The Sweetest Summer

Chapter Thirty - Two - Shameless

Thursday came and went, my bags were packed, I was checked in for my flight, and Franc had received the contract. In turn, he enthusiastically emailed me my living arrangements. From what I could tell on Google Earth, it was a small white brick apartment in the heart of the fashion district. It boasted a tiny dark blue terrace where I would live with three other girls I didn't know. Three other models. I could only hope they weren't half as bad as Denise or her cronies.

"Do you think you'll start smoking when you move there?" Marissa asked as she took a pull from a silver flask out by my pool. "I hear everyone in Paris smokes..."

My parents had thrown me an impromptu goodbye party, catering in sushi from my favorite restaurant and inviting our small circle. Uncle Snake, Uncle Theo and Aunt Sarah sans twins, Marissa, and Trinity.

After dinner, the adults mingled inside while Marissa, Trinity, Collins and I lounged on the pool furniture outside.

"Yeah, right." Collins laughed where she sat atop Trinity. "Avery doesn't believe in smoking anything."

"Aside from you in volleyball." I challenged and Collins smirked.

"Touché."

"Why isn't Elijah here tonight?" Trinity piped up. Collins gave me an apologetic look, but I waved her off, accepting my turn with the flask.

"He's still on location." I lied, not wanting to put Eli's parent's marital business out there. It wasn't my place.

"Is he going to get to see you before you leave?" Trinity continued and Collins handed her the flask, hoping to shut her up.

"I don't know." I said, turning to look out to the pool and she finally caught my drift. I didn't want to talk about Eli tonight. I worried if I started I would never stop. Like a never ending blabbing about how he had changed my life this summer, and ruined me all the same.

Marissa's phone dinged loudly and I was pulled from my inner turmoil to where she was grinning widely, glad for the distraction.

"Who's texting you?"

"Oh, no one...." She rolled her lips into her mouth as the phone dinged again, but there was no hiding her smile. Marissa Le was...smitten?!

I pretended to reach for the flask from her, but in a quick move grabbed her phone instead.

"Hey!" She protested, scrambling to dig herself out of the hole of cushions she lounged in. I ran to the opposite side of the pool before her short legs could catch me.

"Tre?!" I shouted scrolling through all the heart emojis. "I thought you didn't like nice guys..."

"I don't. I mean I didn't. Just give me my phone back, you whore!" She howled, but I dodged her again.

Another text rolled in, causing the phone to vibrate in my hand and I instinctively read it.

Holy fuck, this shit is wild. You should seriously stop by Elijah West's house when you leave there...

I paused long enough for her to catch me and pry the phone from my frozen fingertips. What shit was wild?! And why was whatever was happening happening at Eli's house?!

"What was Tre talking about?" I shook my head as Marissa took her turn to read the message. "Eli's out of town. There shouldn't be anything going on at his house..."

"Except it is and he isn't." Marissa blurted coming closer to me. I noticed how Trinity and Collins shifted against each other slightly, looking guilty.

"What are you talking about?" I pressed, but Marissa looked toward the pool, pressing her lips together in a tight line. My eyes shifted to Trinity who avoided my gaze, and Collins who was a shade too pink. I suddenly felt like the fifteen year old version of myself that wore the brown taffeta dress to the winter formal. The one Denise had publicly shamed me for looking like a 'furry turd'.