Chapter 6

Josie didn't text me back that night, but I didn't even notice. In the morning, I showered and got dressed, then made a bagel for breakfast. Caleb was gone to work early and I soon realized there was no coffee.

   Reluctantly, I walked to the coffee shop - Java Bar - down the street. I had a credit card that my dad paid for, as long as it wasn't anything crazy or expensive. I knew that if I charged a two hundred dollar pair of shoes, he would call and make me return them.

   The coffee shop was small but smelled amazing as I stepped inside. The young man behind the counter smiled at me.

   "What can I get for you?" he asked happily.

   "Oh, um... a medium coffee with milk, please," I said quickly.

   "You got it," he finished.

   I paid and moved down so he could take the next order. When I got my coffee, I decided to sit and drink it there. It wasn't like I had anything else to do on a Saturday morning. My phone buzzed as I sat down.

   HEY IRIS, ITS JOSIE. I JUST GOT WORD THE PARTY IS ON. PREDRINK AT YOUR PLACE?

   What was happening? I had not agreed to this, had I?

   I CAN GO TO THE PARTY BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT PREDRINKING.

   I WILL BRING THE VODKA. DON'T YOU HAVE CRANBERRY JUICE OR SOMETHING?

   What a strange question. The last time I drank was a horrible night. It was June; three months had past but I felt the same, sometimes. There was just so much pain.

   WELL, I GUESS. WHAT TIME? I sent back.

   WE WILL BE THERE AT EIGHT. PARTY IS AT NINE. OH AND IT S AT THE POOL, she told me.

   The pool? The first party of the school year was in the exclusive, resident only pool in Caleb's building? I didn't even own a bathing suit.

   RIGHT, OKAY. SEE YOU AT EIGHT.

   I'LL TEXT WHEN WE ARE THERE.

   In panic mode, I grabbed my coffee and stood up. Just as I headed to the leave, Bennett was coming in. Of course. And it wasn't like I could pretend not to see him. We practically had to touch as we passed through the door.

   "Hey. My day was... busy, yesterday... I didn't get a chance to ask around about you," he said, smiling, looking surprised to see me.

   "I guess I'm still nameless," I shrugged.

   "What floor do you live on?" he asked, as I walked past him.

   "I'm not telling you where I live."

   "I already know where you live. I just don't know what floor," he said, then half smiled.

   "I really have to go," I told him, pushing the door open.

   I heard him sigh as I stepped outside.

   For the next hour, I wondered if purchasing a bathing suit would get flagged by my dad. It wasn't like I could show up to a pool party without one. As I walked to the village, where the shops were, I thought about life in San Diego. It really was beautiful, my dad's house right on the beach. It was always sunny, I had a permanent tan, the back door was ten feet from the water. I barely changed out of my bathing suit for months. I wore it under my clothes to school, because we always ended up at the beach. I learned to surf. I sunbathed like it was my job. But I met Sheldon on that beach. And I left my bathing suit behind for a reason.

   The first shop was filled with name brand clothes and there was no bathing suit for under a hundred dollars. My dad would call about that, for sure. I ended up in a thrift shop, Anita's, where I found a nice one piece for $8.99. Score.

   At the counter, a girl around my age was working. She had thick black hair and dark eyes, but a pretty smile. She looked cheerful.

   "Did you find what you were looking for?" she asked.

   I laid down the bathing suit. "Yes, thank you."

   "Great." She scanned it and tossed it in a bag, and I swiped my card. "Enjoy."

   "Thanks, I will," I finished.

   Caleb was at the condo when I got back. It was still early afternoon.

   "Oh, you were shopping? What'd you get?" he asked, eyeing the bag I was holding. I was still carrying around my now cooled down coffee.

   "Just a bathing suit. I forgot to pack mine, and a figured I might... swim. Since there's a pool here," I told him, dropping the bag onto the island.

   He nodded. "When I first moved in, two years ago, when I got back from New York, I swam down there every day. It was so relaxing. But, of course, life gets in the way. I haven't been down in months."

   "I love to swim, so I'm looking forward to it," I said, then began walking down to my bedroom.

   I wanted to keep things this good with Caleb and I, and I did not want him to know about the party, or the girls coming over to drink. It would be better if he did not find out.

   When Josie texted that they were on their way, I started to panic again. I didn't have cranberry juice. I hadn't even told Caleb they were coming over. Everything felt wrong. Why had I agreed to any of this?

   Caleb was watching TV when I went back out to talk to him. I had done my hair, changed and put on eye liner, my regular party things. Caleb didn't even notice. I poured myself a glass of water, walking over to him a minute later.

   "So... these girls from school... who I knew in freshman year... they are coming over. Is that...okay?" I felt my voice shake as I spoke.

   He looked surprised, at first. I hadn't really considered what he would think of this.

   "Yeah, of course. I'm glad you have girl friends." His smile was reassuring.

   "Thanks. I don't know if they are really like best friend material, but they welcomed me into their group on the first day," I told him.

   "Did you have a best friend in San Diego?" he asked. It seemed harmless.

   It felt like a punch to my stomach. "No."

   "Okay. Well, have fun tonight. I'm actually heading out in a bit, to a jam session," he finished. 

   I almost felt guilty not telling him about the party. He trusted me. I couldn't ruin this.

   Josie texted me when they were downstairs in the lobby. Caleb hadn't left yet, so I felt unsure about buzzing them up. Where they going to ruin all of this for me?

   It was just Josie and Polly, Carley was apparently grounded for for being drunk and falling down some stairs the previous weekend.

   "This building is so... chic," Josie was saying, walking right into the apartment.

   "Totally," Polly agreed.

   I lead them down the hallway to my room, hoping to get them tucked away before Caleb appeared. We got in and I shut the door right away. Josie didn't waste any time. She was unzipping her duffle bag she had brought, pulling out a bottle of vodka and two small bottles of cranberry juice. She must have known I'd fail at having mix. Then she pulled out a couple of plastic cups.

   "Make the drinks," she said to Polly. "I'm going to change first."

   Polly started pouring the drinks and it was obvious this was not their first - or second or third- time they pre-drank in a bedroom before a party.

   Josie was naked, her back to me, a minute later. I'd already put my new bathing suit on under my tank top and shorts. These girls felt familiar, yet this all seemed so new. It had been months since I'd had a real friend.

   I drank back two drinks before I heard Caleb calling to me.

   "Iris? I'm heading out!"

   "Who's that?" Josie wanted to know. She was on her third drink. We were almost out of juice.

   "My uncle," I said to her, then went to the door, opening it a crack. He was right there. "Okay," I told him.

   "Have fun," he said, smiling. "I'll be home late."

   "Okay," I said again. He likely smelled the vodka on my breath.

   "Your uncle is a hottie. How is that possible?" Josie asked a few minutes later.

   "He's only twenty eight," I said, then bit my lip. 

   "Woah. That is cool. You don't even live with an adult," Polly laughed.

   "Well, he is an adult," I told her.

   "Yeah, but he's not, like, old."

   "It's already almost nine," Josie interrupted. "Finish up, we will go down just after nine."

    I wasn't about to tell them I didn't even know how to get to the pool.

   We each slammed back one more drink, then fixed each others' hair. My stomach felt funny and my head felt light.

   "So, Iris, did you have a boyfriend in San Diego?" Josie asked, out of no where. We were in the living room now, getting ready to leave.

  "No," I said quickly. "Nothing serious."

  "Are you lying?" Polly asked, then laughed.

  I shot her a look. "What about you guys?"

  They looked each other, wondering if they could trust me.

  "I'm currently dating Jack Walker, he doesn't go to Renaissance," Josie told me. "Polly was dating Alex Cruse, last year."

  The name sounded familiar but I didn't ask any more questions. And a minute later Josie was rushing us out of the apartment.