find at the bottom of a cartoon cliff.
Walking up to the boathouse, Julia pushed open a screen door, then a storm door. The light was already on and exposed a small house filled with dust and boating equipment. She wondered if she’d ever have to learn to use any of this stuff. Hopefully not.
“This place is disgusting,” Becca noted, not helping matters.
Some people were already there, sitting around on the floor. One of them, Ricky, she thought his name was, was leaning on the speakers she’d told him to bring. She’d seen them in his room and “pretty-pleased” him into bringing them.
“Here.” She handed him her iPod. “Put this on. It’s the first playlist on there.”
People trickled in for the next fifteen minutes. Becca got the guys to help her put together a makeshift beer pong table. She took the Ziploc bag full of Ping-Pong balls and set them next to the case of beer and bottles she’d managed to stuff into her suitcases. The stolen cups were piled, and her plastic shot glasses set out next to the water bottles she’d had Dana fill with soda for chasers.
Soon the room was filled with laughing, talking, singing and squealing. As everyone got drunker and the room grew warmer, Becca felt more and more like herself. This was who she liked to be. She loved a chaotic atmosphere she could lose herself in. When everyone was drunk, no one was watching her too closely or looking for mistakes. If she said something she shouldn’t, she could blame it on the drinks. Not like in real life, when the world was quiet and everyone could see and hear perfectly.
“Yeah, I’m rooming with some girl named Dana.” Becca was shouting over the music to Ricky.
“Where is she?”
“Right over there,” she pointed. “Don’t you know her?”
“No, I’ve seen her around, but …”
“Dana!” Becca shouted her name across the room. Dana looked up, and then crossed the room to her. Becca took her hand. “This is my roommate!”
“Damn,” said Ricky, looking between them, “you girls are so fucking hot.”
Two other guys walked up. One of them swallowed his drink quickly. “Are you two gonna make out?”
Dana looked shocked.
“What, are you scared?” Becca asked with a laugh.
“What? No, I just—”
Becca looked to the group of guys suddenly surrounding them. “You dare me?”
All of them said yes, nodding.
“But—” Dana started, but was cut off by Becca, who had just planted a kiss on her.
Becca pulled away, laughing. The guys were all laughing and clapping at them.
“Oh, shit, she really did it!” One of the guys threw an arm around Becca. He let go of her and held a hand out to Dana. “I’m Barry.”
Becca slapped his hand. “This is her third year here, the fact that you don’t know her yet means you don’t get to introduce yourself.”
She looked at him playfully, and led Dana away.
“That guy was so annoying, wasn’t he?” she said to Dana. “Barry? He totally tried to hit on me earlier. I’d ignore him.”
It was a lie. But that didn’t matter. It wasn’t Dana’s time to get looked at. Becca was the new girl. Not her.
“Let’s have another drink,” said Becca. She took Dana’s hand and led her to the alcohol table.
When they got there, a tall boy was already pouring two shots.
“Make it four.” Becca sidled up to him and saw that he was not just tall, but attractive, too. Blond, light brown eyes—and a good smile. He looked like he’d play baseball and was always nice to his mom.
“You the new girl?” he asked, and then turned to Dana. “Hey, what’s up, Dana?”
“Yes,” Becca answered quickly, before Dana could say anything. “I am the new girl. I’m glad you know Dana, no one else seems to. What’s your name?”
“Johnny.” He smiled and looked down at the shots he was now pouring for them. “Of course I know Dana. She’s that girl that sat next to me in Algebra last year.” He mouthed hot at Becca, and then smiled at Dana.
Becca was about to say something about how little anyone else seemed interested in Dana when another boy walked up. He was about the same height as Johnny, but an utter contrast. His skin was tan, like he’d spent the summer working outside and maybe had some Italian or something in him. His hair was black and a little messy, and his eyes were light blue. There was something in them that intrigued her. He looked … she tried to think of the word to describe him, and landed on sly.
“Hey.” He nodded curtly at her, then turned his last words to Johnny. “Pour me one.”
Immediately intrigued by this person who ignored her, she said, “I’m Becca.”
“Here, Max.” Johnny handed him a shot. They all clinked their glasses together, swallowed the burning liquid and then pounded back chasers.
“Becca,” Max said, finally acknowledging her. “Hey.”
“So, where’d you move here from?” asked Johnny, leaning back on the table.
“Chicago.” Becca cast a side-glance at Max, who was now in conversation with Dana about how awful some teacher had been.
“Chicago? That’s pretty cool. I’ve never been there. Why’d you transfer here?”
Chatty, wasn’t he? “My parents can’t stand me and hope someone else can.” That was the simple answer.
He laughed. “I bet that’s what a lot of people here feel like.”
“Come on,” Becca said suddenly to Dana. Her conversation with Max was going too well. And Becca was the one that wanted attention from him. She smiled. “Let’s go pick some other music to put on, huh?”
Half an hour later, Becca had been flirted with by another group of guys and had her self-esteem restored. Now she was talking to that guy Cam and looking for a way out of the conversation. She spotted a girl staring at them. As soon as Becca caught her, the girl looked away.
“That girl,” she said to Cam, and pointed. “Is that your girlfriend?”
A small smile and a tinge of pink appeared on his face. “No, that’s Blake.”
“But you like her.”
He laughed it off. “What? That’s crazy, I didn’t … She’s not … She wouldn’t like me. She’s gorgeous.” His eyes were on Blake, but she had turned to talk to someone next to her.
“She likes you, I can tell.”
“No
