max I’m used to.

“So, where does that leave us?” I ask. I’m not trying to be dense. I really don’t know what to do. I’m scared to take the next step. Max is going to have to lead.

“I want to be with you, Kylie. I’ve been trying to say that for a while now, but you kept shutting me down.” He takes my hand in his and pulls me to him. A swell of heat rises in me. I feel like I could burst into flames at any minute.

“But I’ve got an internship this summer,” I say. “And you’re supposed to be in Europe and then I’m off to New York and you’re at UCLA—”

“And the world could blow up. Or I could get hit by lightning. A lot of shit could happen, Kylie. Don’t spin things out and start making problems before we have to. I’m not going to Europe. I’m hanging here. So let’s just start by, I don’t know, going out for dinner? A movie? Figure the rest out later. I mean, we’re already married. We should at least go on a date.” Max smiles with his whole face.

I laugh nervously. “Wait, we aren’t really married, are we?”

“No. Not really. It wasn’t legal. I asked my dad.”

“I didn’t think so.” Still, I breathe a small sigh of relief.

“But I’ve still got my ring,” Max says, pulling the cheap piece of gold out of his pocket and slipping it onto his finger.

“Me too. As a souvenir, you know? I forgot to pick up a snow globe.”

“So, what do you think about dinner? A movie?”

Max is right. I’m jumping way too far ahead, as usual, finding things to worry about when there aren’t any. I throw my arms around him and pull him as close to me as I can.

Max kisses me.

Yes. Yes. Yes, I want to shout. Of course we can go on a date. And another. And another. And another. As long as you promise to kiss me like this every time.

I hear the door open. It’s Mom and Dad. I quickly disentangle myself from Max and take a giant step away. Awkward.

Mom’s never seen me with a boy. I’ve never seen me with a boy, so I can only imagine how she feels.

“Do you want to invite your friend inside?” she asks.

“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Flores. I’m Max. A friend of Kylie’s from school.” Max extends his hand and shakes both Mom and Dad’s hand. “A pleasure to meet you.”

The boy has manners. Nice.

My parents, slightly in awe of the beautiful boy on our front porch, stare at him like he’s Prince Harry.

“Do you want to come in, Max?” Mom asks again.

“Sure, thank you.” Max begins to step inside, but I pull him back by the arm.

“Actually…I think Max and I are going to go out to a party, if that’s okay.”

Both Mom and Max look equally surprised by my announcement.

“Really?” Max says.

“You’re missing the biggest party of the year, and so am I.”

“You hate parties,” Max says.

“Yeah, I’m thinking of changing my position on that.”

“Don’t do it for me. I can live without it.”

“I’m not just doing it for you.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Max turns to my parents. “Would you mind if I took Kylie to the party?”

“It’s fine by us,” Mom says. “It’s really up to Kylie.”

“I just need to do one thing before we go, okay?” I head back into the house and find Jake in front of the TV watching Star Wars.

“Jakie, I want to go out to a party tonight. I know I said I’d stay here with you. But we could hang out all day tomorrow instead. What do you think?”

“You can go, Kylie. Just come back.”

“I will. Promise.”

I give my parents a peck on the cheek and head out of the house with Max before I can change my mind.

ouch me. I’m going to scream if you don’t…

The lyrics to the My Morning Jacket song keep going around and around in my head as Juan and I sit in the car, driving to Kylie’s. It’s been an hour since we kissed in my bedroom, and I’m literally going insane. Juan is my drug and I need a fix. My phone buzzes with an incoming text. Despite the fact that I’m on the 405, I take the phone out of my pocket, but Juan snatches it out of my hand before I can read it. “Kylie says she and Max are going to Charlie’s party and she wants us to come,” Juan says.

“Girlfriend, say what? That is insane!”

“Why?”

“For starters, we don’t do Freiburg parties. I hate to break this to you, but I wasn’t exactly the prom king. And secondly, we just bought a boatload of In-N-Out burgers for the John Woo film festival. What are we supposed to do with them?”

“We’ll throw them out and probably live ten years longer,” Juan says.

Throw out In-N-Out burgers? I’m horrified by Juan’s suggestion. Nobody’s perfect, I suppose.

“Tell her we’ll be there. With bells on,” I say.

“Bells?” Juan asks.

“Kidding.”

“I never know with you.”

“No bells. Promise,” I say. “But you’re sure you’re good with going to a high school party? Isn’t it all a little juvenile?”

“If it is, we’ll make our own party.”

I take it back—my man is flawless. In fact, everything’s been kind of peachy since I met Juan. To be honest, it’s kind of freaking me out. I’m not used to life going so swimmingly. I’m kind of waiting for the other high heel to drop.

At lunch with my parents today, I almost had a heart attack as I watched my dad yakkity-yak architecture with Juan. I know my parents were thrilled to see me in pants, but that doesn’t really account for the way my dad just sat there chatting it up with my new boyfriend as if he’d known him for years. I think at one point he even invited him to play golf at the club. And now I’m off to the graduation party of the year with my boyfriend, and Kylie is going with Max. It’s opposite world. At least for the moment, I’m not the huge, wonking loser I’ve played my whole life. I’m a leading man. Hopefully, it all won’t end tragically. Like maybe with some kind of shoot-out at Charlie’s.

hen Max and I pull up to Charlie’s house, which is a monumentally large Spanish-style villa, I feel my body stiffen with tension. Anxiety floods my system. This is the sort of place I avoid, the kind of situation that makes me want to crawl right back into my corner and scowl at everyone. There are cars everywhere—on the street, in the vast driveway (that looks more like a helicopter landing pad), and on the lawn—Range Rovers, BMWs, and Audi sports cars. I’m in a foreign land without a guidebook, despite the fact that I’m with Max. This is his country. I wish Will was here, waiting to greet me as I step out of the car, but he’s not. And who knows when and if he and Juan will get here.

I briefly consider asking Max to turn around and take me home, but something in me shuts that idea down. If not now, when? I survived Mexico, I survived my speech, I can survive this.

Charlie comes out of the house to greet us, but before he can say anything, Jason Simon rides up on a beach bike and nearly runs Charlie down. “Duuude! We need more salsa and chips at the beach!”

He’s drunk, wearing a wet pair of surfer shorts, and his eyes are rheumy. I don’t really know Jason, but I assume he’s surprised to see me here. I gird myself for a rude comment.

But all he says is: “Hey, Kylie. Rockin’ speech.”

“Thanks,” I say.

“I’ll let someone know,” Charlie tells Jason, and then he turns to us as Jason zooms out of sight.

“Hey, hey, hey.” He and Max bump shoulders. “Glad you guys are here.”

“Thanks for, uh, having me,” I say. Jesus, I’ve got to stop thanking people.

“Um…about what I said in the car…I don’t really want to get into it tonight,” Charlie says to me, after throwing Max a significant look. I gather he and Max have already discussed this.

“I would never say anything,” I promise.

“I just need to do this in my own way, in my own time,” he says.

“I get it. Totally,” I say. And I do. I respect Charlie enormously for what he’s done, but I’m aware that it’s a long road and he’s only at the beginning of it.

Charlie leads us through a lush courtyard and into the house.

“I need a beer,” Max says.

“Outside by the pool, bro. But it’s a friggin’ packed house, so it could take a while. I’ll catch you guys later.”

Charlie disappears into the crowd. Max takes my arm and leads me through a sumptuous hallway and into a living room the size of my whole house. There are people everywhere, hanging out on huge leather couches, their feet splayed across heavy wooden coffee tables. The room bleeds into a high-tech open kitchen and dining room, with a table that must seat twenty. This place could seriously give Cloudbank a run for its money.

I feel like I’m getting the stink eye from people as Max and I make our way through the living room. Maybe I’m imagining it. People are going out of their way to say hi to Max, but no one really acknowledges me. Sonia Smithson rushes over and hugs Max. She pulls back and stares at me.

“What are you doing here, Kylie?” she asks. I guess I’m not imagining it. What did I expect? I hate her.

“I’m a part of the catering staff—you know, summer job,” I say.

“That’s awkward,” Sonia states, without any sense of irony.

Max laughs. “She’s here with me, Sonia.” He throws a proprietary arm around me.

Sonia’s eyes go wide, like she’s seen a ghost. And then she sort of backs away.

“Ignore her, she’s an idiot,” Max tells me.

He ushers me out to the back patio, which has an unimpeded view of the ocean that momentarily takes my breath away. Wow. I can’t even fathom waking up to this view every day. There’s a pool on the expansive lawn, and a guy wearing a chef’s hat is barbecuing at a huge outdoor grill, flipping burgers and shrimp kebabs.

“Pretty awesome, huh?” Max asks as he sees me taking in the scenery.

“Yeah. Totally.”

Max and I take a seat on a lawn chair, looking out at the pool. Lacey Garson and Richie Simson play tongue hockey on chairs across from us. Other couples lie on the lawn, drinking and making out. A few guys toss around a football out by the cabana. A small crowd of people are dancing on the far side of the lawn, where a DJ is set up. It’s my first high school party. Possibly my last. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.

“You okay?” Max asks.

“I’m fine.”

“Really?”

“I am. I just, I don’t know. I guess I need to get used to…everything. Being here. Us. Them. You know, it’s all new to me.” I smile at Max to reassure him. I know I’m giving him a false sense of security. But what else can I do? I’m trying.

Max pulls me close, holding me tight. I see Lacey gawking at us. She leans in to Richie and whispers. He turns to stare at us as well. Here we go.

“Lacey and Richie are looking at us like we’ve just robbed a bank,” I say. Max doesn’t even bother to look at them.

“Who cares?” he says, and then he leans in and kisses me for the whole world to see. At that moment I understand with total clarity that he believes in me, in us, and it gives me a shot of confidence. He’s right; who cares?

“I’m sorry about Lily,” I say. “Is she okay? Is she here?”

“You didn’t see her when we came in, sitting on Luca Sonneban’s lap?” Max laughs. He doesn’t seem bothered at all by the turn of events.

“I missed that. Probably the stage fright. I think I was focused on the floor.”

“Yeah, you were pretty freaked out. It was cute.”

“I’m glad I amuse you, Langston.”

“What can I say, Flores? You’re a quirky chick. And I dig that about you.”

I laugh, because it’s true and it’s probably not going to change anytime soon. Good thing Max likes it.

“That was fast, Lily hooking Luca,” I say.

“Not for Lily. She’s kind of a record holder in that category.”

“Isn’t that awkward? I mean, you and Luca are friends.”

“Not for me. Luca’s really into her and has been for years, and I’m really into you, so it’s all good.”

“I’m really into you too,” I say.

“Well, isn’t that special.…”

Max and I look up to see Will looming above us.

“You two lovebirds are a sight to behold,” he says. Next to him stands Juan. They’re both wearing well-tailored suits. Will’s is a dark gray with pinstripes, Juan’s is navy blue.

“You’re wearing a suit!” I say.

“You know how I love Tom Ford’s work,” Will says.

“Your idea?” I ask Juan.

“All Will. He insisted on buying us matching suits. I didn’t really have much to wear, but I would have settled for clean shorts and a T-shirt,” Juan says. “I think we’re ridiculously overdressed.”

“We come bearing In-N-Out burgers,” Will says, holding up a large bag.

“Excellent,” Max says.

Will reaches into the bag and plucks out a burger. He hands one to Max and then passes out burgers to me and Juan.

“No way I’m eating one of those. Have you seen the spread here?” Juan says.

“You have no idea what you’re missing,” Max says.

“He’s from Mexico. Forgive him,” Will says.

“Those burgers will kill you,” Juan says.

“Maybe, but they’re worth it,” Max says, polishing off the burger. “Loved the mirror. Impressive work,” Max tells Will.

“I thought you’d appreciate it,” Will says.

“I’m keeping it as is,” Max says. “For posterity.”

Will laughs. I have no idea what they’re talking about.

From across the lawn I see Jemma Pembolt, one of Lily’s faithful lieutenants, striding toward us. She looks determined and pissed. Shit. She comes right up to Max.

“You are such an asshole, Max. I can’t believe you brought Kylie to the party. I mean, the body’s still warm.”

“Lily’s here with Luca. I think she’s okay with it,” Max says.

“You’re such a self-centered prick. Of course she’s not ‘okay’ with it. She’s just letting Luca lick her wounds,” Jemma says, her well-toned arms folded across her chest like some kind of South American despot.

“Jemma, chill.” It’s Lily who has suddenly materialized, with Luca at her side. While he stands dutifully next to her, Luca looks like he’d rather be anywhere but here.

Lily gives me a level gaze. It’s not hateful, but there’s no warmth to it either. I get it. She’s doing the best she can to preserve her dignity, and I’m certainly not going to make it any harder on her.

“Jemma’s just being protective. But I can take care of myself,” Lily says. “C’mon, J, let’s get you a drink.”

“Whatever. He’s still an asshole,” Jemma says, giving Max one last icy look, and then the three of them walk away.

I feel bad for Lily. This is her turf, and my being here with Max can’t be easy for her.

“Do you think we should leave?” I ask Max.

“No. She’s fine. She’s happy to parade Luca around with her. And Charlie’s my best friend; I have a right to be here. And we’ve got a whole lot of summer parties ahead of us. Might as well get used to running into each other.”

“We’re going to feed Juan some real food,” Will tells me. “We’ll be back.” He and Juan wander off.

“How about I get us some beer?” Max asks.

“I think I need to detox tonight.” I also want to see if we can have fun without the alcohol.

“Told you tequila can give you a nasty hangover. Maybe you’ll listen to me next time.”

“I doubt it. I’m stubborn like that,” I say. “I’ll just have some water.”

What I don’t say is, “Don’t leave,” even though that’s what I’m feeling when Max gets up and heads over to the bar. With Max as my life raft, I can float. Without him, I feel a little like I’m drowning. The encounters with Sonia and Jemma have diminished whatever confidence was building.

I spot Sharon Lee approaching, and I vow to say something as soon as she’s close enough. It’s like my own personal test. Can I do this? If not, I should seriously forget ever leaving the house again. Sharon’s always been super popular, but I don’t think she’s evil. How hard can this be?

“Hey, Sharon,” I say.

“Hey, Kylie. What’s up?”

“Not much.” I rack my brain for something else to add to that. Jeez, I am hopeless at the art of conversation today.

“You’re going to NYU, right?” Sharon asks after a pause.

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to Barnard. We should totally get together in New York.”

“Uh, yeah. Sure,” I say, trying to hide the surprise in my voice.

“I’m so psyched to get out of La Jolla and be in a big city, you know? This can be such a small town sometimes.”

“I know exactly what you mean.” And I say that from the bottom of my heart. “I loved New York when I visited last summer. It had such an amazing energy. I’ve never seen anything like it. I felt like I was buzzing with ideas after spending the day walking around in the city. I usually feel the opposite after being in San Diego for a while.”

Sharon laughs. “I know, right?”

Claudia Kleemon and her boyfriend, Harry Thomas, walk by.

“Hey, Sharon. Hey, Kylie,” Claudia says.

We both say hi.

I can do this. I can converse with the human race and not have it be an embarrassment of idiocy and awkwardness.

“E-mail me. ’Kay?” Sharon says.

“I will,” I promise.

And then she walks away. That was not bad at all. In fact, I would have to say that was a stunning success, considering how badly things started out.

“You okay? Still breathing?” Max asks as he takes a seat, beer in hand.

“I’m fine. Much better than when you left, actually.”

“So was it me?”

“No. It just takes me a little longer than normal people.”

Will and Juan are back. Juan is holding a shrimp kebab in one hand and corn on the cob in the other.

“We cannot stand idly by,” Will says. “Our feet have been called to action.”

“You two go,” I say.

“Oh, no. You’re not getting out of this, missy. We’ve got to lose our minds on the dance floor in order to make graduation official,” Will says.

“I don’t think so.…” I try to protest, but it’s no use. Will pulls me, and Juan grabs Max’s arm, and together they escort us to the far corner of the lawn.

“There will be dancing,” Will says.

There are only about fifteen people dancing. I’m loath to put myself out there for all to see. But I really don’t have a choice as Will and Juan pull all of us toward the DJ. Some Eminem/Rihanna/Prince mash-up is playing. Will and Juan sandwich Max and me in the middle, so there’s no way out.

Will and Juan exaggerate their moves, throwing their hands in the air, grinding their hips into ours, singing loudly along with the lyrics. It’s embarrassing and ridiculous, but pretty hilarious, like a bad YouTube video. Max and I look at each other and crack up. Max takes my hand and pulls me away as Will and Juan, eyes focused on each other, dance to their own private party.

“How we doing?” Max asks as we walk over toward the pool, both giving up on dancing.

“I’m glad I came,” I say.

“Me too.”

Max puts his fingers under my chin and tilts my head toward him. I look into his face and I am overwhelmed by a rush of emotion. I may love this boy. Or maybe it’s just infatuation. Whatever it is, it’s powerful and highly addictive. I could get used to having him around.

There’s a rebel yell, and suddenly Charlie cannonballs into the pool. A huge cheer goes up, and then, one after another, people jump in after him. Most of them are in their clothes, but a few have stripped down to their underwear. The DJ turns up the music, and now there are more people in the pool than on the dance floor. The sun is setting, about to dip below the horizon, and the lights in the pool illuminate the water so that it shimmers a deep blue.

Max and I walk to the water’s edge.

“Want to go in? No eels. I promise.”

“Okay,” I say. “Let’s do it.”

I grab Max’s hand, and together we take a flying leap into the pool.