Playing Pretend (36 page)

“Okay, kid. Tell me what Dane Winters did this time.”

I looked up at him in surprise.

“Jewel called me,” he explained.

Jewel was Dane’s twin sister, and while our families couldn’t stand each other, Jewel and I had managed to become close. We could never hang out like normal best friends did, but we made it work anyway.

Charlie said her name with reverence, and while I wanted to know what that was about, I didn’t want to pry. He would tell me if he’d wanted me to know, and I left it at that. I had more pressing issues that needed to be cleared up, and the only way I could do that was to lay it all out.

“Spill it,” Charlie said.

And so I did. I told him everything.

That day at the lake was one of my favorite days, and I hadn’t known until much later in my teen life that it would be one of the last memories I’d have with my brother.

CHAPTER ONE

Kennedy

Present Day

THERE WAS SOMETHING truly somber about returning home after being gone for a year and a half. I’d thought about this moment more times in the last week than I’d cared to admit. I wondered if there would be someone here waiting for me, but I knew better than to wish for things like that.

The cobblestone driveway was dark, and the lights that normally illuminated the towering brick face house were off.

No one was home.

As I stopped my Jeep in front of the doors, I tried to squelch the disappointment and replace it with mock relief. I’d expected it, and yet I was naïve enough to hope that maybe, just maybe, it would be different this time.

I inhaled deeply, and tightened my vice grip on my steering wheel, both of which were feeble attempts at gathering enough courage to go inside.

It’s just for one night,
I told myself.

I’d be spending one night here before heading off to college tomorrow. I would’ve been happier to spend it in Georgia, but our dorms opened tomorrow and I wouldn’t have made the fifteen-hour drive fast enough.

I climbed out, and made my way to the front doors. I was surprised to find that my key still opened the lock, and the sound echoed loudly through the dark, open space.

“Hello?”

My voice traveled, and came back to me. I was alone.

“Great” I muttered.

I shut the door, and went about switching more lights on as I made my way from the kitchen to the living room, and then the dining room. After grabbing my small duffel bag from my car, I walked upstairs, ignoring the family photo’s splashed across the walls. They were all used to make outsiders think we were family, and maybe we could have been. But on the night of my high school graduation that had all changed, and I found myself more alone than ever.

My room was still left the same, much to my disbelief. I was sure my stepmother would have snatched up the opportunity to get rid of all my things as soon as my taillights disappeared. For the most part I’d taken the majority of my clothes, and small belongings with me when I moved, but the larger pieces of furniture had to stay. My large bed still stood against the right wall, with my desk, and dresser against the left. The floor still had the same soft carpeting, and the walls were still the light shade of pink I’d chosen when I was thirteen.

It felt strange being back here. I expected it to be harder, but I was oddly detached from it all. The few good memories I did have were all faded, like an aged photograph. I’d moved on. Or at least I’d tried to. There were still a few things that had the ability to set me back, but none of them were as daunting as seeing
him
again. My mood plummeted slightly when thoughts of him popped into my head uninvited.

“Kennedy?”

My thoughts halted, and I turned at the sound of the voice. When I glanced at the small, elderly woman standing in my doorway I smiled wide, and ran to her.

“Lucy!”

I enveloped her in a hug and squeezed. I pulled away, and found her blue eyes watery. Her greyed hair was tied up in a bun, and her light blue robe hung off her thin frame. She was a tiny woman, and she’d aged so much since I’d last seen her.

“Kennedy,” she sighed, “it really is you.” Her voice cracked, and I felt my heart constrict. I never considered how my leaving had affected her – if I had, I probably would’ve stayed. I couldn’t have that.

“It’s me Luce.”

Her hand shook as she cupped my cheek. “Oh sweet girl, you look so grown up. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” I replied honestly. It was impossible to lie to her. Lucy had been working for us since before I was born, and lived on the property in a small cottage with her husband, Frank. He’d tended to our gardens, and maintained the grounds before he passed away three years ago. Growing up, Lucy was the only constant source of love and affection I had. Well, her and my brother, Charlie.

“I saw the lights switch on,” said Lucy, walking into my room. “If I’d known you were coming home I would have gotten the house ready.”

“That’s okay, Luce. I’m only here for one night. I have to pack a few more things before I move into my dorm at Brighton tomorrow.”

“Can I make you something to eat? I have some left-over chicken soup, and fresh bread that I can warm up for you? I made too much since it’s just me here.”

“That would be great,” I replied. “I’m just going to shower, and then I’ll be down.”

“I’ll put ‘Dirty Dancing’ on and we can catch up, okay?” Lucy wiped a tear away from her cheek, and then disappeared downstairs.

I let out the breath I’d been holding. Turned out seeing Lucy was all it took for the feelings I’d worked hard to bury to resurface. I’d have to worry about them later though. I had some packing to do.

After a quick shower, I slipped into a black tank top and cotton shorts before heading downstairs to the kitchen. Lucy had just sliced some bread, and took a bowl of her chicken soup out of the microwave.

“Just in time,” she said with a smile. “Sit your butt down, and eat something. You’re too skinny.”

With a chuckle I pulled out a bar chair and sat down. “Still bossy, I see.”

Lucy swatted me with a dishtowel and then took a seat next to me. “I haven’t changed,” she said. “But I can see you have.”

I took a mouthful of soup, diverting my gaze, and groaned. It was delicious.

“We all have to grow up, Luce. I just had to take a different road to get there.”

She fiddled with the dishtowel, wringing it between her aged fingers before looking back at me. The look in her eyes spoke volumes, more than any real words could say. We both knew why I’d changed, and why I’d been forced to grow up faster than most people my age. I was only eighteen, but it felt like I was twice that age.

“I’m sure if your father knew you were coming he would have been here,” said Lucy. I rolled my eyes, and took a bite of bread before replying. “We both know that’s not true. He could barely tolerate being in the same room with me as a child, and I doubt he feels any different now. Where has he taken the wicked stepmonster anyway?”

Lucy pursed her lips, knowing that she couldn’t deny a single word I’d just spoken. She knew better than anyone what my dear ol’ daddy was like when I was younger.

“They’re in Spain. They’re coming back in three weeks, after your father has tended to some business in Dallas.”

I looked at the remainder of my food, and pushed it away, my appetite suddenly gone. Thinking about my father and his trophy wife had that effect on me.

“That was delicious,” I said, squeezing Lucy’s hand. “I’ve missed your food.”

She peered into my bowl, and tsk’ed. “You hardly ate anything. No wonder you’re just skin and bone.”

“I’m not that skinny,” I retorted. “I’ve just lost some weight.”

Lucy narrowed her eyes but said nothing more as she cleaned up. What more could she say? I was in fact thinner after my year in Georgia, but I didn’t worry. Grief affected people in a variety of ways, and with me, it had robbed me of my desire to eat. And sleep.

“You want some ice-cream?” Asked Lucy.

“Depends. Do you still keep my favorite?”

She scoffed. “Of course. Peanut Butter and Fudge.”

“Then yes. We’ll eat that while you swoon over Patrick Swayze.”

I giggled, and made my way to the living room. Lucy joined me on the sofa, and we started chatting about what I’d been up to over the last few months. We skirted around the harder topics, and I was grateful for that. There were some things I wasn’t ready to talk about yet. With anyone.

CHAPTER TWO

Kennedy

LUCY WENT TO bed as soon as the movie was over, and left me with the promise of freshly baked cookies, and pie for my dorm room. It was a small gesture of kindness that reminded me of the few good memories I had in this house. I climbed into bed, and started reading on my Kindle when my phone beeped. I swiped the screen and saw it was a text from my friend, Jade. We’d been friends in high school, and she was the only person I kept in contact with after I left.

Going to a party. Will see you tomorrow, roomie ;)

I smiled, typing my response.

Have fun and be safe. Call me if you need me. x

I placed my phone back on my nightstand, and dove back into my book. I read for hours, and it was well after one in the morning when my phone rang. Jade’s face popped up on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Kenneddyyyyy,” she chimed over the noise in the background. I could tell that she was drunk. Or maybe way past drunk.

“Jade, are you okay?”

She mumbled something, presumably to someone standing next to her, and then her loud laughter came through the phone. I pulled it away from my ear, hoping to prevent any permanent damage to my eardrum.

“Well…uh…” Jade stuttered, “I was hoping you could come get me? I came with Reid, but I don’t want to stay here. I’ve had a little too much to drink.”

Ya think?

“Where are you?”

She grew quiet, and I had to check to see if the call had been disconnected.

Nope, still connected.

“Jade, where are you?” I asked again.

“Shit,” she muttered. “I-I’m at Dane’s house.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose.
Are you fucking kidding me right now?

I’d have rather fetched her at whatever ungodly hour than worry about her driving home drunk, or getting in the car with someone in the same state. But knowing where she was, I considered telling her to stay there for the night.

“Kennedy?”

I sighed. “Yeah, I’m here.”

“Will you pleeeeease come get me?”

Why was I even considering it? I’d have gone all the way to fucking Egypt to fetch her before going to where she currently was.

“Okay, fine. I will be there in ten minutes. Please don’t make me come find you.”

“You’re the best,” she replied, slurring her words more and more. “I’ll see you outside in ten.”

She disconnected the call, and I internally berated myself for agreeing. Nevertheless, she was my closest friend, and I wasn’t about to leave her hanging.

I jumped out of bed, and put on a pair of skinny jeans, and a bra. I slipped a grey jersey over my shoulders, and tied my unruly blonde hair into a bun on top of my head. With my keys and my purse in hand, I quickly headed out to my Jeep, and took off.

Ten minutes later I stopped outside another colossal house where the front yard, and driveway were littered with cars. My nerves started twisting in my stomach, unfurling the urge to turn around and not look back. This was the last place I wanted to be, and it had everything to do with the person (and the family) who lived here.

I found a spot on the pavement, and quickly walked up to the circular driveway. When I didn’t spot Jade, I scrolled through my contacts, and hit her name, waiting for her to answer.

Okay, I was
praying
that she answered.

When that didn’t happen, I knew I’d have to go inside.

Fuck Fuckity Fucking Fuck.

Walking towards the front door, I mentally prepared myself for the inevitability of coming face-to-face with my old classmates for the first time since we’d graduated. It wasn’t that I was afraid of them. I just didn’t like them very much. They were all spoiled, and entitled, and walked around as if they themselves were untouchable. They’d enjoyed every public humiliation I’d ever experienced, and took pleasure in seeing me withdraw further and further into myself. But they all did so under the guidance of their fearless leader – Dane Winters.

While my fellow female classmates (and some of the male ones too) had openly appreciated him – and by openly appreciate I meant drool whenever he was close by – I felt something completely different.

Hatred.

Loathing.

Detestation.

Abhorrence.

Aversion.

Contempt.

IT WAS NO secret that our families had been long-standing enemies – it had pretty much become part of our town’s creed when our ancestors set up camp here in Brighton – but what Dane and I felt towards each other was more than that. It was a palpable entity that seemed to undulate between us whenever we were in the same room, and even people who didn’t know about our (pathetic) family history could feel it. Dane had been picking on me for years, and the older we got, the worse it became. I never knew why, and eventually I’d just accepted it without fighting back.

But things were different know.
I
was different. And there was no way I was going to allow him to make my life a misery all over again. If he tried, he’d have one hell of a fight on his hands.

With a new sense of determination, I pushed open the front door, and was instantly greeted by a rather familiar sight. It may have been early morning, but the party was still going strong.

People were
everywhere
– dancing in the living room, standing outside on the pool deck in the frigid air, making out on every surface. Music thumped loudly, and the heavy drop of the base traveled through the floor, shaking the walls and making my bones rattle. Most of the people were past drunk, and entering the comatose phase, but that didn’t deter them in the slightest. They’d always partied like it was their last night on Earth, and they had Dane to thank for that. To these idiots, he was a legend. To me, he was another dumb jock with his brain in his shorts.