Faith and Isabeth stood in the lengthy line at McRae's Smokehouse. They knew the line was going to be out the door. It always was at noon and today wasn't any different. It was the first Friday of summer break, which meant it was the first time for vacationers to eat the comfort food they'd missed while being cooped up in Presidential offices, boarding schools, or Ivy League universities.
"What happen to your lip?" Isabeth asked Faith looking at the red ruby-colored cut running vertically along Faith's bottom lip.
Faith winched as she lightly touched the bruise, "I um slipped. Baby oil on your feet; bad idea."
"Um-hum." Isa studied Faith looking ahead carelessly while toying with the spaghetti strap of her orange maxi dress, "What happened at Columbia?"
"Why?" Faith stopped reading the copious stream of texts that bombarded her phone last night. "Is someone spreading shit?"
A gray-haired man in front of them turned around giving them a disapproving eye. Faith and Isabeth didn't know who he was, probably one of the many visitors that only had enough funds to vacation in their paradise and not call it home. Faith scowled at him back and he turned around.
"No," Isabeth affirmed. "You just loved that school...dragged us there every time we went to NYC."
"Nothing" Faith said. " I'm just over college."
Isabeth eyed her strangely, "Over college?"
"Yes, Isa. College isn't for everyone. Anyways topic change." Faith singsong as she happily moved up, the only thing standing between them and the counter was the old man, "I need a summer fling."
"What happened to Paolo?" Isabeth questioned reading the menu even though she knew it like the back of her hand.
"Paolo is no longer with us." Faith demurely grinned. "I cut the bastard loose."
The old man made his order and shot them another dirty look as he stepped out of line.
"Welcome to McRae's." A dirty blonde with a gold nose ring beamed. "What can I get you?" She fidgeted with the collar of her teal McRae uniform polo shirt. "You're Isabeth Ovien! And Faith Payson aren't you!" She smiled brightly calling over a girl in a matching baseball cap from the back.
"Hell no!" Faith shouted her eyes fiery with annoyance. "Go Back!" The baseball cap-wearing girl abruptly stopped in her tracks spilling orange cream soda on her khaki shorts. "We came here for ribs and that's it." Faith jutted her hip out leaning against the counter.
The dirty blonde's smile and excitement vanished, "Hickory Cayenne, Honey Mesquite, or Korean Sriracha?" The dirty blonde spit out the menu she committed to memory as she stared at Faith.
Faith shrugged, "Don't fucking ask me. I'm a vegetarian" She averted her attention to the teenage boy serving ice water to the sweating people in line outside, where they were fifteen minutes ago.
"We'll take two slabs of all three." Isabeth smiled soothing the hurt feelings of the dirty blonde. "And it's not you Faith's a bitch to everyone." The dirty blonde chuckled as she tapped on the register.
A smile crossed Faith's face. She knew it was right. She didn't try to be mean it just happened, flowing from her mouth like water. Rudeness was her default setting; being nice left you with hurt feelings and a bruised ego.
"$356.98" The dirty blonde informed. "Cash or credit?"
Isabeth dug into her lavender Fendi tote pulling out a gold metallic Kate Spade wallet, "Faith, did you want to pay?
Faith cocked her head towards Isabeth, "The only thing in my wallet is a Magnum and I don't think they trade condoms for ribs." She glanced at the dirty blonde, "Do they?"
"No." The girl lowly answered keeping her eyes on Isabeth too afraid to look at Faith.
Isabeth smiled as she dragged the wallet's zipper back, "I got it." She handed the girl her credit card.
"Isabeth Harlow Ovien and Faith Emilie Payson!" A six-foot longhaired dark blonde guy yelled as he stood in front of the door. "I thought ya'll were going to Monaco for the summer." He embraced Isabeth and Faith in a bear hug as they stepped out the line.
"Dalton Fallstone!" Isabeth patted him on the back. "Why must you always call us by our full names."
"I hate that shit," Faith pulled away from him as his hand tried to travel past her Mason Dickson line.
Dalton combed his paddle hand through his shoulder-length hair, "That's why I do it." He smirked. "I heard about Columbia." His voice lowered eyeing Faith. "Did you really—"
"No!" Faith quickly cut him off. "Don't believe every fucking thing you hear."
Isabeth readjusted her crème fedora after Dalton's rectangle head nudged it up, "What'd you do?"
Faith waved away Isabeth's eager gaze, "I'll tell you later."
Isabeth nodded.
"Oh shit!", Dalton's booming clap drew everyone's attention and made the girls jump. "That means you guys are coming to the City Twins Sinner and Saint's Party."
"Is it at the estate or the island?" Faith pulled out a bottle of raspberry lemonade from the fridge by the door.
"The estate." Dalton grabbed himself a root beer before Faith let the door slam. "You know the Faulkners' banned parties at the island after the fire Keaton started."
Faith let the cold liquid roll over her tongue, "I forgot about that jackass. Some people can't play Drunk Jenga."
"Who you telling?" Dalton twisted the top back on his bottle. "My elbow still hurts every time it rains."
"I told ya'll beer, molly and boats don't mix." Isabeth could still see the scar on Dalton's elbow that was left behind after he crashed into the dock.
The dirty blonde appeared at their side, "Here's your order." She handed off the warm paper bags to Isabeth.
"Are you going to be a saint or a sinner this year," Faith asked pushing away the bag Isabeth held towards her.
"I haven't decided, yet." Dalton answered, "But we don't have to guess about you."
"Hey," Faith playfully punched his shoulder. "I could be a saint."
"Yeah! She can." Isabeth agreed with a shake of her head. "Even Lucifer was an angel."
Dalton and Faith laughed as Faith scoffed at both of them, "With friends like ya'll."
"You'll never have a dull moment," Dalton said with a grin. "Speaking of friends...where's Fiona?" He glanced around them as she had to be nearby.
Faith shrugged with a nonchalance that pulled a deep sigh from Isabeth.
"Monaco," Isabeth answered. "She'll be back near the end of summer."
"And Troy?" He asked, his words only pointing to Isabeth."
"Internship in Seoul," Isabeth stated glancing at her car parallel parked by the curb with a fondness growing in her chest at how eager she was to catch up with her close friend. "He'll be back once it's over."
"So, we're all going to be here." Dalton held up his hand as Hugh Moreau called him over. He smirked as if he had mischief conjured in his mind. "This should be fun."
"Totally," Faith added with a straight face.
It seems that Faith is keeping more than one secret.
Do you think Isabeth is suspicious of Faith's cut?
If you were going to the Sinner and Saint's Party which one would you choose?