As the plane landed at the airport I saw the sun reflect off of the smooth, shiny metal building that read International Airflight port of clover.
Cally waved her hands violently to make sure I saw her, like anyone could miss her anyway. Her short, choppy, and layered blond hair was barely touching her porcelain skin, but covering her crystal blue eyes.
She was gorgeous, something that all of us have in common- they called us the perfects. It was super bothersome. Kevin, Cally, and I weren't the kind of people who like to draw a lot of attention to ourselves, so a nickname like that isn’t our choice of spotlight. Well maybe Cally did.
When my mother and father got together in high school, they were already planning their future. That's just the kind of people they were. Until my mom got ill. Then my father changed. He no longer worked like the man we used to know, he shut down.
But She was the love of his life, no one
blamed him. It was a long slow process, her being sick. She suffered for two years, our bills kept stacking on top of each other and draining the accounts. Though everyone misses her, I'm sure it was for the best, it was a living hell for her.
It had been almost four years so he had time to heal.
Cally came up to me with tears running down her face.
“ I have been waiting so long for you to come back, Omg look at how much you have grown. It makes me so sad that I missed all this time.”
I gave her a sarcastic face and laughed, “You act like I’m your little baby sister, when in reality it is the other way around.”
“By only like five minutes,” she smirked and then hugged me till I was gasping for air.
“ Why don’t we go drop off your stuff at the house, I have a little surprise for you.”
Cally loved to spend money, especially for me. Because I will just sit there and let her do whatever she wants.
“ Cally you shouldn’t have, I didn’t get you anything...”
“Good, I hate gifts.”
That, she was not entirely truthful about, the last I had heard she lived in a big house with lots of expensive appliances.
She picked my bags up and carried them to a polished little lexus with yellow stripes along the side. She handed the bags to a light haired guy in a blue suit. His nametag read Alejandro ventez. ̈Thanks, keep the change” cally said as she handed him a fifty dollar bill. Alejandro smiled and bowed.
“Wanna take a ride?”
“Erm... sure, I guess I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“Nope.”
We climbed into the car and as she put the keys into the ignition, the music started to blast, I could feel every beat inside my body and back out again. I rolled my window down as we sped off, the smell of summer slipping past us. Everything was so much different here, I didn't realize how much.
“How fast are we going?”
“Only 98 MPH. why you ask?”
I look at her with a concerned expression. She isn't the safest driver ever.
“We are not in georgia anymore, we play by new rules here.”
‘’ So what is the speed limit?” I asked slightly worried
“ 75” she announced as she slammed on the gas.
Right as I was about to make a comment we pulled up to a huge white royal styled home, at least three stories high. I hadn’t realized that my mouth was open until cally reached over and gently closed it. “It’s beautiful isn't it ?”
“It…..it’s so.. Just wow.”
The gates open and cally pulled through to the driveway thing, I wondered what that was called.
“Okay bella hop out”
“Ho..How” I stuttered
“Oh let me” right then she leaned over, pushes a button and the door carefully opened.
“I could get used to this.”
“Trust me you will, I will make sure you get super spoiled” she exclaimed
“ First things first, I have two surprises. Second I have some news for you”
“Ummm okay, what is it?”
“Kevin is possibly going to move in with us, what do you think”
My mind shifted back to the last few years of us sitting in front of the tv sipping on sweet tea eating chicken from the night before. Kevin dropping some food on his face and leaving it there until he took a shower an hour later.
“Well I guess it will be good, I can have an eye on both of you at the same time.”
“omg are you serious! I am so glad, We can have parties everyday and it can be just like it used to be. okay back to business” she hopped out of the car and walked up to the front porch. She opened the door and sprinted inside closing the door behind her. I headed after her, being completely lost. As I got up to the door she opened it and startled me.
“ There is someone I want you to meet” She turned around and whispered something and then a man at least a foot taller than her came into view. His dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a man bun so I could see his murky brown eyes staring down at me.
“ Hello, my name is nathan, cally’s boyfriend”
My mind went blank, she has a boyfriend and she didn't think to inform me on that, I guess we are not that close anymore.
“Hello, I am-”
“Isabella lambert, yes I have been hearing about you for three years straight”
I shuddered at my full name. I never liked being called isabella it has a negative ring to it. When we were young and I would get in trouble (which wasnt that often) my mother would call “ Bella Rachel Lambert” just because she knew I didn't like my name being called out to me.
“You can call me Bella”
“Right, sorry; Say you should go with us to this party tonight, Eve-ry-body has been waiting for your arrival.”
“Sure I guess” I leaned my head down so I could look at his shoes, they had to be at least a size 10.
“Okay enough with the chitter chatter, let’s go we will be late.”Cally announced impatiently. That hasn't changed, I thought to myself.
I walked off of the porch and headed for the car when cally grabbed my hand and twisted me around.
“Ouch! Damnit cally, What is it?” she looked at me and laughed.
“Sorry; wimp, now, close your eyes” she shrieked. I was a little aggravated but I did what she said.
We walked for about two minutes when she stops.“ Alright Bella open your eyes” All of a sudden my eyelids feel really heavy, my mind freaks out and I hesitate.
I pull myself together, lifting my eyes to face a brand new dull black aventador 12 with my name in red cursive letters on the hood. The windows are tinted so dark it had to be illegal.
“Cally you shouldn’t have, I don’t know what to say.”
“ How about Thank-you for starters ” she said with a smirk.
“Thank you, you’re the best” I give her a hug and instantly look back at the car. Nathan came out of the garage holding the keys.
“Hey kid want these” He yelled.
“ first off I am older than you, and second hell yeah!”
He throws the keys at me and then walks over to cally grabs her face and kisses her
“Egh y'all make me sick” I make a puking sound and cover my mouth.
“ What ever, you are just jealous that I have a boyfriend and you don’t” cally said as she stuck her tongue out at me. I lift the keys up while lifting my eyebrows, “subtly” hinting my desire to get behind the wheel.
“ let’s go for it” She pulls away from nathan grabbing her keys from her pocket. I get to the door when I realize that I don’t know how to open it.
“ It’s a vertical door, it opens up.” Nathan laughs out.
I open the door just as he said it opens upwards. I get in and the smell of fresh leather hits me. I slip the key in, making the engine roar. Cally pulls out of the driveway; I follow. We speed down the highway, my adrenaline pumping hard underneath my skin. My phone rings and the screen lights up.
“Hello”
Bella it’s me we need to go shopping, I just remembered you can’t go to the party looking like that, no offense.
“Ha none taken, take the lead”
Gotcha
She turns off to a smaller road. About thirty minutes of traveling on the road a huge mall comes into view. We park and enter.
We enter what feels like the thirty- thousandth store.
“Omg bella this looks so good on you, that’s the one” she said looking at the black knee length dress.
“But it is so expensive” I complain
“I will just put it on my card” she says waving her credit card around.
I laugh as I turn to go back into the dressing room. The dress is a little more sluttier than my taste but this was her present, letting her get whatever she wanted. “Does nathan ever run out of money?”
“nope”
We go around the mall trying on shoes, picking out makeup, and getting perfumes.
Finally we walk out with our arms full of bags and boxes.
“ look at that sunset isn’t it just breath-taking?”
“ It’s not like I have been locked inside for the past three years”
]“ might as well have been, I mean look at what you’re wearing; sweatpants and a t-shirt it’s like a hobo dressed you up.”
“ Damn cally, love you too”
“Look all i’m saying is that you haven't gotten out in like a century, this will be good for you”
She puts the bags in the trunk of my car and closes it.
“ While you were looking at those shoes I went into the phone store and bought you the newest one I could find, here ya go.” she opens my hands and drop a white box displaying the phone that was inside.
“ Cal, really?”
“ you will need it for the gps and all the guys that give you their number; you’re welcome.”
I open my door and climb in. I slide the phone out of the box and when I turn it on GPS pulls up the address that cal sent me. We race down the highway going over 110 MPH, blurs of cars zooming past us, horns beeping loudly. We pull up to a house with multicolored lights coming out of the windows.
I pull out my phone and dial cal’s number.
Cal hey it’s bella
“I know I have caller ID”
Right okay well, I don’t know about this, what if I just end up in the corner like I used to
“ Trust me you wont”
Maybe I should just go home and get some sleep it has been a long day”
“No, don’t bale on me bella, don’t be a chicken- Bwack Bwack”
Okay fine, fine I will go inside
Good”
When I look up I realize everyone was gathered around my car. I open up the door and people move back to get out of the way. I put my foot on the ground and stood up, trying my best not to trip with my high heels on and my long black silk dress. Cally always had to go all out. I walk into the house with cal on my left smiling her hollywood smile. The smell of alcohol hits me strong and my nose crinkles.
“What, come on it’s just a little it’s not even that strong, stop worrying, here I will go get you a cup”
Before I could tell her no, she walks off. She comes back into view with a fancy glass with an orange semi-liquid.
“ What in the HELL is that?”
“I don’t like them but here”
“ cally WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!”
“ Sex on the beach, it contains orange schnapps, vodka, and other stuff” other stuff that's just great.
She shoves the glass in my hand winks then walks off. I take a sip, instantly my taste buds explode with flavor. “ OMG this is so good” I mutter to myself. After spending a few minutes sipping on the drink I go up to the bar.
“ hey you think I can get another one of those?”
The bartender looks at me and smiles” yeah sure, coming right up”
He handed me the glass refilled. I turn and walk out the door. It smelled better here.
I walk down the driveway. My feet start to feel shaky, my heels give out and I trip. But I stop in mid fall. I look up and A dark haired man is holding me.
“Careful now, you don’t want to spill your drink” his voice sounded like silk ringing in my ears. He placed me on the ground.
“Thanks, actually do you mind taking them off for me” I ask
“No problem” he kneels and as he is unzipping them, his eyes meet mine.
“ Hey, your bella aren't ya?”
“ yes, have we met?”
“ nope, always wanted to though, ha john is gonna freak when he finds out. Wow you are so much prettier than I believed.”
I took a long sip on my drink. “ Thanks”
“ sorry, my name is case, It is very nice to meet you”
“As well” I say.
“say you wanna take a drive?”he chuckled “only if I can drive, no offense but I think you are drunk”
“ What no way, so are you” I laughed
“ I'm having a club soda” he whispered
I groaned “Fine here” I handed the keys to him. I turn around to the car and stumble. His hand grabs my waist “goodness your wasted, here get on my back”
I jump on his back my drink still in my hand. He walks to the car and places me inside, starts the car and backs out of the driveway. He picks up my phone and dials cally.
“Bells come on I thought you were having fun with your sex on the beach I saw you even got seconds” she whined
“ Actually she is having a fantastic time”
“ who are you” she criticized
“Case, I’m taking her out for a drive she wanted to drive but she is wasted, I hope you don’t mind.”
“ Oh absolutely, she finally took my advice, yall two go have fun.” she shrieked.
“ gotcha, I will make sure she has the time of her life, bye”
The line ended. I rolled the window down and stuck my hands out. Case looked over at me and smiled.
“What?” I ask curiously
“ Oh nothing, it’s just you look like you are having fun.”
“ well.. Can I tell you something?”
“Yeah sure”
“Well, I haven't had this much fun in a long time” he started to slow down and pulled into a parking lot by this little park covered in lights.
“ why is that?”
“ Nobody wanted to hang out with me; I was the strange kid whose mom died and family split up, it was hard for me to adjust and kevin got the worst of it, he got jumped anytime he went outside alone, He always came home from school with cuts and scrapes all over his body. I guess being the oldest I feel responsible for not helping him more. He would push me away when someone would knock on the door to start a fight, He would almost always win but there were times where he got torn up. When he would come back inside he would go into his bedroom, and anywhere from 6-10 minutes he would start to cry. I would go into my room and get the kit and slowly make my way beside him to clean him up.”
He looked at me as a tear fell on my cheek, wiping it away with his thumb. He placed his hand on the back of my head. He leaned in and placed his lips on mine. He broke away and placed my head on his chest.
“ well can I tell you something?”
“Uh huh” I said in his chest.
“ not a lot of people want to hang out with me either, My dad was in the military and he was sent out to japan and he had to witness his best friend getting blown up by an explosive, shortly after he took his life. My mother went insane and can’t think straight anymore. I guess they think that I will go crazy too. he started to stroke my hair.
I look up “ what… I am so sorry”
“ nah don’t be, you don’t need to worry about it”
He started up the car again. “Let’s get you home okay?”
“But what about the party”
“Don’t worry.” I leaned over and laid on his shoulder and closed my eyes.
