Chapter 1

Regan

 

I shouldn’t bring this up again, but I can’t seem to help myself. “I’ve got a gut feeling this party’s a bad idea. Just because you’re a senior doesn’t mean you have to go.”

Lane and I cross my lawn to the driveway. He glances at me and chuckles. “Aw, give it a rest, Mom.”

“Shut up.” I smack the bill of his EIU hat so it covers his eyes.

“Hey,” his voice turns serious. “Don’t mess with my baby.”

He veers toward the driver’s side door, taking off his cap and rolls the bill before slipping it back on, making sure it’s got the country-boy look to it.

I snicker at his actions.

“Sometimes things aren’t what you think, Regan. It’ll be fine.” he assures me and climbs into his side of the pickup.

I get in my side and look over at him. Today’s the day he said goodbye to our podunk high school. “I’m so jealous of you right now.”

He glances over at me with a smirk.

I flinch my hand toward his hat. “I’m going to grab that EIU cap off your head and stomp on it.”

“You better not lay a finger on this hat. It’s my prize possession.”

He looks better without a cap on, but whatever. I roll my eyes and look out the passenger window.  The soft light from the sun, well into its downward trajectory, casts long shadows to the east. Maybe tonight won’t be so bad.

We drive over the small hill in the rock quarry and see the cars. The bonfire graduation party’s happening along the banks of the pond.

Lane mumbles.  “They’re jumping off the cliffs?”

“That water’s too cold. We should wait for it to warm up more before we go swimming again” I shiver just thinking about it.

Lane snorts, “It was cold.”

We turn down the gravel road opposite the cliffs, and Lane parks in the grass with the tailgate facing the water so we’ll have a place to sit. He tosses his cap on the dash and combs his fingers through his hair.

Lane didn’t spend a lot of time hanging out with his classmates these past couple years, so I’m surprised he wanted to come to this party tonight. It’s been our gang—Lane, Tobi, Cameron, Haylee, and me—for two years now.

Lane and me, well, we’ve been best friends since forever.

 

 

Chapter 2

Regan

Crackling rock signals another vehicle is arriving. It’s becoming a steady occurrence, and soon I’ll be even more overwhelmed with bodies. I grumble to myself. Where’s Tobi? Why haven’t Cam and Haylee shown up yet? Lane and I’ve been here for what seems like hours.

When Lane had asked me earlier if I want to go with him to talk with Nick by the water, I declined. Honestly, I thought I’d be fine, but watching him laughing with them is making me wish I’d stayed home. My butt is glued to this tailgate, waiting for my other friends to show. I check over my shoulder to the gravel road that runs through the rock quarry for any sign of them.

Smoke from the fire drifts my way, causing me to cough and wave it from my face. A puff of wind wisps it away, and I take a deep breath of fresh air, scanning the teens near the water’s edge for Lane. Daylight barely hangs on with a remnant of orange and red light from the setting sun behind Lane and the guys he’s talking to.

Guilt seeps into my body. Lane’s my best friend, and being here tonight is part of my graduation present to him.

          Quit being such a jerk about this, Regan.

My eyes flicker down to the shirt I’m wearing. Ugh. I either look like a disco peacock or a giant fishing lure. It’s too snug for my taste, but Lane said it was fine.

I shake my head. Tobi thinks she’s my stylist. I wish she’d stick to styling herself.

Heat from the growing fire warms my face. The burning embers and chunks of wood wrapped in ribbons of fire remind me of weiner-roasts with my family and Lane’s when we were kids, and life was easy.

My feet dangle from the tailgate, lifting my mood, sparking the carefree child in me. Soon the sunset will turn into twilight, and everyone will become a shadow that grows braver. A party like this is always full of people teetering on the edge–the edge of everything.

A loud truck rips and roars down the rock road, through the grassy field. I don’t have to look to know who it is. Cameron. Finally. He stops along the shore line and revs the engine.  Lane’s group moves out of the way, closer to the fire.

Giggles bubble up in my chest as I watch a few crazy people run through the cars, howling, and jump in the water.  The tension is washing away now that I have the comfort of my friends here.

Lane looks up from his conversation to Cam’s truck, laughing at Cam’s audaciousness before latching on to my sight.  We shake our heads in unison and share the moment.  He makes a move toward me, but someone pulls him back.

Through a gap between Nick and another guy’s shoulders, I see a trail of long blonde hair sway beside Lane. She seems a little too close to him, but I can’t tell who it is. Maybe I should go over there. I reach for a couple of water bottles from the cooler to take with me.

When I look back up, Tobi plants her bum on the tailgate next to me. She checks out the shirt she assigned me for the night.  “That shirt looks, ”she touches her fingertips to her lips and kisses them, “on you.”

“So you’re Italian now?” I roll my eyes and hand her a water bottle. “Did he drive like that all the way out here?”

She twists the cap off the bottle. “No, actually. Only when we pulled in.”

I snort. “That’s a surprise. Where’s Haylee?”

“Cam’s showing her how to operate the light bars or something.”

“I’m glad you’re–”  A movement across the fire catches my eye, stealing my words.

Tobi asks, “Why do you look like you just took a shot of vinegar?”

Normally, I’d find her words funny, but not at this train wreck I can’t look away from. “Who is that?”

Tobi takes a swig of water and stares in the same direction as me. “Who?”

I can’t tear my eyes away from what’s going on. “The blonde girl who’s about to fall out of her bikini top invading Lane’s space.”

“Oh! Wow. That is”–she pauses–“blatant. Uh, that looks like Brea Adams. Nick’s sister.  She’s a couple years older than Lane, I think.”

I growl in disgust. “It’s gross.”

Tobi laughs. “Agreed.” She leans into me. “You don’t need to do anything like that to get Lane’s attention.”

My eyes are glued on Lane and Brea. “What?”

Tobi giggles, “Oh, nothing.”

A slow burn grows in my chest. Brea tickles Lane’s skin with her talon fingernails, chatting up Lane, Nick, and some guy with a fancy haircut. I’ve never seen him before. The guy swivels to look at Tobi and me. His dark eyes match his hair. Nick whispers something in his ear as Brea leans to catch a glimpse of us. She flashes a devilish grin before focusing her attention back on Lane. His eyes are glued to bikini girl.