Page 23 of The Making of Mila and Blake
Speaking of Savannah, I spot her emerging from the back door of her house. She’s wearing a cute, one-shouldered orange bikini and appears flustered as she ushers out a couple holding hands. She spies Teddy and me and rushes over.
“The party started a half hour ago and already people are sneaking inside to make out!” she says indignantly. “I told Myles–I told him–that no one is allowed inside except to use the bathroom. Like, c’mon! I don’t want to find people slobbering over one another in my room. Gross!”
Teddy chuckles and playfully grabs her shoulders from behind, shaking her gently to torment her. “Sav, you aresocute. You know this is a party, don’t you?”
And I can’t help thinking that perhaps Savannah wants people to stay out of her room so that it’s available for her and Teddy later. . .
“Just have fun and don’t worry about anything else. These guys are all your friends, and you can clean up any damage tomorrow before your parents get back.Chillll.”
“You’re right,” she says, taking a deep breath as Teddy drops his hands from her shoulders. “Where’s Tori?”
“She’s—” I scan the pool area and find her by the table of booze, cracking the tab on one of the cheap beers her brother supplied “—over there. Should we get a drink?”
“Not me,” Teddy says, holding up his hand. “I need to be sober to drive home later, so no drinking for me tonight.”
“But that’s stupid,” says Savannah. “You’re the only one who legally can!”
“I’m sure Savannah would let you crash here for the night,” I suggest, and Savannah widens her eyes threateningly at me before flashing her most innocent smile at Teddy.
“I’ll just stick with Coke,” he says, and then sets off toward the drinks table.
Savannah and I stay a few feet behind and I whisper, “Too obvious?”
“Very,” she says, and I promise to carry out my wingwoman duties more subtly going forward.
Tori is still hovering by the table when we approach and she openly scoffs when she sees Teddy reach for a can of Coke, but although he hears her, he is too nice to react. I’m amazed at how well he handles Tori’s rudeness.
“One for you,” Tori says, passing me a beer, “and one for you. Don’t worry, Savannah, if you end up in the same state as you did at the graduation party, I’ll look after you again.” She opens the can and offers it to Savannah, who ultimately decides that hosting this party sober will only result in endless stress.
“Where’s Myles?” I ask.
“Where do youthink?” Savannah says, pointing.
I follow her finger in the direction of one of the sun loungers toward the back of the yard, and I laugh at how predictable Myles is. He is sprawled out on the lounger, straddled by Cindy, and they absolutely refuse to tear their lips from one another. At least now they are actually together and not just each other’s go-to hook-up, so it’s less creepy and more that they are just so in love they can’t keep their hands off one another. I imagine they won’t move far from that lounger for most of the night.
“He wants to throw a party, but then leavesmeto take care of everything!” Savannah moans, and then much to mine and Tori’s shock, she shotguns her beer right there and then. She gags at the aftertaste, crushes the can in her hand, then grins. “Who’s coming in the pool?”
I raise my beer in the air. “Me! But I’m only going to paddle my legs.”
“Oh, you are soboring, Mila!” Tori says. “Watch this. Teddy, take notes.” She hands Savannah her beer and dramatically cracks her neck from side-to-side before making a running swan dive straight into the pool. The water cascades around her, splashing the girl posing on the flamingo.
A few seconds later, Tori’s head breaks through the water’s surface and she grins wide. “Let’s get this party started!”
Savannah places a hand on Teddy’s arm and says, “Let me introduce you to some people.” As she guides him away for introductions, I flash her a thumbs-up behind his back. She’s showing some initiative, at last.
I take a sip of my beer and join Tori, except she remains in the water while I perch on the pool’s edge. The water is warm and refreshing against my legs and I gaze up at the twinkling lights above us, willing it to get dark. A party isn’t really a party until night falls, and as the color of the sky changes, more and more guests show up, armed with inflatables and booze. More guys dive bomb into the pool, the music creeps louder and louder, and the drinks table becomes so crowded with alcohol that I’m surprised its legs don’t give out.
“I’ll be back in a sec,” Tori says, treading water by my legs. “I need to go show that guy over there how arealunderwater handstand is done.” She swims off, her body gliding smoothly beneath the water, until she reaches the group of guys messing around at the other end of the pool. I don’t recognize them, so they must be some of Myles’ friends from college.
I lean back on my hands, tilt my head up to the lights and close my eyes to enjoy the fast beat of the rap music. Between the splash of water and the clink of bottles, the party is punctuated with laughter. Everyone is having a good time, even Savannah, who has quit acting like a security guard for the house.
Someone sits down next to me on the edge of the pool and dips their legs into the water. My eyes flicker open, and I turn my head to look at them. My body tenses.
“Why does this seem so familiar?” Blake says. He stares out across the pool, watching Tori sit on the shoulders of one of those college guys as she beats a beach ball back and forth, and takes a swig from the red solo cup in his hand.
“Because it is,” I say–and I feel as nervous as I did the first time we spoke on the edge of this pool two summers ago.
Blake’s gaze captures mine, focusing intently. His dark hair has no gel in it today and lays flat across his forehead. As the corner of his lips twitch into the faintest hint of a smile, his dimples deepen. “You know, all this time I’ve still been seeing you in my head with the pink hair. It’s strange seeing you blond again.”
