each other for no apparent reason now, laughing loudly like donkeys.
After a bit Eddie finally stood up and said, “Getting a beer. You want one?”
“No thanks.” You’re leaving me?
I was on my own now. The sun had almost set, and the outdoor lights had been turned on. Lacy was finding it hilarious that she couldn’t light the tiki torches, and when Julia came to help her, they both collapsed into a fit of giggles.
I shook my head and looked back at Gabe, who was now making out with some girl whose back of the head I didn’t recognize.
That hurt. That really hurt. It wasn’t that I was jealous, not really…well…I mean…The point was he was making out with some flaky cheerleader, and I thought he had better taste than that.
A couple chairs down, Brett and Amber seemed to be inspired by his brilliant idea and started to fool around as well. I realized now that the vantage point that I’d quite enjoyed a moment ago had suddenly turned into front row seats to some kind of soft core viewing party, and I was feeling just a little uncomfortable. So I stood up, but standing up didn’t help much as I had nowhere to go. I was saved from total paralysis when a massive blur rushed past me, and two guys fell into the water. I jumped out of the way of the splash in time and almost right into Hannah who was charging into the pool right behind them.
Suddenly it was like they remembered there was a pool at this here pool party. Mike and Rob picked up Annie by her legs and arms and brought her toward the water. She protested, but she didn’t sound that convincing to me, considering her arguments seemed to consist of nothing but giggles. She was soon underwater, and they were close behind. Most of the other guys dove in after them, except of course Gabe who was still having a lovely time with…Charlotte evidently.
The pool turned into a soup of loud teenagers, the water churning as they splashed and climbed over each other. It looked so the opposite of fun to me, claustrophobic.
“Someone’s going to drown,” said a voice from behind me. I looked and it turned out to be Lacy. She grabbed onto my shoulder to steady herself. “They’re so stupid.”
“They’re drunk. Like you.”
“I don’t go in the water drunk. That’s dangerous.”
“You’re right.”
“Of course I’m right.” She shifted her focus to the lounge chairs. “Ugh, and your stupid boyfriend’s hooked up with Charlotte. She’s such a skank.”
“If she is so is he. She’s not making out by herself.”
Lacy turned back at me and stared at me through an unfocused gaze. “You’re so weird, Riley.”
“I’m aware of that.”
She didn’t really know what to say to my answer, so she returned to her initial train of thought. “And Amber seriously has stupid taste. Like Brett Warren? Ew. His dad is seriously creepy.”
That was a bit of a surprise. I hadn’t realized anyone else felt like that. “You think so?”
“Totally. Those eyes of his, all buggy and stuff. And personally I’ve always thought the Church of the Angels was super dumb.”
“You have?”
“Yeah, I mean, think about it. How much do we know about these angels? Why are we worshipping them? But shhh…” She leaned in holding her finger to her mouth. “We shouldn’t talk about it. Mom will get mad.”
“Okay. We won’t.” But I was surprised. Lacy’s family were prominent figures in our town. Her dad ran the bank, her mom was the head of the PTA. They were seen with Pastor Warren at every event. From what I understood, they sat in the front pew at the Church of the Angels. And Lacy had always seemed like the kind of girl who enjoyed going with the norm. She reveled in her cheerleader stereotype. She was entering the county beauty pageant this spring.
I guess she was allowed to have a mind of her own. I just hadn’t realized she’d had a mind in the first place.
Which was really kind of judgmental of me when I thought about it.
She still had a
After a bit Eddie finally stood up and said, “Getting a beer. You want one?”
“No thanks.” You’re leaving me?
I was on my own now. The sun had almost set, and the outdoor lights had been turned on. Lacy was finding it hilarious that she couldn’t light the tiki torches, and when Julia came to help her, they both collapsed into a fit of giggles.
I shook my head and looked back at Gabe, who was now making out with some girl whose back of the head I didn’t recognize.
That hurt. That really hurt. It wasn’t that I was jealous, not really…well…I mean…The point was he was making out with some flaky cheerleader, and I thought he had better taste than that.
A couple chairs down, Brett and Amber seemed to be inspired by his brilliant idea and started to fool around as well. I realized now that the vantage point that I’d quite enjoyed a moment ago had suddenly turned into front row seats to some kind of soft core viewing party, and I was feeling just a little uncomfortable. So I stood up, but standing up didn’t help much as I had nowhere to go. I was saved from total paralysis when a massive blur rushed past me, and two guys fell into the water. I jumped out of the way of the splash in time and almost right into Hannah who was charging into the pool right behind them.
Suddenly it was like they remembered there was a pool at this here pool party. Mike and Rob picked up Annie by her legs and arms and brought her toward the water. She protested, but she didn’t sound that convincing to me, considering her arguments seemed to consist of nothing but giggles. She was soon underwater, and they were close behind. Most of the other guys dove in after them, except of course Gabe who was still having a lovely time with…Charlotte evidently.
The pool turned into a soup of loud teenagers, the water churning as they splashed and climbed over each other. It looked so the opposite of fun to me, claustrophobic.
“Someone’s going to drown,” said a voice from behind me. I looked and it turned out to be Lacy. She grabbed onto my shoulder to steady herself. “They’re so stupid.”
“They’re drunk. Like you.”
“I don’t go in the water drunk. That’s dangerous.”
“You’re right.”
“Of course I’m right.” She shifted her focus to the lounge chairs. “Ugh, and your stupid boyfriend’s hooked up with Charlotte. She’s such a skank.”
“If she is so is he. She’s not making out by herself.”
Lacy turned back at me and stared at me through an unfocused gaze. “You’re so weird, Riley.”
“I’m aware of that.”
She didn’t really know what to say to my answer, so she returned to her initial train of thought. “And Amber seriously has stupid taste. Like Brett Warren? Ew. His dad is seriously creepy.”
That was a bit of a surprise. I hadn’t realized anyone else felt like that. “You think so?”
“Totally. Those eyes of his, all buggy and stuff. And personally I’ve always thought the Church of the Angels was super dumb.”
“You have?”
“Yeah, I mean, think about it. How much do we know about these angels? Why are we worshipping them? But shhh…” She leaned in holding her finger to her mouth. “We shouldn’t talk about it. Mom will get mad.”
“Okay. We won’t.” But I was surprised. Lacy’s family were prominent figures in our town. Her dad ran the bank, her mom was the head of the PTA. They were seen with Pastor Warren at every event. From what I understood, they sat in the front pew at the Church of the Angels. And Lacy had always seemed like the kind of girl who enjoyed going with the norm. She reveled in her cheerleader stereotype. She was entering the county beauty pageant this spring.
I guess she was allowed to have a mind of her own. I just hadn’t realized she’d had a mind in the first place.
Which was really kind of judgmental of me when I thought about it.
She still had a
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