The Pool Party

04: The Evil and the Wicked

James pulls into their drive way. he opens my car door for her, I get out, and we head to the front door. He pushes the front door and opens it. Our mom is in the kitchen.
"Hey guys! How was school?"

They both look at each other, My hair obviously wet. We both say fine and rush up stairs.
"Sorry we couldn't finish your movie." 

James says to Emma before they walk in different directions to their rooms.
"It's fine, I still had a great time."

"Good. Love to hear that."

James heads to his room. I hesitate, then I catch James before he leaves.
"Hey, James? I was meaning to ask you, and this is kinda random but, why did you throw principal Mecksey's chair in the pool?"

"Oh, you still remember that? He said.. My father wouldn't be proud of me. It's a long story, but I was going to counciling after dad's death for a while at Santi, and one of the sessions was with him. He said I'd never amount to my father and I will never in my whole life make him proud. And, I just snapped. I then made a plan that night to break in and throw his precious office chair into the pool. It was super expensive. But, I didn't realize we had cameras."

"That's horrible. What a dick. I guess I kinda get why he resigned right after that."

"He realized I was after him. Goodnight, Emma." I rush to the bathroom to take a nice warm shower, but I'm stopped by Caleb.

"Ems!! Uh hello? What happened to you?"

"Long story. Can I tell you after my shower?"

I slam the door and start the shower.

"..Okay"

After a long nice shower, I pop into Caleb's room. She's got her hair in a towel and is now wearing pjs.
"Okay now that I'm not sticky anymore I can tell you." I say, relieved.

"Sticky? Em.. Emma? Why.. why on Gods green Earth were you STICKY?"

"Sammi! She poured soda on me at the drive in. Wh- What were you thinking?"

"Nothing. Nothing! Wait, why were you at the drive in? A dateee?"

"Not exactly. She did some f'ed up stuff to me earlier and James was going to give me a ride home but wanted to cheer me up. We saw most of the new Raven Man movie! But, Sammi and Will were behind us the entire time."

"You were on a date with my brother?"

"I just said it wasn't a date."

"I've never known my brother to do a nice thing for a girl and expect nothing in return."

"Caleb, I'm not just a girl, I'm like a sister to him. The only thing that happened was the Sammi thing."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm okay now. Thanks du."

We do our little finger shake. 

The next morning, the dream team pack up Caleb's jeep to go to Newport. Towels, beach chairs and coolers. They all giggle and get into the car.
I needed today. No one ever tells you how much you need a day off. School has been so stressful lately, it's going to be great to just relax with my best friends.

James suddenly comes out of the house. In only sleep shorts.He walks toward the jeep as Caleb looks at him annoyed and puts the jeep back in park.
"What now James? We got a whole beach day waiting for us!"

"Hold back your tears Caleb. I just wanted to know the progress on the products I need for the pool party?"

"It's going pretty well, all of us are working hard to make enough. You really think we need 300+?" Sophia chimes in.

"At least that, like I said you guys will be busy selling most of the night. Thanks for the update."
"Uh, hey! James?" 

I say, James stops, and turns to face me.
"Uh, would you wanna tag along? I mean, we have room if you wa-"

James cuts me off.

"I'm good, Ems."

Ok. Back to how we used to be I see. Don't know what I expected. James walks back inside. 

"Boooo." Sophia teases.

"Oh shut up!" They all laugh and drive off.
Back in the house, James starts to get dressed, and packs a backpack full of cleaning supplies he collects from all around the house, some snacks and clothes he doesn't care about, to get dirty.He then goes out to his car and throws it in the backseat. He puts on some cool shades then heads to Laguna Beach.
James pulls up to his dad's old estate.He opens the door and sees a dusty, run down house that has potential. He opens his bag and a montage starts of him cleaning up the whole house, including the back yard.He calls some people to get the pool up to shape.
The dream team ride their rented bikes down the boardwalk in Laguna. We're all giggling and having a great time! We get ice cream, and go hang out on the beach and in the ocean.
We all sit outside of the restaurant around mid day, then we get food outside of a cute restaurant on the main street.
"Em, you really almost ate shit when you turned that corner!"

Sophia says to me, laughing.

"Yeah, you're not known for being the most coordinated!"

Caleb says.

"Whatever guys. I still was faster than both of you!"

They giggle. 

From across the street, Sammi, Will, two of her friends and two guys from the football team, are walking from the beach. Sammi notices the dream team first. She stops Cece from the rest of the group. They break off. 

"I'm stuffed. Should we head back to the car?" 

"Yeah, it's been a really fun day but I think we should get back to working on our products."

They all get up and start walking in the opposite direction of Sammi and the crew. Sammi and Cece both start following the dream team.
"Wait, what kind of ice cream did you get earlier?" Caleb asks Sophia.

"Uh, cherry jubilee, duh. It's the bestest flavor."

"That's a granny flavor!"

"Make fun of it all you want, it doesn't change how good it is."

"Whatever. Coo coo."

"Wow. Ya know, What are the odds? A day later I can make you pay for being with Jamie! That's like, fate or something!" Sammi comes up behind them, interrupting their day.

"What are you doing here?" I ask. Why does she insist on ruining my day?

"Uh, I have a social life. Laguna is where it's at. But I was gonna ask you that question. Why would a flat-chested, nobody, loser Bitch be at MY beach? Can you tell me Cece?"

"Nope!"

"Then I guess we're all wondering the same thing."

"I could care less about what you say about me, or to me Sammi. Please leave us alone." I say, and turn my back to Sammi.

"That's the funny thing, I'm not gonna do that. You took Jamie's attention off of me somehow, yesterday. You can't just do that and get away with it."

Both of my friends get in between Sammi and me. Sammi laughs.

"As if you idiots could do anything to help little ol' Emma! You don't have Jamie to protect you."

"Are you following her around or something?" Caleb says, staring directly into Sammi's eyes.

"Yea, it's giving obsessed, Sammi. If you have a crush on her, just say that." Sophia adds.

The dream team laughs. Sammi gets visibly angry. 

"I don't know who you people THINK you are, but I am just SO much better than you, Okay? My daddy literally owns a company. That proves like, So much! Listen, Emma. I wont do anything today, but just know, Jamie will never even THINK of you very, very soon. You think that first rumor was bad? Wait till I'm finished. You have no idea who you're fighting."

They walk off.
"Wow, she's a whole different level of crazy." Caleb says. That's an understatement.