When her car rolled to a stop, I immediately saw what Laurie had been talking about. The two-storey house resembled a mansion with imposing alabaster pillars and a second-tier wraparound balcony. Holy crap. It was like something straight out of a magazine minus the streams of kids coming and going. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more extravagant here, it did.
“Come on, let's find the others.”
I followed her up the winding driveway, my eyes dancing over the house. Surrey had some pretty posh estates, especially in the countryside, but this place was ridiculous. Laurie guided us around the side to a wrought iron gate and we slipped inside. Music blared out of the speakers positioned in the corner under a wooden gazebo, and a boy I didn't recognise stood behind a laptop bobbing his head to the beat. The huge pool had been turned into a water polo match and half-naked boys jumped and lunged for the ball while girls huddled at the edge in little bikinis shrieking every time the water splashed up around them.
I suddenly felt very overdressed in my jean shorts and sparkly vest top, and very out of my depth.
“This is crazy,” I murmured under my breath sticking close to Laurie. People waved and smiled at her, maybe at us. It was impossible to tell amidst the chaos.
“You came,” Devon grinned sloppily when we reached him and Autumn.
“You're drunk,” I said poking him in the chest. He stumbled back and chuckled.
“Busted.” It came out slurred.
“Where's Liam?”
“Around.” Devon answered Laurie, but his glassy gaze didn't leave my face.
“Do you want a drink, Lo?”
A drink sounded like a very good idea. Anything to tamp down the nerves vibrating through me. I nodded at Laurie and she disappeared.
“Come sit with me.” Devon dropped onto a big chair. “Whoa, is everything spinning?”
Autumn rolled her eyes. “I can't believe you're already wasted. It's not even eight-thirty. Ignore him, Lo, he's a goofy drunk.”
Devon caught my arm and pulled me down beside him. The close contact startled me. Sure, we'd hung out at school and chatted some, but this felt a little too close for comfort. “Devon,” I scolded, my hand pressing against his chest as he tried to wrap his arm around me. “Not cool.”
He immediately backed up giving me room. “My bad, maybe I drank more than I thought. Someone get me some water.”
“Here.” Laurie arrived with drinks. A cup of something for me and her and a bottle of water for Devon.
“You read my mind.” He swayed as he reached for the bottle.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have come if you were going to get like this.” Laurie narrowed her gaze on him and I got the impression I was missing some piece of the drunk-Devon puzzle.
“I’m good.” He waved the bottle. “This’ll sort me out and I’ll be fine. Don’t sweat it.”
“Whatever.” Laurie turned away to face the pool and Devon squeezed his eyes shut. I threw Autumn a ‘what the hell’ look, but she pursed her lips with a quick shake of her head.
“Eloise is in the house,” a voice boomed across the pool and Kyle sauntered over to us as if he owned the place. I groaned into my hands.
“I can still see you,” he said with a hint of amusement.
“Seriously, Kyle, do you have to do that?” I peeked up at him. “I’m trying to blend.”
“Why? You’re like the new shiny toy everyone wants to play with.” He arched his eyebrow toward the drunken boy who sat beside me.
“What do you want, Kyle?” Laurie sighed.
“I miss you, babe. Is it a crime to want to spend time with my girl?” He closed the distance between them, crowding her against the ornate brick wall.
“Kyle.” She slammed her hands into his chest and he staggered back. “Don’t do that, not in front of my friends. You’re drunk. Go feel up some other girl or play beer pong with the guys or whatever it is you do for fun.”
Kyle blinked as if she’d slapped him but his trademark smile slid back into place. “Oh, it’s like that? We’ll see.” He winked at her and then pointed at me. “Don’t be a stranger, Cous.”
“Lo. It’s Lo, arsehole,” I murmured knowing he couldn’t hear me. “Is he always so…”
“Hyper? Annoying?” Laurie said. “Take your pick.”
“He misses you,” Autumn stated. “It’s his way of forcing himself back in.”
Laurie folded her arms over her chest, glancing over at where he stood with a group of girls. “Yeah, well, it will take more than that.”
“Okay,” I said jumping to my feet. “I thought we were here to party.”
I could do this. It was crammed, sure, but we were outside. There was plenty of space and fresh air. Besides, the alcohol had already begun to calm my nerves.
Laurie and Autumn glanced at one another and back at me. “Well, yeah.”
“So, let’s go party. Devon, are you coming?”
He waved us off, looking a little green. “Go have your fun, I’ll be here, puking into the plant pot most likely.”
The girls followed me as I moved through the bodies. The pool was surrounded by a long lawn on one side and a patio area on the other. A huddle of girls had already carved out a dance floor, and I didn’t give myself time to think about it as I moved my body to the beat. Laurie beamed, spinning seductively, dropping down, and gliding back up. Autumn joined us and the three of us danced. I felt the stares from around the pool. Girls green with envy. Guys hot with desire. But I shut them all out, letting myself get lost in the moment. I’d done this plenty of times in the last few months. Gotten drunk or high and partied until the break of dawn. This was different. I’d made a conscious choice to step up next to the other girls dancing. I wasn’t motivated by the need to forget or drown out the pain. Sure, it was still there—it probably always would be—but this was a step toward healing.
To embracing my new life.
I hoped.
A couple of other girls joined us and the five of us danced until my skin had a fine sheen and my muscles ached.
“Water, I need water.” I mouthed to Laurie.
“The kitchen’s in there.” She pointed to a door behind me. “Want me to come?”
“I’m good. I’ll be right back.”
Slipping past the crowd lingering near the doors, I headed inside and found the refrigerator.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced.” A boy stepped into my view although he couldn’t really be called a boy with so much muscle bulging out of the black tee hugging his body.
“Lo,” I said trying to round him to get to the fridge. But he had other ideas.
“JB, I’m the captain—”
“Of the football team. I know who you are.” I didn’t, not really, but the glint in his eye told me he ate girls like me for breakfast—or liked to think he did.
“Nice,” he smirked. “So, you’re the new Stone kid?”
“If you mean, I’m the girl temporarily living with the Stone-Princes then yes, that would be me.”
“JB, one of your jerk off friends is puking in Mom’s violas.” A petite blonde I vaguely recognised from school entered the kitchen and paused, her gaze landing on me. “Hello, I don’t think we’ve met?” She gave me the once over, the way girls did when they were sizing up the competition.