"You're going where?!"
I knew this would be her reaction; I didn't expect anything more or less. Most of the time my mother was overprotective but she also had moments when she didn't care at all. When I was failing school she fell into madness. She yelled at me and made sure to repeat as many times as possible that if I didn't finish my education I would never get a job. Her monologues weren't very encouraging. My mother worked as a nurse and was taking care of my father when he was sick. She's never seen any other future for me than working in a medical field and finding a cure for cancer. Studying was consuming my life. When my father passed away I realized that it all was for nothing. I couldn't save him.
"You should be studying and preparing for your senior year... again."
"I am," I said but I was sure that it didn't sound convincing enough. At least not enough for her.
When we were at the mall, Sebastian explained that there was a summer house which his parents owned. Of course they had a summer house. I was equally surprised when Sebastian said that I could come with them if I had no other plans. I agreed as soon as he said those words but then I realized that telling my mother would be a nightmare. I wasn't wrong about that, as always.
Later in the day I got a message from Gina encouraging me to go and hang out at Laura's. She wrote that they were having a girls night I should definitely be a part of. I agreed and used the fact that my mother had a night shift at a hospital so it was easy for me to sneak out.
Whenever I had to move from point A to B I always used my bike. It was just way more convenient than having a car. Cars are big, it's often difficult to find an empty spot to park in and also wasting time in traffic would've made me angrier that anything else. With a bike I avoided all of that.
I knew the way to Laura's house by heart. I had an excellent memory which also made it easy for me to study so much. Also made it hard to forget about dad.
I ringed the doorbell and in no time Laura appeared in front of me. "Hi," she greeted me with a warm smile.
Out of three of them I liked Gina the most and Alice definitely the least; that's why when I saw her sitting on a U-shaped sofa in the living room I sighed. She just didn't, by any means, make a good impression. I might've been prejudiced but I didn't give it too much thought; I knew we wouldn't be the best of friends. Ever.
She wasn't ecstatic to see me either. I just wanted to try and have a great time with Gina and Laura.
"Aren't your parents home?" I asked when Laura gave me a glass filled with champagne.
She laughed. "Yeah. In theory they should be here all the time but as you can see," she spread her arms and waved them around. "it's not the case here."
I frowned and instantly felt hit by an overwhelming confusion. Laura noticed it and answered the question that was on my mind before I could say it out loud. "Well, my parents are older and they decided that they wanted to enjoy life so they travel a lot.
"Don't you feel lonely sometimes?" I immediately regretted asking her such a personal question.
Laura shook her head. "I'm happy for them. I miss mom from time to time but we call each other and FaceTime a lot."
I smiled but in the back of my head I had this weird feeling; she didn't mention her dad. I decided not to dig in any further because the air was already getting heavy and I didn't want to worsen the mood.
"Fuuun. Great start of the night," Alice rolled her eyes. I ignored her comment and turned the other way.
"Becky, Ocean City. We're leaving in three days."
Alice gulped and coughed intensively. She put her drink on the table and when her breath stabilized she asked,
"What? She is coming with us?" She looked offended. "Why did you invite her, Gina?"
Wow. That was nice. I was amazed that she didn't feel that it was wrong to say something like that especially when I stood six feet away.
"I did."
I thought we were alone in the house but when I heard this familiar voice I suddenly felt happy that we weren't.
Sebastian came downstairs wearing only swimming shorts and he had a towel on his shoulder. I caught myself staring at his bare torso but I didn't have strength to take my eyes off him. It looked like he worked out a lot because I could see deep lines separating muscles on his body.
"Really?" Laura said and looked at him up and down.
"What?" he shrugged. "I live here."
I didn't notice when Alice stood up from her seat but when I looked again she was by Sebastian's side making circles with her finger on his torso. She said something to him but I couldn't hear it. Sebastian nodded, laughed and looked at me.
"You're all red, you know that?"
I realized that I was looking him right in the eyes so I quickly lowered my head. I put my hands on my cheeks and they were burning. I didn't know what to do so I just kept standing there.
"Um, we're gonna go," Alice giggled and they went to the pool.
I experienced a weird feeling that went all over my body when the terrace door closed behind their backs.
"Let's just take food, drinks and go upstairs," Gina said annoyed and me and Laura both agreed.
I followed them to Laura's bedroom and when I stepped through the door I could feel my jaw dropping on the floor. Her room was all I ever dreamed of; it was definitely bigger than Sebastian's room and had two giant windows and door to the balcony. Most of the things there like walls, bed or other furniture were either white, beige or gray. There was a big sofa and a square coffee table in front of a tv. Her room was very beautifully decorated; everything was appealing to the eye from a furry rug to small crystal jars standing on shelves.
We put everything we held in our hands on the table and sat on the sofa. Gina poured all of us another glass of champagne.
"Is Alice always like that?" I asked.
Gina and Laura looked at each other but their expressions were worrying.
"We all have known each other ever since we were very little," Laura said. "We grew up together and always stuck together. No matter what."
"Alice had a very difficult time two years ago and let's just say that Sebastian was the one who helped her the most," Gina added.
"I understand," I nodded. I didn't want to ask any more questions. I felt like I wasn't close enough with them, with Alice especially, to have such a private knowledge about her. Either way, it seemed like whatever happened was very... touching.
"Okay, enough with the depressing," Gina clapped her hands. "You have to tell us something about yourself!"
I agreed and started telling them about how nice it was to live in Philadelphia. I also mentioned my father, the fact that I failed my senior year and the reason we moved to Bel Air. I found out that the girls just finished high school and that they were going to attend a nearby college in September - the same Nate told me about. They said it was like a ten minute drive.
"Gina told me that Sebastian goes to college in New York, why there and not here?" I asked Laura.
"We work better as a family when he's away," she explained. "I know it sounds mean but that's just the way it is."
We talked for at least another hour when the door to the bedroom and Alice walked in with a towel on her hair and an oversized black shirt with a band name written across. Was it Sebastian's shirt? It had to be. I suddenly felt the same thing I felt downstairs when they left.
"Sorry it took so long," she said and laughed. "Did I miss something?"
"Becky was telling us about herself," Gina explained.
"So I didn't miss much," Alice rolled her eyes and
Laura gave her a sharp look.
I was very curious why Alice was the way she was towards me. I've never said anything to upset her. I wouldn't even have any opportunity to do so because we didn't talk with each other much.
We continued talking and drinking more that we should. After we were finished with champagne Laura brought two bottles of vodka and we began drowning ourselves in it. Gina passed out from the amount of alcohol and Laura decided it was a good time for us to go to sleep. She led me with now half-unconscious Gina, who had each of her arms around us, to the guest bedroom. I changed into my pajamas and used makeup wipes to get rid of whatever was left on my face. I could never go to sleep without doing it.
I lied next to Gina and fell asleep.
When I woke up I felt an overwhelming dryness in my mouth after drinking so much alcohol. I checked my phone to see what time it was and it was the middle of the night. I desperately needed to drink water and the only thing next to me was half-empty bottle of vodka which I remembered that Gina held in hand when we were going to the room. I went out of bed carefully because I didn't want to wake her up.
I found my way to the kitchen and turned on lights that were on the bottom of each cabinet. I took a water bottle from the fridge and nearly drank it all in one go. The cold feeling of the water was soothing after an intense burning of the alcohol.
"You're not sleeping?"
I jumped in my place and almost dropped the bottle.
"Sebastian," I said and put my hand on my chest. "You scared me."
He was wearing nothing but loose boxers. It was quite dark but I could see his yet again bear torso but this time I was standing way closer to him so I had to really force myself not to stare.
"And you look like you stole this pajama from your granny," he laughed. "It's so... covering," he said looking at me up and down.
"Why are you mean to me?" I finally asked the question that was circulating my mind from time to time. The first night we met he was mean... for a while and when we met at the mall he didn't even say 'hi' to me. But he invited me to join them on a trip. Ugh. I preferred to stick to my thoughts and assume he was mean. Kind of mean?
"You're not the type of girl that usually is interested in me," he shrugged and opened the fridge to grab a beer.
"So? Who said I'm interested in you at all?" my voice sounded more like a squeak.
"You're here talking to me."
"Don't flatter yourself," I snorted. "You're Laura's brother so I just want to get along with you. And let me remind you that you were the one who wanted to kiss me in the first place, so I don't know who's interested in whom now."
The words came out of my mouth faster than I wanted.
"Yeah, you're right," he agreed and gulped the beer. "Don't think too much of it. I don't like close company of girls like you anyway."
"Because at college you have a variety of girls like Alice to choose from," I said under my breath but instantly regretted it. "I'm so sorry for saying that, I really am. Gina told me and I just... It was inappropriate," I lowered my head in embarrassment.
"See, that's what I'm talking about," he crushed the can and tossed it in the trash can under the sink. "Good night," he smirked and walked away.
I stayed in the kitchen for a little longer. When I finished drinking water I threw away the bottle. I then returned to the guest room and tried to fall asleep but his words were going through my head - I don't like close company of girls like you anyway.
*****
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