Like Bees to Honey | gxg

7. At Pebble Beach

Parked vehicles hugged the steep hillside, turning the road winding down to the lakeshore into a toothy smile. At the top of the hill, Sabina found room to squeeze her car in between a rusty pickup and a dangling chain link fence with a faded NO TRESPASSING sign still clinging to it. As soon as she cut the engine, her sister Christina grabbed her coat and scrambled out of the car.

"Remember, we're leaving at ten," Sabina called after her.

"Mom said eleven."

"I've been at the market all week. I'm tired. I'm not gonna make it to eleven."

"Then you should've had a nap before we left!"

"But what about-"

Her sister disappeared around the curve of the cliff.

"-church picnic tomorrow," Sabina grumbled, slamming the car door. "I wouldn't even be here if Mom hadn't asked me to look after her."

"And because you promised me, right?" Riley unfolded from the back seat; they had managed to sleep a little on the way over.

"Yes, of course. Keeping my promise. One party. This is it."

Riley laughed at her disgruntled expression. "Don't worry. I'm here for you in your moment of need." They produced two brightly illustrated cans from the pockets of their zookeeper shorts.

Sabina wrinkled her nose. "Energy drinks?"

"It's the best I can do. I don't know who's got the hookups for cocaine."

With a reluctant giggle, she accepted the can they held out. She didn't like to admit it, but the 3 AM days were taking their toll on her, too. She tried to swallow the drink without tasting its chemical tang.

Riley tucked a six pack of cheap beer under their arm and the two of them started down towards the lake, gravel crunching underfoot.

The sun had slipped behind the mountain peaks, taking its warmth with it. Sabina snuggled into her cardigan. For no particular reason, she'd dressed up tonight: a ruffled sundress whose full skirt made her curves feel just right instead of too much, big bright earrings, curls in her hair that were already beginning to relax. On the ride over, her sister Christina had teased her, "Trying to show Alice what she's missing?" Sabina had decided that didn't deserve a reply.

The first thuds of bass drifted up to them through the dry grass. A cluster of younger teens ran by, alight with laughter, and Sabina recognized some of the girls from Christina's tennis club.

"What if we're the oldest people here?" she fretted.

"We won't be the oldest people here. Otis invited me, remember?" Before Sabina could express how much that did not reassure her, Riley slung their free arm around her shoulders. "You're stressing. I think you should try not to think about the market tonight."

Sabina frowned. "But if Mr. Chibana tells my parents about the samples-"

"He hasn't. He's not going to. I also think you should avoid Otis."

"When have I ever chosen to associate with Otis Verger by choice?"

The road trudged around a steep, stony point and petered out onto a stretch of coarse sand. Pebble Beach, and the party was already well underway.

At the water's edge, people piled wood into an enormous tower. All around clustered knots of people, all laughing and chattering, drinks sweating against cooling palms. Someone had set up a volleyball net and a dozen people passed the ball back and forth. A hum of voices and music echoed off the base of the sandstone cliffs and rolled out over the lake, which was smooth as obsidian in the thin blue light of twilight.