Chapter 20
“D o you know Leia?” I try making small talk with Garrett, when he drives me toward the Mayor’s house.
I’m really not looking forward to this party; it's the last thing I need. Garrett’s barely spoken to me since the incident in his room, and tonight would have been the perfect opportunity to spend some time with him.
I noticed the state of his hands, when he came back inside the house earlier, and when I offered to clean them up for him, he refused.
I should have guessed he’d go back to avoiding me and being awkward.
“Wade knows her better than me, they’re around the same age,” he answers, pulling up outside the huge mansion-style home and cutting the engine.
“Looks fancy,” I point out, looking at the elaborate, white, stone water fountain that's in the center of the driveway. I had no idea what to wear, and I wonder now, if I'm a little underdressed in the sweater dress I picked out.
“Call when you need pickin’ up,” Garrett practically growls at me, and I decide not to stand for it.
“You know, if I’m such an inconvenience, you could have made Dalton, or Finn bring me here. You could have them pick me up, too,” I point out, and it frustrates the shit out of me when he doesn’t give me a response.
“I’m sure I could get a ride home with someone from here.” I suggest, and without looking at me, he shakes his head like the idea pisses him off.
“Call me, and I’ll come get you,” he repeats, staring out the windshield.
“What if it’s late?”
“I’ll come get you.” He still refuses to look at me.
“What if I’m wasted?” I decide he deserves to be taunted.
“I’ll come get you,” he tells me again, tensing his jaw and swallowing hard.
“What if it’s late, and I’m wasted, and all I've been thinking about doing all night is kissing you?” I lean across the seat, and when he turns his head, he looks down at my lips like the thought tempts him.
“Then I’ll come get you,” he whispers softly, the same way he did when he was commanding me on his bed, earlier.
“Then I’ll see you later,” I smile sweetly, and before he can argue, I press a kiss on his cheek. The growl he makes, vibrates right in my chest, and when I pull away and open my door to get out, he says my name and makes me pause.
“You look real fucking pretty.” His eyes glance over me, and I have to bite the smile from my lips as I slide out of the seat and slam the door.
Leia’s party takes me by surprise. I never even knew there were these many young people in Fork River, and it’s nowhere near as boring as I thought it would be.
If the people here wore a little less clothes, it wouldn't be much different to the parties we have in L.A. I’m a popular attendee, due to the fact I’m new in town and everyone is nosy.
And the more I drink, the more honest my answers to their questions become.
It takes a while but eventually, the hostess herself manages to find her way over to me; she wobbles as she tops my glass up with tequila, then stumbles as she sits down beside me.
It’s a little awkward that despite us never being introduced, she rests her head on my shoulder but, figuring the girl’s wasted, I go with it.
“Is it true your mom’s a gold digger who plans on taking all the Carson’s money?” she asks, holding her head and closing her eyes like the room’s spinning.
“I wouldn't put it past her,” I shrug, before knocking back my shot and admiring the shock I just put on her face. That’s a thing I find strange about most people, they seek the truth, but when they actually get it, it baffles them.
“And is it true that they gave you her room?” she asks, looking bewildered as she tries to coordinate placing the bottle on the coffee table.
“Who’s room?”
“Breanna’s,” she leans in, and whispers behind her hand. “You know, the dead sister.”
“No, I don’t think so.” I shake my head, feeling a little disturbed by the idea.
“No one saw it coming you know. She was best friends with my little sister, they told each other everything, and even she didn’t see it coming,”
“What do you mean no one saw it coming. Was she in an accident?” I rack my brain, trying to figure it all out. No one ever talks about it, and considering it all happened so recently, I find it strange.
“God, no! Breanna killed herself. Just like her grandfather did. Well, not exactly like he did; she didn’t hang herself. She jumped off Blackdrop Point. It’s really pretty up there, especially in the fall. No one really ever goes up there anymore,” she yawns sleepily.
I suddenly feel very fucking sober, and my heart breaks for Breanna, her brothers and Mr. Carson, too.
What a terrible way to lose a child.
“Did you know her?” I ask, wondering how much more I’m gonna get out of her. She looks like she’s about to crash.
“Yeah, we used to hang out a little. Lottie noticed a change in her about a year before she died, she just detached herself from everything.” Leia tells me lazily, then rests her head on the back of the couch and closes her eyes.
“That’s really sad.” I reach to the table and help myself to another tequila, downing it in one and trying to absorb everything I just heard. Garrett spoke to me about losing his grandfather, but he never mentioned that he’d lost Breanna in the same way. It must have been devastating for him.
“Are you ok?” I ask Leia, when she attempts to sit back up. Her eyes appear to have lost their focus.
“Yeah, I’m just dizzy. I’ve already called him…” she leans on my shoulder again, and taking out her cell, she clumsily scrolls down to the last number she called.
I’m a little shocked when I see Wade’s name come up on the screen, and seeing as Leia seems to have lost the ability to speak, I take the phone out of her hand and wait for him to pick up.
“I’m on my way. I’ll be five minutes, ok?”
“Wade, it’s me, Maisie,” I tell him.
“Maisie, where’s Leia?” He sounds agitated and concerned, nothing like the guy I’ve gotten to know. “She’s here with me, but she must have drank too much because she’s kinda out of it.”
“Shit! Maisie, listen to me. I need you to get her to the bathroom and make her throw up.”
“Ewww… No way,” I screw my face up at the thought of it.
“You remember that night me and Garrett took you to the bar, there were those three guys in the corner, and you asked me who they were? Are they there?” He sounds desperate, so I quickly scan the room and when I notice the meaner looking one, out of the three, standing by the patio doors, I speak up.
“Yes, I see one.”
“Good, go give him the phone, so I can talk to him and get Leia to the bathroom. She needs to throw up, even if she acts like a brat about it.”
I move fast and head toward the guy wearing an oversized tank top, he’s got a harsh, unapproachable look on his face, but I haven’t got time to let it put me off.
“Wade wants to talk to you.” I thrust the phone at him, and his eyes peer down at me as he takes it. His thick, bottom lip, and the nose ring he wears, make him appealing and yet, he’s not surrounded by female company. I guess that’s due to the vibe he gives off.
I leave him with the phone and head straight back over to deal with Leia.
“Come on, we’re going to the bathroom,” I shake her awake, and when she barely stirs, I surprise myself with my own strength when I pull her up and start dragging her across the room.
“Lock the doors! No one fucking leaves!” I glance back over my shoulder when I hear the other guy from the bar shout out his orders.
He’s the one with longish, sandy blonde hair and shoulders like a ledge.
The room comes to a standstill, but I keep moving, managing to get Leia into the bathroom, but when I lean her over the sink nothing happens.
“You need to throw up,” I explain, and when she stares back at me dopily, I cringe at what I’m gonna have to do.
“Well, I guess this is one way of getting to know each other better.” I blow out a breath before forcing my fingers into her mouth and reaching them to the back of her throat.
Naturally, she struggles against me, but since she’s wasted I’m stronger, and when I feel her start to heave, I retract my fingers and direct her back over the basin.
She throws up all over the shiny marble, coughing and spluttering as tears run down her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry.” I hold back her hair, willing Wade to hurry the fuck up. The door crashes open, and instead of Wade, the guy I gave the phone to, burst’s inside.
“Leia, I still got Wade on the line. If you know who did this, I need a name.” He stares her up and down, waiting for an answer, and just when I think Leia’s too spaced to speak up, she wipes her hand over her mouth and her whole body trembles as she slides her back down the shower panel and sits her ass on the floor.
“Tyler,” she manages, before she rolls her head and throws up on the floor.
“Tyler Phillips?” he checks, and when she nods her head, I see the sadness in her eyes.
“I liked him,” she turns her head to me, and shrugs.
“Are you sure?” the guy checks.
“Yes, Noah, I’m sure.” She presses her head back against the glass and breathes.
“He got me alone in my room, and when I told him I wanted to go back down and enjoy the party, he got shitty with me. I haven’t felt right since he got me that beer; it’s why I called Wade.
I always call Wade,” she tells him, closing her eyes again.
I can’t hear what Wade says to the guy on the phone, but it makes him rush off, leaving us alone together.
I try to keep Leia awake, by asking her questions. I’ve seen my fair share of drunk girls at parties. I’m usually one of them. But never like this. I hear a loud crash and a lot of commotion before Wade eventually thunders through the door.
“She thrown up?” he checks, looking worried, as he grabs Leia’s face in his hand, and checks her over.
“Wade,” she whispers his name, and he hugs her tight to his chest.
“It’s ok, I’m here now. I’m here, darlin’.” He closes his eyes and kisses the top of her head.