Page 3 of In the Air Tonight

Upstairs, I change into denim cutoff shorts and a halter top. In the long shot possibility that we’re able to talk our way into the party, I put on makeup, focusing on the blue eyes that people say are my best feature. I run a brush through the reddish-brown hair I straightened earlier. I want to change my hair color, but my mom won’t let me. Try having reddish hair when your name is Blaise. I’ve had every nickname from Fire Ant to Fireball. I especially hate that the boys call me Ablaze. Worst nickname ever.

As a finishing touch, I spray on some of the fancy perfume my grandmother gave me for Christmas. I’d never heard of the scent, but Gran said it’s best not to smell like anyone else.

I’m ready to go, but still feel like I’m going to be sick. I knock on Teagan’s door. She’s only home because she’s grounded—again.

“What?” She’s twenty and finished her second year at community college in May, getting grades that barely kept her off academic probation. She has to do another semester to get an associate degree. Last week, she was caught at a bar in Newport, even though she’s underage. My parents went ballisticand demanded she turn over her fake ID. Knowing her, she has two others hidden in her room.

“Do you have any Tums?”

She hurls the bottle at me, barely missing my head. I catch the bottle, shake out two of them and put the bottle on a desk piled high with clothes and other crap. It’s never seen a school book in all the years since Mom bought desks for us at Pottery Barn Kids.

“Thanks.”

She grunts something in reply but doesn’t look up from the phone she earned back after the latest parental altercation by doing chores around the house.

In a way, I’m kind of thankful for her. She keeps the attention off me.

In the hallway, I run into Arlo. His light brown hair is wet from the shower, and his blue eyes give me a quick once over. “What’s with you?”

“Nothing. Why?”

“You’re dressed up.” He leans in for a whiff. “Wearing perfume and makeup. Where’re you going?”

“Nowhere.” If anyone can see right through my lies, it’s him, which can be comforting and annoying—at the same time.

“I’d better not see you anywhere near Land’s End tonight, you got me?”

“Why would I go there?”

He gives me a withering look that big brothers have been giving their younger sisters since the beginning of time. “Stay. Away.”

“I have better things to do than go to your stupid party.”

“Don’t tell Mom and Dad anything about it, or I’ll murder you.”

I roll my eyes, to say ‘as if I’d start talking now’. Why would I tell them that Houston Rafferty’s parents are away, and he’shosting a rager with booze? His party has been the talk of our town and LE for days. I’m surprised my parents haven’t picked up the scent by now.

I land downstairs feeling moderately better after taking the Tums.

My dad is doing the dishes. She cooks. He cleans up. They get along great and only butt heads over Teagan. He’s tough on her. Mom’s a softie, and that infuriates my dad, who, as he says, is trying to keep her out of jail. Mom says he exaggerates, but I tend to agree with him. He’s probably the only thing keeping her out of serious trouble.

Dad glances at me and smiles. “You ready to go?” His gaze takes in my outfit. He hates the crop tops that’re all the rage with girls my age, but thankfully, he doesn’t make an issue out of it.

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Yep.”

“And you guys are going to the movies and maybe downtown, right?”

“Yes.” I feel sick lying to him.

“Home by midnight?”

“I’ll try. If I’m running late, I’ll text you.”

He hands over the keys to his Toyota SUV and kisses my cheek.

“Thank you for being so considerate. It’s very much appreciated.”

I come this close to spilling my guts and telling him the truth. But he’ll never let me take the car to Land’s End, and Sienna is counting on me.

---