Page 42 of The Very First Night

He nods before changing the subject. “Did you give Jenna your part of the deposit for next semester?”

We’ve been discussing the prospect of getting a house in the fall since getting back from winter break—Jenna, Marcus, Tanner, Brendan, their friend Aaron, his girlfriend Regina, Elijah, and me. If I’m honest, I wasn’t sure it was going to work out—we’d been struggling to find a house that suits everyone’s needs. We ultimately found a house about ten minutes from campus. It’s not the fanciest, but it was within everyone’s price range. Marcus and Jenna plan on sharing a room, as do Aaron and Regina. I wondered why Elijah didn’t invite me to share a room, but was deterred from asking by the look on his face when the topic came up.

“Yeah, I sent it to her yesterday. Did you send yours?”

“Last week! Are you excited to live off campus? Why do you live on campus anyway?”

“Honestly? It was cheaper than any of the apartments Jenna and I could find and it just seemed like the easier route.”

“That makes sense. If it weren’t for financial aid, I wouldn’t be able to live in the house. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to pretend like my parents aren’t well off, but putting three boys through college is a lot.” He sighs before continuing, “I’m glad you’re moving off campus with us next semester.” He glances at me, and I can feel my stomach erupt with butterflies.

What the hell was that?!

I clear my throat, which thrusts me into a coughing fit. Tanner stops beside me as I keel forward, my hands on my knees, attempting to control the coughing. He rubs circles on my back, no doubt in an attempt to comfort me, but as I realize why I lost it in the first place, I swat his hand away.

“I’m fine,” I wheeze, standing up and stifling small coughs as I try to get my breathing back in order.

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I push my hair out of my face, flushed—for a reason I refuse to think too much about.

NINETEEN

KAT

My stomach churns with anxiety as we drive through the night, leaving Kent behind and heading toward our destination. Every mile that rolls by only adds to my nervousness, and I can’t shake off the feeling no matter how hard I try. The reason for my unease remains elusive, but its grip on me is undeniable.

Excitement pulses through our group as we pull up to Elijah’s parents’ beach house in our rented SUV, ready for a week of endless fun during spring break. The impressive beach house stands tall between two neighboring properties, its white stucco walls reflecting the bright sunlight. A large balcony stretches across the front of the house, offering a breathtaking view of the vast expanse of the Atlantic before us. As I step out of the car, the warm rays of the sun envelop me and I take in a deep breath of salty sea air, instantly feeling rejuvenated and eager to explore all that Myrtle Beach has to offer.

Everyone darts toward the house, scrambling to claim bedrooms. Elijah and I hang back, as he already informed me that the master bedroom is off-limits to everyone but us, so we don’t need to fight the masses for our room. My chest fills with warmth at his words.

Ours.

As we cross the threshold, the salty scent of the ocean is just as strong, maybe even stronger. Our feet sink into plush, sandy-colored carpet. A vase filled with seashells sits on a wicker side table next to a comfortable armchair covered with anchor-patterned pillows. Framed photographs of lighthouses and sailboats line the walls, mixed in with photos of Elijah over the years. A framed photo of him in a tailored suit next to his father at what appears to be an important event catches my eye. Elijah looks young, maybe twelve, and his father is the picture of timeless luxury.

“That’s from the night my dad won the election for his first term,” Elijah says as he nudges my shoulder, pride in his voice but a hard-to-place expression creasing his brow.

“You guys look really happy,” I say. I can’t help but think about how little I know about my dad. Do photos of my half-brother hang in his home? Does he tell people he’s his only child? Is he the legacy my dad longs to have continue on? It stings to think about, so I do everything in my power to shake off the thought.

“Yeah.” Elijah shrugs.

Suddenly Jenna and Tanner barrel in.

“We’re going to the liquor store. You guys want to come?” Tanner says.

I glance toward Elijah, but he shakes his head. “I have to pull the cover off the pool and hide the breakables from Aaron.”

I barely know Aaron, but from the stories I’ve been told, he has a tendency to break things when he’s drunk because he has the delicacy of a baby deer learning to walk. Apparently, he’s the very reason the window in the front room of the Lambda house had to be replaced last semester.

“What about you?” Tanner asks me.

I turn again to Elijah and he just shrugs.

“Sure,” I say, “why not?”

After pressing a kiss to Elijah’s cheek, I follow Tanner and Jenna out the door. The three of us pile into the black SUV, which is thankfully still cool from the air conditioning. Jenna jumps into the passenger seat and reaches for the aux cord. Since Tanner’s information is on the car rental, he drives, which defaults me to the back seat.

The moment Tanner notices Jenna has the aux cord, he snatches it out of her grasp. “Driver’s choice, Jen.” He grins, ignoring her as she flips him off. “What do you want to listen to, Kat?”

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