Page 92 of Roses, Pearls, and Hot Summer Nights
Marco rushed down and scooped Jeremy into a bear hug. Jeremy didn’t return the embrace with as much excitement. Julian was next, but he was braced for impact and managed to avoid theoomphthat his twin released. Barrett got a punch on the arm before Marco stopped to stare at me.
“So, this must be Alatheia. Phoenix said you had someone with you this summer. He also said I shouldn’t say anything gross because Julian would hit me. But you wouldn’t hit me, would you, Cap?”
Julian tilted his head. “Don’t say anything gross and we won’t have to find out.”
“Got it.” He took my hand and kissed it. His lips were moist and kind of sloppy. I resisted, just barely, the urge to pull my hand back. “Alatheia, it’s nice to meet you. Any friend of the Lents is a friend of mine. By the way, your brother isfuckedup tonight. See you later.”
Marco took off to shout at someone else. I watched his shoes as he went—designer, navy blue, and suede. The kind of shoes that would be destroyed if someone spilled beer on them, and beer seemed to be flowing everywhere. There was even a beer pong game in the corner, right next to what looked like soft leather couches.
Didn’t his parents care that he was going to destroy their house? His shoes said jackass, and I was going with that description, since it matched what Julian had said about him.
I turned to Julian as I had the thought. “Don’t hit anyone. Okay?” I didn’t want him in more trouble.
“The night is young, Alatheia. Let’s get eyes on Phoenix, make sure he’s not more fucked up than usual, shall we?”
I scanned the crowd. The music was loud, thumping until I could practically feel it reverberate through my chest. I actually recognized the guy from Jersey and his mean sister among the guests. She spun in a corner, and he laughed fiercely at something some guy next to him said. I spotted Phoenix watching someone play darts. He grinned, his gaze vacant as he shook his head.
“Dude, you couldn’t hit the side of a barn,” he snickered. I recognized another guy near him—Jo, the drug dealer Jeremy wanted to punch. His presence at least explained why Phoenix came early—since he didn’t want to buy drugs in front of me earlier, he probably did it there. I shook my head, disappointed despite myself.
“Hey,” Jeremy called and Jo visibly paled before he scampered away, disappearing into the crowd.
“I think he knows you don’t like him,” I shouted at Jeremy.
“Good.” He nodded.
Phoenix finally focused on us. “My family is here!” His smile brightened. “And Alatheia. You’re here.” He stumbled a little getting to me then hugged me tightly. “I had fun yesterday.”
“It was today.” I patted his back. “And I did, too. Are you okay?”
“Yep.” He pulled back. “I’m good.”
If I had to pick between Phoenix taking ADHD meds that he didn’t need and whatever drugs he currently used, I would pick the ADHD meds, though none of it was great.Who is he when he’s actually just himself?
I hated the party, and it hadn’t even really started yet.
I’m notsure when I noticed, but I began to collect death stares from some of the women in the room. Jeremy chatted with some of the other water polo players summering in the Hamptons, while I stood next to Julian and watched him play beer pong. He was good at it, which meant he drank a lot of beer. He offered me a glass, but I shook my head. I wasn’t sure I would ever feel comfortable enough to want to try substances that might alter my senses. After I declined, he chugged the red plastic cup himself.
He explained, “I’m only going to play this once. I won’t get fucked up again, not like last night.”
I shook my head. “Not here to judge, but I am going to find Barrett. Why are the girls glaring at me?”
He glanced over his shoulder. “One of them wants to date me. Her friends told me in May, but I’m not interested. Maybe they think you’re why. You’re not. I didn’t want to date her before I met you. Now, even less so.”
Someone shouted and everyone wentooh. Phoenix laughed with a group of people watching the action in the corner that elicited the response. He worried about everything, all of the time. I doubted he was right then, and maybe that was why he did it.
“Done.” Julian took his last sip. “We’ll go find him together.”
Barrett stood alone outside, the wind tossing around his hair, a red cup in his hand while he stared upward. He turned when we approached and nodded toward the sky. “I think the storm that’s been threatening is making landfall any second.”
Was that what it was? “I wondered about the change. I’ve never been in a storm at the beach before. Will it be okay?”
“Sure. It’s just a storm, but we should head back if we don’t want to get wet. Jules, take her home. I’ll grab Jer and see if Phoenix will leave.”
Jeremy hated water polo. Despite that, he did a great job of acting like he didn’t as he bro-ed it up with his teammates. I didn’t see him minding if Barrett told him to leave, but Phoenix? I didn’t have any idea.
We walked quickly onto the beach, my hand in Julian’s. He hummed to himself. I imagined he likely felt at least a little buzzed from the beers he’d had. His vague smile met my own, as the lights from the house we just left faded the further we walked down the beach.
“Did you have fun?”
