Ace offers a quick hug and knuckle bump to Caleb. “Where’s Gavin?”
“Down by the fire.” Caleb gives me a kiss. “Let’s head over.”
“Why don’t you guys go ahead. I think I’ll get twice as much action if my boy toy isn’t around.” I wink at Caleb. It’s true. I let Caleb know back at the cabin that Mel would only come around if I were alone or with other girls. Otherwise, she prefers to stalk from afar.
Mel. I still can’t believe that sweet, mousy girl could be responsible for so much mayhem.
“Speak of the devil!” A girl’s voice shrills from behind, and I turn to find Mel, herself, Charlie and Brylee with her. I’ve chosen to leave Bry in the dark. And, judging by the alcoholic breeze streaming from her lips, the Solo cup in her hand with a bubbling brew, it was a very wise move.
“What’s up, bitches?” I bump both Mel and Charlie hard with my hip. “Who’s the birthday slut?” I pull Charlie into a playful embrace. “How old are you now? Sixteen?”
“Very funny.” Her blonde head is crowned with a blinking tiara that readsBirthday Princess, and she’s accessorized with dozens of plastic beaded necklaces. “I’m none of your business from this point on. Isn’t that right?”
“You know it.” That’s exactly what I said at my last party. I give her hair a gentle tug. “And what’s new with you?” I swing my shoulder playfully into Mel. “Any hot guys on your radar? I feel like I’ve missed so much. I really can’t wait to get back to campus next semester.”
“Your throne awaits.” Charlie touches the top of my head with a scepter that seems to have miraculously appeared in her hand.
“Wow”—Mel muses—“you walk through a pile of shit, and you really do come out smelling like a rose.” She lifts a brow, and I can see the slight look of dissension on her face.
“Forget me. What’s school like? Were midterms tough? What’s going on with the frats? You guys still working the mixers?” The mixers were huge on campus. They were what Alpha Kappa lived for. Most likely still are.
“Oh, come on.” Brylee and Reese scoot into the conversation. “Why would you care about frat boys when you have a real man waiting for you on the lake? Rumor has it, you’re shacking up. Soon there might even be another McCarthy among us.” She holds up her left hand, gleefully mocking.
I glance to Mel and watch as her face glows an eerie shade of evil, a crimson rage with undertones of a jealous jade green. I’m guessing smearing the fact I’m oh-so-happy in her face is only adding fuel to the fire. I can’t figure out if this is a good thing or not.
“So are you in love?” She takes a sip from her cup. “You’re among friends, Ken. Go ahead—spill it.”
Reese steps into me, her chest heaving—never a good sign. Reese is famous for wearing her emotions on her sleeve, all of the good right along with the bad. Her lack of restraint doesn’t discriminate.
“Kennedy does deserve love. She deserves all of the happiness, all of the good things that go along with it. You hear me? This girl is amazing. She’s a kick ass sister and a kick ass friend!”
Crap. I crane my head into the crowd, momentarily tuning out my cheering section and come upon Kamryn. I shoot her a look and nod to Reese. Before I know it she’s front and center, pulling Reese over to help her meet a few of the local boys.
Brylee makes a face. “You know, I’m not sure, but I’d swear I just saw Keith down by the lake.”
“What?” Both Mel and I say in unison.
We gravitate in that direction, continuing our conversation about nothing in particular while Brylee fills us in on how much she misses hanging out with Reese full-time and wishes she could find her own Mister Right.
“Don’t we all,” Charlie mopes.
“Here we go.” Mel averts her eyes as Charlie starts in. “Before you dive into a pity party, might I remind you that you’re at a real party thrown in your honor? Brylee, get that girl back in the thick of things before she submerges herself into the lake. I’m serious. Or I’ll drown her myself.”
Brylee is quick to comply and pulls Charlie laughing all the way back to the crowd.
The night stills around us. For a brief moment, I feel safe around Mel. This is Melanie after all, the girl I’ve spent the last two years with eating ice cream out of the carton and watching marathon rom-coms until our eyes bled. Melanie and I shopped together, we went to concerts, we got shitfaced together, we even got high together after we had the entire house sign an I-choose-to-be-drug-free petition that the school pushed on us. Mel and I were a team. None of this twisted shit makes sense.
“Ken!” A loud male voice goes off like a bomb, and I spot Keith drudging along the shoreline, scissoring his hands over his head as he makes his way over.
“God.” I run down the sandy shore, traversing over old logs and stones. I have every inch of this lake memorized. I can make my way around here blindfolded if I had to.
My foot hooks on a branch, and I fly right into the waterline, face first into the icy spit of the lake.
“Crap,” I say, pushing myself up. Keith lends me a hand while Mel loses her shit, laughing herself into a hernia. It all feels so normal. A part of me wonders if we were swayed in the wrong direction. Mel can’t be the vicious snake we’ve painted her to be.
“Keith?” I touch his face to make sure he’s real. I’ve never really hated Keith. Ironic since I’ve never truly loved him either, but the thought of him being dead depressed the hell out of me. “I’m so glad you’re safe.” I wrap my arms around him, and it feels good, as if I’m simply hugging an old friend, a brother. An odd thought since we’re currently starring in at least ten different graphic videos that contest thatfamilialtheory. “I have to apologize to you again. This whole nightmare really is my fault.”
Mel takes a few steps in, her brows arching with curiosity. I clear my throat, making sure my voice has the ability to carry. I offer Keith’s side a firm squeeze and enlarge my eyes, praying he’ll play along.
