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That was a relief to hear. I offered, “How about we hit up a movie after the store?”
Cohen’s eyes snapped to me. He knew I was offering to postpone training for the day.
Amalia’s eyes widened in the rearview mirror. “Ooh! Can we do the river screen? Uncle Angel bought that new paddleboat.” She was scrambling higher up in her seat, her feet curling under her. “We can pack a cooler and put that on a tube next to us. Let’s do it!”
As we were putting the boat in the river, and after Amalia had already gone back for the cooler in the truck, Cohen asked under his breath, “Do you even know what movie they have on this screen?” Pine River’s movie theater had six screens inside and one outside that faced the river. They had an area roped off where people could lounge in paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, or in tubes when it was warm enough. “Also, we could’ve just used one of their boats.”
I half-laughed and half-grunted. “Not a damn clue, but Amalia wanted this one.”
He laughed before she came back, and we were paddling out.
We were of the same mind. It didn’t matter, as long as Amalia was happy and distracted from everything else. That was all that mattered.
16
RAMSAY
The Homecoming planning went well. In fact, though I wasn’t going to let Gem know, I was kinda glad she dragged me into doing it. Literally.
I’d forgotten how I used to enjoy doing stuff like this at Cedra. It’d been so long ago. Before—yeah. Before life happened.
Even Kira wasn't bad. She wasn't the typical mean girl, though I'm sure she had it in her, but for now her, Ciara, Leanne, and some others had been cool to myself and Gem.
That was why I was considering going to Kira's house for a shindig on Thursday night. It was supposed to be low-key and Gem was salivating over going.
I was torn.
A part of me wanted to say no to all parties or anything like it, but then I had to stop myself. Because why not?
This wasn’t Cedra.
This was a new start. A new life. And hello, I was still in high school.
Socializing was normal and healthy.
Another part of me was automatically going to say no unless my cousins were going, which is what I started to say when I found out the triplets had to stay home. Clint said a family meeting was called, which by itself wasn’t worrying but considering I'd found out about my uncle’s affair and hadn't told my cousins yet . . . I was worried.
I’d been waiting for the right time to tell them to present itself, but then Aunt Aileen called me and asked me not to say anything. She wanted the boys to hear it from her. I couldn’t argue with that so I was kinda wondering if that was going to happen Thursday night because my cousins were not known for missing parties.
That left me at the same place I was at: to go or not to go.
Then Gem dropped the mic when she said, "Theresa’s mortal enemies with those guys, but I’m not. And I’ve always wanted to go to one of Kira’s parties. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small thing or a rager. I just want to go. Once. And before you, I’ve never had a friend outside of Theresa’s group. They all do what she wants, but not in a bad way. They’re just showing respect, but that’s the thing. Theresa was friends with Kira in elementary school and she always talked about how fun Kira can be. I want to go. I know it’s stupid and silly, and probably something you’d never understand but—”
“I’ll go.” I gave in. Totally just bent my knees, put my hands in front of me, and I dove into my capitulation. If that was a thing? If not, I was making it because that was how fast I surrendered.
And so, there I was, attending a Thursday night party, which was easy because my mom was working the evening shift.
We got a ride from another of Gem’s cousins.
Kira’s house was big, gated, and metallic. Everything looked as if it were made out of metal or cement, and I was sure it would’ve looked great in a magazine. For me, I preferred our house with a yard, and one day I was hoping to talk my mom into getting a dog. Everyone had different tastes. To each their own, but when we went in, no way was this a small event.
Thirty people were inside, with music blaring.
“Hey! Hi! You’re here.” Kira ran over wearing a swimsuit and a see-through wrap. She had large hoop earrings, her hair pulled back, and her makeup looked professionally done. “Guess what? Omg. Scout came. I can’t believe it. He never comes to these things. Hi, Gem.” She squeezed my arm, then reached to squeeze Gem’s.
