I step onto the vast patio and see the party in full swing down by the pool house.
“Sammy!” Cassie shrieks and comes running up the lawn. “You’re here!”
I laugh as I walk slowly to meet her. “Take those shoes off this instant,” she scolds me and grabs my hand. “You look ah-mazing!”
“Thanks, Cass.”
“Your hair is so perfect tonight. What did you do to it?”
“I just added a little bit more shaping cream and let it air-dry longer than usual.”
“Brad better notice me tonight. You better not catch his eye!” She giggles and I know she’s totally kidding. I’ve seen Brad ogling her more than once, so I know she’s on his radar.
We reach the pool house and Trish runs to greet us. “Sam! So great you could come. My dad has been talking about playing golf with your dad all week.”
“Yeah, they’re up at the house right now strategizing.” I smirk and she hands me a drink.
“Shhh,” she says. “It’s just lemonade with a teeny tiny splash of citrus vodka.” She winks and I take the cup hesitantly.
“Your parents are here, Trish. You better not let this party get out of hand,” I say to her sternly, and she giggles out loud.
“Seriously, Sam. Lighten up.” She turns to the crowd around the pool and signals to the DJ to crank up the music. The three of us dance our way across the patio and I kick off my shoes. Just in case.
I take a sip of the drink Trish gave me and practically gag. I drop the cup in the first trash bin I can find. I’m no prude, but I know better than to drink something Trish O’Toole has made for me. Teeny tiny equals mostly vodka.
The night flies by and most of it I’m consoling Cassie. “I can’t believe he didn’t come,” she slurs and attempts to take another drink of Trish’s electric lemonade.
“That’s enough, my love.” I laugh and replace the cup with a bottle of water.
She squints and peers across the lawn. “Brad! Over here!” she says and waves her hands in the air. I look toward the patio and see Brad and his older brother.
“Ugh,” she says. “What the hell is Todd doing with him? Isn’t he like a senior in college or something? What a perv coming to a high school party.” She smiles through her teeth as Brad and Todd join us near the pool.
“Hey,” Brad says to Cassie. He smiles quickly at me but then fixes his gaze back on her.
“Hi, Brad. I didn’t know you were coming tonight,” she says unconvincingly.
“Yeah.”
Todd Mitchell strolls toward me and drapes his heavy arm over my shoulder.
“I’m Todd. You’re hot.”
My skin burns from his touch, and I squirm out from underneath him. Everything about Todd screams run. He’s so creepy, and I’ve heard stories about him from Cassie’s older cousin. He’s rarely home from school, but when he is, he’s constantly trolling for hookups. It’s funny, but Brad is nothing like him. He’s actually the exact opposite.
“Cassie, let’s go swimming,” I say, hoping to get away from this ogre of a guy. I notice Brad and Todd aren’t wearing their bathing suits, so we should be safe in the water for a while.
“Okay, that sounds like fun.” She giggles and shimmies out of her cover-up. Todd’s eyes turn dark and Brad pushes him toward the pool house.
“Todd, thanks for the ride. You can go now,” Brad says. I can see the embarrassment on his face that he’s even related to this asshole.
“I think I’ll hang out for a bit.” He walks away, leering at other girls.
Cassie and I run toward the pool and we jump in holding hands. As soon as we hit the water, we each grab for our own bikini tops to make sure they’re still in place. I hope the cool water sobers her up a little bit.
“Oh, this feels amazing!” she cries. Everything is amazing tonight to Cassie.
We slowly float toward the cozy corner of the pool where Trish and some other girls from our class are lounging.
“Trish, hey!” Cassie says.
“Girls.” Trish smiles and takes a sip of her electric lemonade. “I see Brad finally made it, Cassie.”
Cassie giggles and looks back toward the pool house. Brad and Todd aren’t in sight, and I know she regrets leaving his side.
“Have you guys had sex yet?” Trish asks, loud enough for all of the other girls to hear. Their heads all turn inquisitively.
“What?” Cassie responds, embarrassed.
“Seriously, Cassie. Don’t you think it’s about time?” Piper chimes in.
Now I regret coming into the pool and subjecting Cassie to this inquisition. I know we both have a pact to wait to have sex until we’re at least eighteen. That’s a little more than two years away. I’m not worried, because I have no prospects on the horizon, but the way Cassie has been flirting with Brad lately, she could be jeopardizing our virgin pact.
“Ladies.” Brad’s voice is behind me, and Cassie immediately turns bright red.
He steps past the girls and wades into the pool toward Cassie. “You have a bathing suit?” she practically stammers.
“Of course. It’s a pool party, isn’t it?” He splashes her playfully and pulls her further into the water, away from us. Her eyes widen with delight and she flashes a smile just for the girls to see and be jealous.
“Well, I guess that answers our question,” Piper says. “If it hasn’t happened yet, it sure will tonight!” Her entourage laughs along with her, and I duck under the water, muffling their chuckles and voices. Trish’s pool is huge and seems to weave through her backyard like at a sprawling resort. I swim toward the shadows of the pool so I can hide from them all and relax. I see Cassie and Brad flirting over by the waterfall, so I turn around and follow the pool toward the quiet end, giving them a little privacy.
I lean back and float, closing my eyes. I remember the conversation I had earlier tonight with my parents and smile thinking about how happy they were. I can’t believe they’re having a baby. We’re having a baby. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like, but I know that seeing my parents that happy makes me happy. My ears are filled with water, and I can only hear muted giggles through the water. I let the water guide me through the curves of the gigantic pool. It’s almost like a river. I hear my soft breaths in my ears as my chest expands and contracts slowly.
This is how I relax.
Back when I was seven and I had the accident in my pool, my parents immediately got me a swim instructor who taught me how to float before anything else. She said I could get out of any pool if I rolled onto my back and let the waves take me slowly to the edge. I could float for hours on end in my pool and it in turn made me get over any anxiety that I had in the water. As soon as I got past my nerves, I became one with the water and never looked back. I was like a little fish, as my parents would call me, spending hours upon hours floating and enjoying the pool. I had overheard my father tell my mother that he was so glad they had made the investment that they did in the pool. I know Mom used to think it was a dangerous ‘hole in the ground,’ but Dad insisted that it would bring our family many years of fun. He was right.
My face is barely out of the water. Only my nose and mouth are exposed to the warm night air. The party noises are barely audible as I float through the pool.
Suddenly, I’m underwater, strong hands wrapped around my ankles, pulling me deeper and deeper. I start kicking, but I’m not strong enough. My lungs burn, and I wave my arms in the water, trying to gain momentum so I can reach the surface. A hand loosens from my ankle, but one still holds tight. I bend my body so I can see what’s happening.
Todd Mitchell’s face is all I see underwater. His eyes glow like lanterns, and his face contorts into a grisly smile. I let out the air that’s crushing my chest and force all of the strength I have into kicking both of my legs, mermaid style. He lets go of me for a second, and that’s all I need. I kick as fast and hard as I can toward the surface, and as soon as the warm air hits my face, I scream louder than I ever have before. “Help! Over here!” I pant and gasp for air, and I hear him surface behind me, his body pressed against me from behind.