“I slipped the DJ a tape. He’s an old friend.” I nod my head at him, and he raises his hand in a wave. She tracks the movement then turns her bright smile back on me. I could bask in the warmth of her glow and never get tired of it, and I realize that I want to do anything I can to make her like this. It’s a side of her I haven’t seen, but knowing I had a part in making her react like this has me wanting more. More of those smiles. More of the way she’s touching me with no hesitation or hatred.
She fumbles in her purse, gripping her phone in her hands and whips out her camera, panning the room as she records the way the crowd is reacting to the song we made together.
Unshed tears shimmer in those baby blues of hers as she watches. I’ve never felt more proud of a piece of work until this moment. She turns the camera on me.
“Smile Chase.” She’s in my arms, pressing her face next to mine. I can see the reflection of us in her camera screen. We look good together. Her pink wavy hair a mess of curls, plump lips glossed and so close to my cheek. If I were to turn my head, her lips would meet mine. God, I want to kiss her again. Consequences be damned.
And for a moment, I let myself forget that our whole school has been dragging our relationship and it’s only a matter of time before it leaks to the press. The inevitable fallout we’ll get from our parents. Fuck, how did this all go so bad so quickly. I barely got a chance to enjoy her as mine.
“Rhonda! Where the hell have you been! Listen, listen! It’s our song.” Melody squeals.
“Shut up! That’s you?” Rhonda matches her level of screeching and the two of them grab onto each other and bounce up and down.
Once the song ends, I pull Rhonda aside. “I’m taking her home.”
“Fine. But Chase, you need to do some serious damage control. That school can be vicious. I love Melody, but seeing her today, I don’t know if she’s built to handle that kind of cruelty.”
“I know. I already got the paper to print an apology and Jenna’s been taken off the paper indefinitely.”
“Good. But people are still going to talk.”
I nod. “I just need her to give me a chance. Are you good enough to get back alright?”
“Oh, I’m fine. I’ve got my eye on something pretty over there.” She waves at a girl dressed in hot pink and the girl waves back suggestively.
“Have fun,” I say, looking for where Melody has run off to. I find her downing another drink, and sigh.
“You ready to go?”
“Go? What? Now?”
“Yeah, princess. Let’s grab your stuff and go.”
She fights me, but eventually, I get her in the car with me. Our driver headed for the Ritz. It’s started to snow in the last hour and driving back this late in a blizzard wouldn’t be the best choice. So, I opt for a hotel and hope to hell Melody will hear me out once she’s sobered up.
“This place is nice. I keep forgetting I can have experiences like this now.” Her fingers glide against the back of the couch once we’re in the hotel room. “I always wondered what the inside of this place looked like. I used to pass it on my way to work. Did you know I worked at a bar before I moved to Langford? It’s only a couple of blocks down, and the owner is a dick. He only let me sing if I wore a low-cut shirt. Why are guys such dicks? They get in a position of power and think they can make you do whatever they want.” She’s rambling, but I just watch her, soaking up the information. If I ever get the name of that bar, I think I’ll pay the owner a nice little visit.
She takes her shoes off and walks over to the window. “You know, when we first met, I didn’t think I’d like you at all. I mean, I thought you were cute, but your personality! Whew.” She gestures a dead sign across her neck and I laugh.
“Yeah, well. I wasn’t too wild about you either.”
“I thought you hated me.” Her face is reflected back in the window, and I come up behind her.
“Honestly, I think you scared me.” She turns to look at me. “You came barging into my life out of nowhere, and I was angry about it. My mom, well, she wasn’t around a lot when I was growing up. She built her own company and made all the money we have now. It felt like you and your mom were stealing from her, if that makes sense. I’m still processing her death, and I’m not totally convinced it was an accident like they claim.”
“You think your dad killed her, right? You were telling me about it the other night.”
I shake my head. “We can talk about it another time when you’re more sober.”
“I’m fine, I swear. Tell me.”
I sigh, seeing there’s no dissuading her from it now. “Fine. My dad had a history of cheating on my mom, and when she turned up dead, I couldn’t help but think he had something to do with it. With her gone, he was free to take over her company and her fortune. And free to be with whoever he wanted.”
“My mom,” she breaths out. “I suspected she was having an affair with someone at the club she worked with and then all of a sudden she’s married to a guy with money and sending me off to the school of my dreams.”
“Wait, your mom worked at what club?”
“Clearview Country Club.”
