Summer of Us

Chapter 9

Ashley has texted me Monty's address, which isn't marked on his trailer, but on the leaning mailbox of the dirt road out by the property. It's set back a ways under the outstretched branches of a willow tree, right on top of a hill overlooking the pond and surrounding area. There's a manmade fire pit and two of those mesh-like chairs people take to festivals set outside. There's a small bucket between the two, and a small trail of smoke is coming out of it, as if someone had recently tossed a cigarette in. Despite the state of the trailer, it's a beautiful view.

And though there's a pit in my stomach, the Valium's kicked in, so there's not another threat of a panic attack, even though right now would be appropriate.

"Star was telling me all these crazy things about Ashley," I say as CJ shuts off the car, also taking in the view. "You kind of know her, right? She's not gonna kick my ass or anything?"

"I don't know," he says, snapping of his seatbelt. "Honestly, don't know much about Ash. Why do you think she'd kick your ass, anyways?"

"Um, because her boyfriend slept at my place last night."

"I thought you said you didn't sleep together," he says, and when I don't say anything he whips his head in my direction.

"We didn't," I insist.

"You fucking liar, you hesitated."

"We didn't!" I say, shouldering my bag. "Just, from the outside of the situation in must seem sketch, huh?"

He watches me, not quite believing, but gets out the car none the less.

"I'm kind of scared," I say when we meet in the middle to walk up.

"You don't seem scared."

"Thanks, it's the Valium."

"Where was that stuff when I was giving my Salutatorian speech?" he says, his shoulder brushing against mine.

"You didn't even give a speech, you just introduced Macy Chong."

"Um, screw you. It definitely was a speech, and I had to say all these nice things about her, even though she was a bitch."

"You just think she was a bitch because she got valedictorian and you didn't."

"No, I say that because she was truly, in all essence of the word, a roaring bitch."

The door to the trailer swings open halfway on our trek up. Ashely's dark ponytail swings out, her light eyes effervescent in the late afternoon sun. I almost want to cover CJ's eyes so he won't see how beautiful she is. But her pink lips split into a smile, and it's too late.

"Hey guys," she says, stepping out in cut off shorts and a burgundy halter that makes her boobs, shoulders, skin look absolutely amazing. Fuck. She steps onto the flowery welcome mat at the bottom, barefoot and toe nails coated in sapphire varnish.

"Hey," I say, holding up the wallet. "We come bearing gifts."

"Great," she says, and when close enough I hand it over. She smells like those body sprays from Victoria's Secret. "We've been here all day, we didn't even know it was missing."

All day? What were they doing cooped up inside all day long?

Oh. Wait.

Ouch.

"You look tan, CJ," she says, running a finger down his arm. Her smile is almost as dazzling as the late afternoon sun. "Logging all those hours at the pool, I see."

"Yeah, I haven't seen you come by this summer," he says. "You were always so adamant on getting skin cancer last year."

"Cute," she says. "But I've been busy. I moved to Masaryktown, recently."