Beyond the Sea (49 page)

“Yea, my parents wanted something different, I guess.” I didn’t really know what else to say. I looked over at the red head and smiled. She smiled back.

“Hi. I’m Kelsey.” She seemed more genuine, but still had that pathetic follower air to her.

“Nice to meet you too.”

The boys had all turned their attention to the Giants game, leaving us girls to talk. Gee, how fun.
 
I spent a while talking about my horses before Alix drilled me with more questions. I guess I could say she was just trying to be nice, but I got the feeling like she was trying to get some deep, dark secret out of me that she could use against me later. I couldn’t explain it, it was just one of those odd feelings I got. I tried looking like I was interested in the game. I really wanted to go home. Not only were materialistic and superficial two of my most hated personality traits, but being around such stereotypical people reminded me of just how atypical I really was.

It seemed like centuries later when the clock reached nine-thirty. I put my hand on Mike’s arm to get his attention.

“What’s up baby?” His breath reeked of alcohol.

“It’s time for me to go.”

 
Alix heard and chimed in. “Oh, you have a curfew? How cute!”

“No, I don’t have a curfew, but I do have a riding lesson tomorrow morning and I need to get some sleep.”

“What? It’s so freaking early! Sometimes I forget how young you high school kids are.”

What an idiot. She was a freshman in college, and was probably only a year older than me. Unless she got held back, which wouldn’t surprise me one bit. Mike ran his hand up and down my thigh.

“Just wait till the end of the game.”

“Fine,” I sighed; I really didn’t want to be here anymore.

It was nearing eleven o’clock when the game ended. Mike had several more beers in that short timeframe. Great, he was drunk. How was he supposed to drive me home? I made up an excuse to go outside and get some air. Luckily the porch had been deserted. I dug around in my purse for my phone and called Harrison.

“Hey sis.”

“Hey. What are you doing?”

“Playing Madden.”

“Can you, um, come get me? I’m stuck at Mike’s friend’s house and I really don’t want to be here. He was gonna take me home but he’s too drunk to drive and I don’t want to wait for him to sober up.”

“I don’t need an explanation to help you out, you know.”

“So you can come get me?”

“Yea, where are you?”

The directions I gave were less than certain, given I was in an unfamiliar part of town.

“Thanks so much Har. I love you.”

“Yea, yea. I’ll see you in a bit.”

I went back upstairs. Alix had snaked my spot next to Mike. I stood awkwardly in the doorway. Luckily he saw me and motioned for me to come over and sit on his lap. Alix had an unreadable expression on her face as I did so. Mike kissed my neck.

“I missed you.”

I smiled and blushed. “I was only gone for a minute.”

“What were you doing out there?”

“I called Harrison.” Mike looked...angry, hurt? I couldn’t tell. “That way he can get me and you can stay here with your friends.”

 
He smiled. “You’re so thoughtful.”

We sat there for a while, watching the highlights and recap of the game. Travis kept looking at Mike, trying to catch his gaze. When Mike finally did, Travis gave him a little nod. Mike shifted his weight, signally me to stand up. He got up too and led me down the hall into one of the bedrooms. He closed the door and gently pushed me down on the bed.

Before I knew what was happening, he was on me, kissing me feverishly. I was slightly taken by surprise, but I didn’t object. His hands slipped up the back of my tank top and started working on undoing the clasp of my bra. Keeping one hand occupied with my front, he started running the other up my leg. He slowly passed my knee, then my thigh and was under my skirt. My mind was muddled with what to do; I didn’t
want
to anything further. That should have been enough to stop me right there.

 
Luckily there was a sharp knock on the door. It was Alix, who waited all of three seconds to barge into the room. Mike was too drunk to act upset by our intruder. It was enough for me to get embarrassed about.

“Oh sorry!” She didn’t sound sorry at all. “Mike, your phone rang. I thought you would want to know.”

I stormed out, grabbed my purse and went to wait for Harrison on the porch. Mike followed, tripping as he tried to keep up with me.

“Babe!” he called. I didn’t turn around. “Come on, that was funny!”

“I didn’t think so.” Instead of admit to the embarrassment, I’d rather act mad. It was childish, I know.

“Come on.” He stood behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “Let’s go back inside.” I saw Harrison’s car coming down the road. I turned to face Mike. I gave him a kiss-a really good kiss I might add- and hopped down the steps just as the sleek, black BMW slowed to a stop. I got in. Mike stood on the porch with a dumb expression on his face. Just as we were driving away, I saw Alix opening the door, looking smug. That bad feeling came back in my stomach.

“This isn’t a good place for you to be.” Harrison sounded concerned.

I laughed. “Oh, yea, Harry. Like you should talk.”

“Seriously, Annie. I know these people, and they definitely aren’t your kind of people.”

I was in a bad mood, and didn’t feel like being lectured. Still, it was always nice to have your brother watch out for you. And I had to admit Harrison was right; I surely didn’t fit in with Mike and his friends. Maybe on the outside, but if they really knew me…they’d all run away screaming or get the tomatoes and start throwing. We were silent for a few minutes.

“Thanks again for getting me. I really didn’t want to be there any longer.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Harrison shifted nervously. I could tell he wanted to say something.

“Spit it out.” He knew what I was talking about. Though we of course weren’t identical twins, there were many times when we finished each other’s sentences or somehow knew what the other was thinking. He cast a nervous glance my way.

“Ok, don’t take this the wrong way, but I just...” he trailed off, not sure on how to phrase what he wanted to say. “Why are you with a guy like Mike?”

I sighed. Honestly, I’ve wondered the same thing. “I don’t know.” I usually didn’t keep things from Harrison. Annoying brother or not, he was still one of my best friends. “I guess I feel special, for some reason, because he’s so popular and I’m so not, and well…I like his attention.” There, I admitted it. I was surprised at how relieved I felt saying out loud. I didn’t want to believe I was shallow enough to date someone for those reasons. I tried to think of a redeeming quality about Mike but came up empty handed. We rode the rest of the way home in silence.

Before we got out of the car, Harrison turned to me and said, “Being popular isn’t everything, you know. And you don’t need a douche like Mike to make you so. If people don’t like you, then the hell with them. You have your friends, and you have me.” He smiled. “Aren’t I popular enough for the both of us?”

I laughed. “Oh, you don’t have a big head at all.” We both headed upstairs.

“Listen, Annie. You’re my sister and I love you. I just don’t want to see you get hurt, ok?” I wanted to hug him, but I knew that would be pushing it. Hearing him say ‘I love you’ was enough of a prize for the night.