“You said you’d call when you got there. That was hours ago.”
“Didn’t you see my text about having to drive for two hours?”
“Yeah, but it’s been three.”
“There was traffic, so it took longer. And then my stupid cousin was here, and I was talking to him.”
“You should’ve called me,” he says, sounding angry. “I thought something happened.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” I pause. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
Silence follows, which never happens when I talk to Axl. Why is he so quiet? And why am I?
“So you’re not in LA?” he asks, finally breaking the silence.
“No. Brock lied.”
“Why the hell would he lie about that? To get you to go out there?”
“I guess technically he never said I’d be living in LA. Buthelives there so I just assumed I’d live there too.”
“So you’re not living with him?”
“Some of the time, not all. He lives in LA when he’s shooting one of his shows. When he’s not, he lives in La Jolla.”
“Where’s that?”
“Next to San Diego. A long damn drive from LA. I’m so pissed he didn’t tell me this. I was looking forward to all the stuff there was to do in LA. It was the only good thing about being here, and now I’m not even living there. What am I going to do in La Jolla? I’ve never even heard of it.”
“I have, but I didn’t know where it was. One of my mom’s boyfriends was into golf. He was always talking about some golf course there. I don’t remember the name. Something Pine.”
I nod. “Torrey Pine. My driver was talking about it on the way here. My new school is Twisted Pine. What kind of stupid name is that?”
“Sounds haunted.”
“I know, right?”
“Kind of cool, though. I like it.”
“I don’t. Trystan said they have all these rules and if you don’t follow them, they make your life hell.”
“What kind of rules?”
“He didn’t say, but it sounds like social rules, like accepting your place. Whatever place they give you. I hate that shit.”
“Then don’t follow it. Do what you want.”
“I will, but I think at least part of what he said is true. There’s a hierarchy of power and I’m going to be at the bottom. He claims he’s at the top, but he has an overinflated ego so it’s hard to say if what he believes is actually true.”
“Just be yourself. I bet they haven’t had a New Yorker there before. They have no idea what’s coming.”
I laugh. “True. They’re the ones who should be scared.”
“What about the other guy? You meet him yet?”
“What guy?”
