Bitter

twenty-four - lydia

   I hadn't been inside the house yet. Too crowded. I wasn't at Jason's party because I wanted to be, I was there to find Cal and that was it.

   The gate to the backyard was open so I'd gone that way. The pool was the first thing I noticed, especially with the way it was all lit up, like a spotlight shined down from the dark clouds above and illuminated it. It was everything my pool wasn't. Deep, heated, and not a single leaf was floating in that clear water.

   Surprisingly, only a few people were outside and none of them were swimming. What happened to the pool party? The people were just talking under the patio lights, but I could hear bits and pieces of conversation coming from this one group that caught my attention.

"Yeah, I heard that new guy say he's gonna get Marco," one person said.

"Oh, you mean the Marco from our history class?" another person asked.

"Yeah. Don't know what he means by 'get' him though."

This wasn't good. At all. Knowing West, Marco might not live through the night. Suddenly I felt the urge to leave right then and there. I was getting myself into something I wouldn't be able to get out of. I really shouldn't have snuck out tonight like this.

Part of me was warning me, telling me to just turn around and march right through that gate again. But the other part, the part I ended up listening to, reminded me of all the things West was capable of. Plus, Marco had saved Meg in the parking lot and I couldn't just forget that.

I walked briskly across the backyard. I was going to find Cal. I passed the pool. I was going to find Cal and tell him exactly what was happening and I was rehearsing everything in my head, making my way to the sliding glass door of Jason's house. My shoes thumped up the steps of the patio and speak of the devil. I looked up and Cal emerged from the neon glow and booming music coming from inside, a puff of smoke swirling out with him.

The words just tumbled from my mouth. "The new student is West Haley," I told him. Just his name made my skin crawl. Thoughts from the car ride two days ago spiraled in my mind: the crazy look in West's eyes, breaking Meg's phone, running at Marco with a blade.

   Cal didn't seem too shocked by what I said. "I know," he replied, sticking his hands in his sweatshirt pockets. "Do you know where he is?"

It was funny. This was probably the first time Cal and I said anything to each other that wasn't meant to be rude or an insult. Of course, I didn't have time to think about anything at the moment other than finding West (or Marco) before it was too late.

I glanced back at the pool and at the group of people still conversing, though the topic had switched to something about the current music playing inside the house. I'd almost forgotten Cal had asked me something. No, I hadn't seen West, so I shook my head.

   That was when I looked up at Cal's face and really saw what West had done that day in the parking lot at school. A dark bruise had spread around Cal's left eye, like a shadow that wasn't supposed to be there.

Then I realized I'd been staring too long at him. "I think he's going to hurt Marco," I finally let out. I wasn't sure if I saw something flash in his eyes just then. Concern? Anger? Maybe both?

"Have you seen him tonight?" Cal asked.

I had not seen Marco tonight. I hadn't even stepped foot in the house yet. "No," was all I managed to say. Wow, what help I was. My voice came out a little shaky, probably from the memory of West lunging at Marco with his switchblade. That same switchblade he'd used on me years ago. So I blurted out to Cal that West had it still and I didn't waste any more time outside. I rushed past him, not bothering to see his reaction, and slid the glass door open.

———

   The bass of the music was squeezing my heart while I inched by a bunch of people, some knocking into me as they spilled drinks and secrets with each other. Everyone was in a sea of violet light and the smell of too much perfume filled my lungs. There was a bunch of glitter on one of the living room couches for some reason and empty cans of soda and beer littered the floor. I shuffled onward.

   I reached the stairs, looking up into the darkness of the second floor and debated on going up there. Just as I put my foot on the first step, I heard my name.

   "Lydia," the voice said, and I turned to see Meg standing with a group of friends in the hallway, Zach included. She gave me a small wave.

   I waved back and she mustered a smile. She was standing next to a girl with long, black hair who was just watching me, arms crossed. She wasn't looking at me in a rude way, just in a curious way. Like she was trying to figure out how Meg knew this girl she never even talked to, much less even saw at school.

   Meg broke away from the group and crossed the hall, coming right up to me. Her brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail and it swung whenever she'd turn her head, looking around for something or someone. "Um, have you seen Marco?" she asked. "I'm a little... I don't know..."

   "Worried about him?" I tried. Meg rubbed her arms as if she was cold and nodded.

   "I," she started, "I just haven't seen him tonight and Zach," she gestured to him talking with Meg's friend behind her, "he said Marco would be here." She brushed a stray hair behind her ear as her eyes roved over clusters of partygoers. "Ever since...the car ride...I don't know...I just have a bad feeling," she told me, her voice going softer so I could barely understand her over the music and laughing.

   I sighed before eventually admitting, "Me too." I informed her that I hadn't seen him either and that was when I glanced into the living room. Was that Cal? I had caught a glimpse of his face through the throng of people and then, shoving past a bunch of drunk guys, Cal saw me and was rushing my way.

   "Go," Cal ordered, pushing right by me, "upstairs, go." By how quick he was moving I knew something wasn't good. Meg and I exchanged glances and we both hurried up the steps after Cal, the music getting more muffled the farther we travelled up. A crash sounded from one of the rooms on the second floor and I burst through the first door I saw.