Page 8 of A Game as Old as Time

Hailey’s shoulders stiffened as she tilted her head.

“Late to your own house?”

Juliana snickered as she took a sharp left turn.

“Well, you see…” Hailey could tell something was up. “I knew you wouldn’t come out if I told you what was going on.”

Whatisgoing on!?

They continued down a back road for a few minutes before pulling into the large driveway of the Cortez house, which she had visited once before.

Oh my!

Unlike when she first met Juliana, cars were parked all over the grass and driveway. The sheer volume of vehicles immediately signaled to Hailey that this was no small get-together.

“I know---please, don’t be mad! It’s just, my brother and I are having a big party for all the seniors, and I thought you should meet everyone before classes start.”

Party!?

The young woman had a slightly embarrassed smirk on her face as she snapped the car into park.

“Juliana.” Hailey gripped the door handle as her eyes went wide. “My dad will kill me if he finds out I am at a house party!”

Juliana waved her hands impatiently, her straight black hair dancing in the wind blowing through the open window.

“I know, I know! Listen, all my friends are coming too, so this is half my party. One of the nice things about being twins! My parents are traveling, and we have the pool and a giant fire out back!” Hailey watched as a few kids who seemed about her age walked by the car. “No one comes back this way. We are in the middle of nowhere. Please, please!”

Hailey felt her shoulders sag in the face of such genuine pleading. Juliana was the first, and only, friend that she had made since she arrived. Classes were about to start, and the whole reason she had come out tonight was to avoid being completely surrounded by a bunch of people she had never met on her first day of school.

Daddy said to make friends.

The thought of meeting so many new people made her hesitate, but she finally built up the strength to nod and shifted her clammy hand to the handle.

Try and make friends.

**********

“You need another one?” Gunner squinted up to JT, who smiled and reached down toward him.

“Yeah, sure,” Gunner said, clearing his throat and handing his friend the empty cup.

Why the hell not?

JT simply nodded and began to make his way over to the keg. His long legs were a spectacle as he glided across the concrete around the pool. Like always, JT had dressed to impress, wearing a light blue button-down that complemented his white Nike swim trunks. While he may not have been the most vocal, he was a fantastic listener and exactly what Gunner had needed for the last few hours.

I hate parties.

Gunner eased out of the lawn chair he had dropped onto when he arrived. He gave the backyard a long, hard scan as he moved across it, admiring just how spacious and secluded the Cortez’s house was. The fact that the family traveled so much made it the prime spot to throw a party for a large group. Although, typically, Gunner much preferred the quiet movie nights to something like this.

“Cannonball!” He had to shield himself as Emilio’s body hit the water.

The splash scattered a few of the girls who had gathered around the edge of the pool, and he could hear laughter nearby.

“Crazy ass!” Ty chuckled, taking a sip from his plastic cup. “See!” He punched Gunner’s arm. “You just needed a night out!”

Right, Ty.

Gunner adopted the forced smile he had been working on and tried toclear his mind. The alcohol, which had helped relax his shoulders, at least a little bit, was now becoming a hindrance as he tried to count off everyone from the senior class who had shown up.

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