The Blondes of Bel-Air

GEMMA

"Oh my God, Gemma! What did you do?" Lily hissed in my direction.

"What?"

"I think she's dead!"

I didn't look. My heartbeat echoed in my ears and I stood cemented in place. Thinking back, I'm sure I was in shock.

But not Lily. Nothing, not even a possibly dead body could rattle her or knock her off her designer heels.

Lily Madison-Vaughn's navy blue eyes flashed with rage. She glared at me with a hatred that I had never witnessed in all our years of friendship and took a step in my direction.

My heart pounded with such force that I feared mine would be the next dead body Lily saw.

"No!" I stepped backward and held my arms out. "That did not just happen!" I turned from my best friend, clamped my eyes shut, and let out a pitchy wail.

My best friend grabbed my shoulders and shook me twice, so hard that my head wobbled like a rag doll.

"Gemma, stop!" She was so close that I could smell the forbidden beer on her breath and see the delicate pattern of her irises.

My head was fuzzy, but not because of any beer or pot. It was because there was a DEAD BODY on the ground, right beneath us. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but only a squeak came out. Taking a deep breath, I tried to speak again.

"Lily! I didn't do it! You just... and she... and I..."

I stumbled over my words, then pointed to the window where more than twenty feet below, lay the lifeless body of our classmate.

We gazed over the ledge, trying to process what had happened. Taylor on the cement patio, her legs sticking out at an unnatural angle, her head facing us, vacant eyes gazing up. I could've sworn I saw her blink, slowly like Morse code. But she couldn't possibly be alive, not after that fall. My mind was playing tricks on me.

I covered my mouth and turned away.

"Oh my God! Okay, stay calm! Deep breath. Gemma, are you shaking?" Lily crumpled her perfect nose and narrowed her brows. "Take control of yourself!"

"If Taylor hadn't followed us up here-" My voice came out hoarse and low. "And if we-"

"I can't!" Lily held up her index finger as she closed her eyes. "Stop! Don't talk!"

I kept blabbering, unable to process my words. "...and this would have never happened. Is she dead? Oh my God, Lily. I think we actually killed her. Did we kill her?" I began to cry, big heaving sobs. "Lily, Lily. She's dead, look at her!"

"I know Gemma! I'm not blind!"

I motioned towards Taylor's body though Lily knew where she rest. Silver nail polish gleamed in the dusky twilight as I pointed. How could I think about my nail polish on a night like this? Get a hold of yourself!

I willed time to unwind, ten minutes at least. We just needed ten little minutes to undo the horror that had unfurled like a red carpet.

Why did accidents always happen without warning? One second everything was fine, the next lives were changed forever. Downstairs, loud hip-hop music pulsated and I heard the distant shouts and laughter of people having a great time, not the slightest bit aware of what had transpired up here.

Lily's parents had left town, off on some campaign for her senator father (we didn't know about the details) and alone in the house with only her Spanish-speaking housekeeper for company, Lily had taken it upon herself to throw an exclusive pool party. I told her not to do it but she brushed off my concern.