TweetyGram

11 - #HelloSummer

Summer used to be my favorite time of the year. But now it made me wish I lived in Antarctica, where I could wear a puffer jacket on the hottest day without looking like a freak.

Finding a dress that had a pair of long sleeves and was long enough to hide the scars on my legs was like searching for a needle in a haystack. I considered applying makeup to cover up the scars on my limbs, but in the end, I decided to pair a cream-colored spaghetti-strap maxi dress with a denim jacket. It was a nice combination; sweet with just the right amount of sass.

I just hoped I didn't stick out like a sore thumb in a pool of bikini-clad people.

I fluffed my hair and checked my reflection in the rearview mirror. A sprinkle of freckles across my nose was still visible, but the sweep of bronzer and peach blush that I bought specifically for today's party gave a healthy glow to my cheeks. I looked prettier than on most days. Nevertheless, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous.

"Calm down, Lindsey. You're not here to party, you're here to investigate." I sucked in a deep breath and blew it out. "Alright. Let's get this over with."

I hopped out of my car, locked it, and strode toward the luxurious three-story mansion Nat rented for today's party. Funky electronic music blasted from the backyard, along with laughter and the sounds of water splashing. I was about to walk past the open gate when a burly man in a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts stopped me.

"Your invitation, miss?" he requested.

It took a moment for me to register that the man was a security guard hired to keep uninvited guests from entering. It had been so long since I last attended a star-studded party, or any party at all. I forgot that celebrities needed to hire security services for their private parties.

Nat had sent an invitation to me via bike messenger last night and told me to bring it to the party. I fished it out of my bag and showed it to the burly man in front of me.

While the man scanned the guest list in his hand, my gaze drifted to the box of vibrant silicone wristbands on the small table beside him. There were only a few wristbands left in the box; some were red and the rest were blue. All of them had #HelloSummer along with suns and palm tree prints stamped on them.

"Welcome to the party, Miss Darling." The man plucked a red silicone wristband from the box and gave it to me. "Please wear this while you're here."

"Sure. Thanks." I was curious what the wristband was for, but I put it on without asking questions and headed straight to the backyard.

The open space was five, maybe six, times the size of my apartment and had a large swimming pool at the center. At least fifty people were crowding the vast backyard, and to my relief, I blended in just fine. Although I showed the least amount of skin among the guests, not everyone wore swimsuits. Some opted for sundresses, rompers, or simple linen shirts and shorts.

The best part?

Everyone was too busy taking selfies to notice me.

As I scanned the place for Nat, I spotted a familiar teenage girl standing near the packed pool. The combination of Almond's bright magenta T-shirt and neon yellow shorts made her stand out in the crowd.

"Almond!" I called, but she didn't hear me.

I couldn't blame her. It was like a circus out here. Plus, she was standing so close to the table where the DJ was spinning the records.

Almond had her gaze fixed on the group of young adults posing with giant inflatable fruits in the pool, perhaps waiting for her turn to snap a picture of herself with the cute floats. She bobbed her head to the beat of the music while her bony fingers toyed with the cocktail umbrella in her glass of fruit punch. As she sucked her drink through the straw, I noticed she was wearing a stack of silver and gold charm bracelets on her left hand and a blue silicone wristband on the other.